Page 158 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

couple of ladders hanging over the side and tell the men when to jump. Have a rope round them, and let the seamen be hanging on to them so that they cannot let go until you think it desirable for them to jump into the boat. You would have to be guided absolutely by circumstances. 14255. Under such circumstances what complement of a crew would you desire to have in any of these lifeboats? - To handle her alongside the ship; is that what you mean? 14256. To handle her alongside the ship and at sea afterwards if necessary? - There is very little handling to be done in a rough sea; you would ride with a sea anchor. 14257. The question I ask is, how many of a crew would you desire to have? - Say four. 14258. There would be four able seamen? - Four men generally useful in a boat, with a fair knowledge of boating. 14259. You think four would be sufficient? - I would handle any of these lifeboats with four men. 14260. Would you require four experienced men? - Not necessarily experienced men - men who have a fair knowledge of boats, who know one end of the oar from another, and know which end of the sail goes up. 14261. You would not expect to get such men from amongst the stokers, would you? - Why not? 14262. Would you? - Yes. 14263. You would not require to have these four men ordinary seamen, deckhands? - No, not at all. 14264. But they would require to be skilled in the management of lifeboats or boats? - Not necessarily skilled; they want to be skilled in doing what they are told, and be able to do it. 14265. But in a sudden emergency you would not have time to tell them what to do, just as you had not time to tell the crews you sent from the “Titanic”? - But you are speaking of riding out at sea now, working a boat in a sea way. 14266. I am speaking of doing anything a boat’s crew would have to do, from the launching of the boat from the boat deck until they get to safety, if they ever get there. I do not wish to detain your Lordship with this. The Commissioner: You have indicated your point. 14267. (Mr. Scanlan - To the Witness.) It has been suggested in evidence which has been given in this case to my Lord that a crew of nine is desirable and necessary? - Then that would mean five less passengers, would it not? 14268. It would, of course, and, on the other hand, Mr. Lightoller, it would mean more boats. Do you agree with that? - The necessity of nine men to a boat? 14269. Yes? - Emphatically no. 14270. I understand your point of view. When you were leaving the bridge after your second watch, I understand it to be your evidence to my Lord yesterday that you explained to Mr. Murdoch what conclusion you had arrived at as to the proximity of ice; is that so? - I have not quite got that yet. Do you mean that I told Mr. Murdoch? 14271. When your watch finished at 10 o’clock on the night of the disaster, is it the case that you stated to Mr. Murdoch the conclusion you had arrived at as to the proximity of ice? - Yes. 14272. You were examined with regard to this in America; do you remember that? - No, I do not remember what I said there. 14273. I am reading from what purports to be the official note of the evidence in America, my Lord. It is the first day, and the first time you were in the witness-box, and it is on page 68 of the copy I have. You were asked, “Do you know where you were at the hour you turned over the watch to Mr. Murdoch? (Mr. Lightoller.) Not now, Sir. (Senator Smith.) Did you know at the time? (Mr. Lightoller.) Yes, Sir. (Senator Smith.) Can you give us any idea? (Mr. Lightoller.) When I ended the watch I roughly judged we should be getting towards the vicinity of the ice, as