Page 147 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

with the small profile model.) 14086. And that is the position? - Yes, somewhere about that. I cannot say exactly whether the third funnel was clear of the water or not. I am under the impression that was the position. I noticed the ship was quite at that angle. (Describing.) 14087. (The Solicitor-General.) Would you indicate with your other hand whereabouts you are when you are looking at it? - Here. (Pointing.) 14088. You are somewhat about there? - Somewhere about here. 14089. (The Commissioner.) You are, in fact, on a level with the top of No. 2 funnel? - About that, my Lord. 14090. (The Solicitor-General.) As you looked at it then, could you tell us whether there were any lights burning on the part that was not submerged? - I do not think so. 14090a. Your recollection is that there were not? - Yes. 14091. (The Commissioner.) When the ship reached that point that you have just described, were many people thrown into the water? - That I could not say, my Lord. 14092. (The Solicitor-General.) Did you continue watching the afterpart sufficiently to be able to tell us whether the afterpart settled on the water at all? - It did not settle on the water. 14093. You are confident it did not? - Perfectly certain. The Solicitor-General: Your Lordship knows a lot of witnesses have said their impression was the afterpart settled on the water. 14094. (The Commissioner.) I have heard that over and over again. (To the Witness.) That you say is not true? - That is not true, my Lord. I was watching her keenly the whole time. The Commissioner: I had a difficulty in realising how it could possibly be that the afterpart of the ship righted itself for a moment. The Solicitor-General: Your Lordship may remember, perhaps, that the baker, who was on the ship at this moment we are now dealing with, and was climbing aft, said he heard the rending of metal - of metal breaking. The Commissioner: Yes, he was the man who got to the poop. 14095. (The Solicitor-General.) Yes, he climbed right aft; at this moment he would be on the poop. (To the Witness.) Your evidence is that the ship remained stiff? - Yes. 14096. Now just carry it on, did you continue watching her until she disappeared? - I did. 14097. Just tell us what happened, as you saw it? - After she reached an angle of 50 or 60 degrees, or something about that, there was this rumbling sound, which I attributed to the boilers leaving their beds and crushing down on or through the bulkheads. The ship at that time was becoming more perpendicular, until finally she attained the absolute perpendicular - somewhere about that position (describing), and then went slowly down. She went down very slowly until the end, and then, after she got so far (describing), the afterpart of the second cabin deck, she, of course, went down much quicker. 14098. You have spoken of these rumblings which you heard, which you attributed to the boilers losing their places. Did you hear anything which you would call an explosion? - No. The only thing that I should attribute to explosions - which might have been attributed to explosions - was when I was, in the first place, sucked to the blower, and, in the second place, just shortly before the forward funnel falling, there was an up-rush of certainly warm water, but whether it was caused by an explosion or what, I could not say. 14099. Of course, if you were under water at that time you were not in a very good position to hear it? - No. The Commissioner: I do not know what the explanation of this supposed explosion is. What was it that exploded? 14100. (The Solicitor-General.) What would you say, Mr. Lightoller? - It was either the cold water reaching the boilers, if boilers do not explode under those circumstances, which is quite an