Page 172 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

14469. That is, a compass is kept in the lifeboats? - No, I do not think the equipment calls for a compass being actually in the boats. 14470. A lantern; is that part of the equipment? - That is part of the equipment. 14471. Is that put in the boats? - I do not think it is necessary for that to be kept in the boats. 14472. Tell me, what is your experience. Is it usual for these things to be put into each boat before the commencement of a voyage. I am not talking about what happened on the “Titanic”? - No, it is not. 14473. It is not the usual thing? - No. I am speaking of the lamp and the compass. 14474. Even taking the present Board of Trade regulations - whether they are sufficient or not, I am not going to make any suggestions to you - I take it that you must have an efficient compass and a lantern trimmed in four of the boats on a ship like the “Titanic”? - I think it is four. 14475. With regard to those four is it not the case that the compass and the lamp as well as the other accessories are put in and kept in the boats from the beginning of the voyage? - Not the compasses; I do not think it applies to the compasses. The compass is rather a delicate thing, and also the lamp. It will not keep indefinitely, it is better to keep it in a dry place so that when you do want it there is no trouble about lighting it. 14476. Do you of your own knowledge know where the compasses for the lifeboats on the “Titanic” were kept during this voyage? - Of my own knowledge I know there was a locker fitted up for them; I think it was on the afterend of the boat deck; somewhere handy any way, a shelf put in where all the compasses would be right handy to the boats. 14477. Do you know whether there was any compass in any boat? - No, I do not believe there was a compass in any boat. 14478. Do you know whether there was a compass put into the boats after the collision and before the boats were lowered? - No, I do not think there was. 14479. How do you explain that so few of the boats, as they were lowered, had lanterns? - I do not think I have conveyed the idea that so few had lamp. It will not keep indefinitely, it is better to - 14480. Had any of the boats that you assisted in lowering? I take it you assisted in lowering four - 4, 6, 8 and the collapsible - had any of those lanterns? - Well, I did not look for lanterns, and I cannot say; you can get that evidence as to the lamps, I may tell you, from Hemming, the lamp trimmer, who took the lamps and lighted them and went round and distributed them to the boats. 14481. In the meantime, I am trying to get it from you? - I am afraid I cannot give you the information. 14482. At all events, none of them had a compass? - Not to my knowledge. 14483. With regard to the glasses, you stated that a report was made at Southampton that glasses for the crow’s-nest were wanting. Can you tell my Lord to whom that report was made? - To me. 14484. What record was kept of it? - None. The Commissioner: What are you speaking of now, Mr. Scanlan? 14485. (Mr. Scanlan.) Of the report from the crow’s-nest that there were no glasses in the crow’s-nest. (To the Witness.) You said the report was made to you - by whom? - Will you just let me explain the circumstances, and you will have it clearly then? I was in my room, and I heard a voice in the quarters speaking. I recognised it as Symons, the look-out man, so I stepped out of my door, saw him, and said, “What is it, Symons?” He said, “We have no look-out glasses in the crow’s-nest.” I said, “All right.” I went into the Chief’s room, and I repeated it to him. I said, “There are no look-out glasses for the crow’s-nest.” His actual reply I do not remember, but it was to the effect that he knew of it and had the matter in hand. He said that there were no glasses then for the look-out man, so I told Symons “There are no glasses for you.” With that he