Page 123 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

doubt at all in my mind. 13641. What about? - About the weather, about the distance I could see - principally those two conditions it would refer to. If there were the slightest degree of haze to arise, the slightest haze whatever, if that were to any degree noticeable, to immediately notify him. 13642. (The Solicitor-General.) I will take what you have just said. You said if the slightest degree of haze was to arise - that would be what was meant - you were to notify him? - Immediately; yes. 13643. And then did you understand, and do you represent, that if the slightest degree of haze arose it would at once become dangerous? - Well, it would render it more difficult to see the ice, though not necessarily dangerous. If we were coming on a large berg there might be a haze, as there frequently is in that position, where warm and cold streams are intermixing. You will very frequently get a little low-lying haze, smoke we call it, lying on the water perhaps a couple of feet. 13644. Do not misunderstand me. I am not suggesting that it would be necessarily dangerous in the sense that there would necessarily be an accident, but there would be a risk of danger, would not there? - If there was any haze? 13645. Yes? - Undoubtedly. 13646. The slightest haze? - The slightest haze would render the situation far more difficult. 13647. Far more dangerous? - Far more dangerous if there were ice. 13648. You told me that with those conditions of the weather you think that a growler might have been seen a mile and a half? - Yes. 13649. If you could see a low-lying growler in those conditions a mile and a half, how far off do you think you could see an iceberg? - A good sized iceberg? 13650. Yes. An iceberg big enough to throw ice upon your fore deck? - Well a matter of 50 feet. 13651. 50 feet? You mean an iceberg 50 feet out of the water? - Yes. 13652. How far off would you have seen an iceberg as big as that? - At least a mile and a half or two miles - that is more or less the minimum. You could very probably see it a far greater distance than that. If it were a very white berg, flat topped or the flat side towards you, under normal conditions you would probably see that berg 3 or 4 miles away. 13653. I think I must press you a little about this. The Captain leaves you and says, “If it becomes at all doubtful let me know at once”? - Yes. 13654. Surely that had reference to the risk of ice had it not? - Yes, undoubtedly; undoubtedly that was referring to ice. 13655. Just taxing your memory now, do not you think there was any further conversation between you and the Captain during that half hour, about the risk of ice and the presence of ice? - I have no doubt there was more conversation, most probably we were conversing the whole time the Commander was on the bridge, but the actual words I really cannot recall to my mind except what I have given you. 13656. What was the very first thing you did after the Captain went in about half-past nine? Did not you send a message to the crow’s-nest? - Yes, I did. 13657. What was it? - To keep a sharp look out for ice, particularly small ice and growlers. 13658. That was half-past nine? - And I think I told them to pass that word on until daylight - to keep a sharp look out till daylight. 13659. Now did you send that message to the crow’s-nest immediately after the conversation with the Captain? - Shortly afterwards I think it was. 13660. (The Commissioner.) It was only five minutes you know between the Captain leaving the bridge and your sending that message, if you have given the right times? - Yes, it was probably about that, my Lord, as near as I can remember.