Page 152 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

14174. When the dawn broke in the morning was there ice about then? - There were several icebergs scattered about. 14175. (The Commissioner.) But anything in the nature of pack ice? - Not that we saw then. 14176. (The Solicitor-General.) Did you see anything of the sort you call “growlers”? - No. 14177. What you saw were bergs then? - Bergs. 14178. What sort of distance did you see them off? - I should say the nearest must have been at least 10 miles away. That is a pretty rough estimate. I cannot say with any degree of accuracy now what the nearest was, it may have been less. 14179. What sort of height would you judge? - They ranged from a matter of 50 or 60 feet to perhaps 200 or 300 feet. 14180. There is one other matter. The Commander uses a megaphone, of course - a speaking trumpet? - Yes. 14181. After these boats had been launched and left the side [of the] ship, did you hear any orders or call given to any of them? - Yes. 14182. By whom? - By the Commander. 14183. Through the megaphone? - Yes. 14184. Did that happen more than once? - More than once, yes. 14185. What was the order? - To come back. 14186. Was he hailing any particular boats? - No. I heard the Commander two or three times hail through the megaphone to bring the boats alongside, and I presumed he was alluding to the gangway doors, giving orders to the boats to go to the gangway doors. 14187. (The Commissioner.) When was this? - During the time I was launching the boats on the port side, I could not give you any definite time. 14188. (The Solicitor-General.) You heard the orders given and you heard the orders repeated; could you gather at the time whether they were being obeyed or not? - No. 14189. You did not know one way or the other? - I did not know anything at all about it. 14190. I think that exhausts what I want about the actual incident? - May I say one thing, Sir, which I forgot yesterday? 14191. Do? - You were questioning me with regard to speed and asking had the Commander mentioned anything about speed. I have since recollected one particular instance if it does bear on the case at all. The Commander mentioned the fact and said: “If it does come on in the slightest degree hazy we shall have to go very slow.” That was when he came on the bridge from 9 to half-past, when we were talking. You were particularly asking if there was any reference to speed. That was the only one. 14192. You have told us already that as far as your watch is concerned, it remained perfectly clear? - Yes. 14193. Mr. Murdoch unfortunately has lost his life and some of the others, and you had better just tell us - did you hear after the accident in the course of that hour and a half or two hours from any of your superiors any information at all about how they did come to run into this iceberg? - None whatever. 14194. No reference to what the weather had been after 10 o’clock? - No. The weather was perfectly clear when I came on deck after the accident, and the slightest degree of haze on the surface of the water would have been very noticeable, or, rather, I might put it the other way; it is proved that there was no haze by some of the boats noticing from the waterline this vessel’s lights. I think that has been mentioned, and if there had been the slightest degree of haze they would not have seen them. 14195. As far as you saw, did you see any change in the weather conditions at all while you were working, helping to get these boats out? - Absolutely none. 14196. Right up to the time the ship went down is it your view that the conditions were the