Page 124 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

13661. Now did you send that message in consequence of your conversation with the Captain? - No, I thought it was a necessary precaution. That is a message I always send along when approaching the vicinity of ice or a derelict, as the case may be. If I know we are approaching the vicinity of a derelict, I send the word along to let them know what to look out for. It is just the same with regard to a Lightship, say the Nantucket Lightship; I tell them to keep a sharp look out for the Nantucket Lightship to give them an idea what they are looking for. 13662. What time was it dark on this night? - I think about half-past six, between half-past six and seven. 13663. (The Solicitor-General.) Was this the first time during this watch, six to ten, when you had sent any message to the crow’s-nest about any ice? - The first; yes. 13664. And was it the only time as far as you are concerned? - The only time. 13665. But as you have explained to us, it was a message you said they were to pass on to the men who relieved them? - Yes. 13666. Cannot you tell us at all whether that message was in any way caused by or suggested by the conversation you had with the Captain? - No, in no way whatever. It was not. I see your point, that having been talking with the Commander I should naturally take this precaution, but I may say that it was in no way suggested by the conversation with the Commander. 13667. Very well, I think you caused that message to be sent to the crow’s-nest by one of the junior officers who was with you on the bridge? - Yes, Mr. Moody. 13668. Did you hear him send the message? - I did. I told him to repeat it. 13669. You heard him send it, and when he first sent it did he send it quite accurately? - No, not quite. 13670. And did you then make him repeat it accurately? - Yes. 13671. Now just tell the Court what was the difference, what was it you wanted to be right? - Well, I told Mr. Moody to ring up the crow’s-nest and tell the look-outs to keep a sharp look out for ice, particularly small ice and growlers. Mr. Moody rang them up and I could hear quite distinctly what he was saying. He said, “Keep a sharp look out for ice, particularly small ice,” or something like that, and I told him, I think, to ring up again and tell them to keep a sharp look out for ice particularly small ice and growlers. And he rang up the second time and gave the message correctly. 13672. Of course if there was no swell so that you could not at all rely on the breaking of the water against the edge of an iceberg or growler, it would be particularly hard to see would it not? - It would be more difficult if it was not of any size. 13673. Whereas an iceberg that is more out of the water, on a fine night you thought would probably show you some white side or white edge? - Yes. 13674. And on a fine night you would be able to see the whiteness? - Yes. 13675. Was that the reason you repeated the message about growlers? - Yes. 13676. Now we come to the last half-hour of your watch, from 9.30 to 10, I think. Just tell us what you were doing as regards ice, looking for ice during that time? - At 9.30 or about 9.30 I took up a position on the bridge where I could see distinctly - a view which cleared the back stays and stays and so on - right ahead, and there I remained during the remainder of my watch. 13677. Were you looking out? - Keeping a sharp look-out, as sharp as was possible. 13678. Looking out for ice? - Looking out for ice and watching the weather; watching the conditions generally to see there was no haze which would rise that I should not notice, and, of course, keeping a sharp look out for ice as well. 13679. Were the conditions of the weather such that a haze might arise locally in one particular part of the field in front of you? - Then I should have seen it. 13680. You thought that might be so and you were looking out? - It could possibly have been so.