Page 146 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

14068. (The Solicitor-General.) When you came up where did you find yourself? - I found myself alongside of the collapsible boat, which I had previously launched on the port side, the one I had thrown on to the boat deck. 14069. The one still shut up? - Yes, still shut up, bottom up. 14070. Were you able to make use of it to clamber on to it? - Not at that time. I just held on to something, a piece of rope or something, and was there for a little while, and then the forward funnel fell down. It fell within 3 or 4 inches of the boat. It lifted the boat bodily and threw her about 20 feet clear of the ship as near as I could judge. 14071. Did you notice when you came up to the surface and found this collapsible boat near you whether the whole of the ship had disappeared? - Oh, no. 14072. She had not? - No. The forward funnel was still there - all the funnels were above water. 14073. (The Commissioner.) When you first came up? - When I first came up. 14074. (The Solicitor-General.) I do not know whether you can help us at all in describing what happened to the ship. You were engaged and had other things to think about; but what did happen to the ship? Can you tell us at all? - Are you referring to the reports of the ship breaking in two? 14075. Yes? - It is utterly untrue. The ship did not and could not have broken in two. 14076. (The Commissioner.) If you saw it - if you saw what happened, tell us what it was? - After the funnel fell there was some little time elapsed. I do not know exactly what came or went, but the next thing I remember I was alongside this collapsible boat again, and there were about half a dozen standing on it. I climbed on it, and then turned my attention to the ship. The third if not the second funnel was still visible, certainly the third funnel was still visible. The stern was then clear of the water. 14077. Which do you call the second and third? - Numbering them from forward, my Lord. 14078. The second was visible? - The third was visible - I am not sure if the second was visible, but I am certain the third was visible, and she was gradually raising her stern out of the water. Even at that time I think the propellers were clear of the water. That I will not be certain of. 14079. Had the funnel broken away? - Only the forward one. 14080. But you are not sure about the second one? - I am not sure whether that was below water or not, that I cannot say. 14081. That is what I mean. I want to know from you. Was it below water in the sense that the ship had sunk so as to immerse it in the water, or had it broken adrift? - No, the second funnel was immersed. 14082. It appears to me, looking at that model, that if that was so the stern must have been very well up in the air? - Well, I daresay it was, my Lord; it would be. 14083. And the propellers all visible? - Yes, clear of the water. That is my impression. 14084. (The Solicitor-General.) When you say the third funnel was visible I understand you to mean part of it? - Yes, some part of the funnel. As a matter of fact, I am rather under the impression that the whole of the third funnel was visible. The Commissioner: Is it possible to turn that model so that we could see what the position of the ship would be? The Solicitor-General: I understand it cannot be tipped in that way. 14084a. (The Commissioner.) It seems to me the ship would be almost perpendicular? - She did eventually attain the absolutely perpendicular. The Solicitor-General: Perhaps this profile will help you. (Handing the same to the Witness.) 14085. (The Commissioner.) Just take that, and turn that little wooden model into the position. Now the book you have here represents the waterline? - Yes. (The Witness indicated the position