Page 183 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

14604. Perhaps I should put it in this way. After the lifeboats had been lowered, when the falls are empty, is there any difficulty ever experienced in getting the falls up again? - The falls were already rounded up, as I said in my evidence, when I got there, so I had not experience of rounding them up myself. 14605. You do not know whether or not there is at times a difficulty in getting the falls rounded up as you say? - In all tackles there is more or less a difficulty in both overhauling them and rounding them up again unless there is any weight on them. It has to be carefully managed. 14606. So that unless in the case of emergency the falls are very carefully managed, it would be impossible through their agency to lower these collapsible boats? - Oh, no, I would not say impossible at all. It proved very probable and capable, and we did lower the collapsible boats with them. 14607. Did you have any difficulty owing to the falls rounding up, in lowering the collapsible boats? - In rounding them up or lowering them? 14608. In rounding them up after the lifeboats had been lowered? - All the tackles need careful handling as I say in overhauling or rounding up. 14609. In order to avoid such a thing would you think it desirable that there should be second falls provided for the collapsibles? - It is not practicable. 14610. Did you see much of Mr. Ismay on the journey across? - No. 14611. Was he often on the boat deck? - No. 14612. Do you know on this Sunday afternoon whether or not the Captain had shown him the Marconigram with reference to the ice? - I do not know. 14613. Did you see Mr. Ismay much with the Captain? - No, I never saw him at all with the Captain. 14614. In fact, you saw little of Mr. Ismay from the time you left Southampton? - As far as my knowledge goes, Mr. Ismay was never within the vicinity of either the quarters or the bridge during the voyage. Examined by Mr. CLEMENT EDWARDS. 14615. You came over with the “Titanic” from Belfast? - Yes. 14616. Do you know anything about the survey by the Board of Trade? - In Belfast or Southampton? 14617. At any time? - Both. 14618. Was the “Titanic” surveyed by the Board of Trade representative in your presence in Belfast? - Part of the time in my presence. 14619. Who was the representative? - I forget his name. 14620. Was it the same representative of the Board of Trade in Belfast as you saw in Southampton? - Oh, no; a different representative in Southampton. 14621. I will come to Southampton in a moment. Did you accompany the Surveyor of the Board of Trade while he was making his survey in Belfast? - Part of the time. 14622. Was there a Surveyor on behalf of anybody else except the Board of Trade in your presence? - There were several gentlemen there; who they represented I really could not say. 14623. The “Titanic” was not classed at Lloyd’s or any other registration society? - That I could not answer. 14624. You do not know whether there was a Surveyor from any registration society surveying in Belfast? - No, I do not know. 14625. And you do not know the name of the Board of Trade representative? - No, I forget his name. 14626. (The Solicitor-General.) Mr. Carruthers, I think? - Yes, that is right.