Page 140 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

was No. 8. 13929. (The Solicitor-General.) This is a boat, my Lord, about which we have not really as yet called any evidence. We have one man coming, if need be. (To the Witness.) Was the same course followed about No. 8? - Yes. I think, if I remember rightly, at No. 8 I left the lowering to the chief. He came along and, of course, being Senior Officer, took charge, and so I went then, I think, to No. 4 to complete the launching of No. 4. 13930. And I think you have told us it was the Chief Officer who gave this order to the passengers to go over to the starboard side? - Yes. 13931. As far as you recollect, was it you or was it he who determined how many people should go into this next boat, No. 8? - If it was No. 8 that the Chief Officer came to, I left it to him. I am afraid I cannot say with any degree of accuracy. If I was there I would decide who was to go in, and if he was there superintending he would naturally. I think it was No. 8 the Chief came to. 13932. Were there still women on the boat deck? - Yes. 13933. And was this general order that women and children should be dealt with first still observed? - Yes. 13934. Was the discipline good? - Excellent. 13935. The men passengers behaving themselves well? - Splendidly. 13936. Will you just take us to the next point after this boat No. 8. It was No. 8? - Yes. From there I went to No. 4. 13937. That is, returning? - Returning forward, down on to A deck. The windows were down. I placed some chairs against the window and formed a step, and standing outside myself, the same order was proceeded with, except that the boat was triced right close into the wire. 13938. You were able to pull it in? - Yes, and make it fast right into the wire. 13939. You were dealing with the boat hanging on the port side. Did you notice whether the list was serious? - It could not have been serious. 13940. Not even then? - No; because I was able to stand with one foot on the ship and one foot on the boat. Had the list been serious, the boat hanging on the davits from the boat deck down to A deck, it would have been too far away for me to stride the distance. 13941. (The Commissioner.) You could stride from the “Titanic” to the hanging boat? - Yes. 13942. There could have been scarcely any list at all? - Very little. 13943. No perceptible list? - Very little. I think the ship righted. When the order was given to the passengers to go to the starboard side I am under the impression that a great many went over and the ship got a righting movement and maintained it, and then the passengers came back again in great numbers. 13944. You mean to say the shifting of the passengers on the deck would affect the list? - Yes, my Lord. At that height, and with that number of passengers, I think it would. Mr. Wilding would be able to decide that. 13945. It would have a very small effect, would it not? - I am under the impression the fact of her being low down in the water and the stern higher out of the water it would have more effect than if she were on an even keel under ordinary circumstances. 13946. Surely it would have more effect if she were high up out of the water? - I may be wrong, my Lord, but I think it would have more effect with her head down in the water and her stern out - suspended amidships. 13947. It was so slight that you could stretch with your legs from the deck of the “Titanic” to the hanging out boat? - Yes. 13948. (The Solicitor-General.) Were you able to do that before the boat was drawn in and triced to the wire? - I was. 13949. Were women and children helped into No. 4? - Yes, through the windows.