Page 197 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

for this ship - and your answer, as reported, is “When the ship was built we only expected her to go 21 knots.” Is that right? - When I say “we,” that is as far as we heard generally we expected a 21 knot ship. 14905. You go on, “Therefore, all over 21 we thought very good”? - Yes. 14906. That was the view of yourself and your brother officers at the time of this voyage. 14907. (The Commissioner.) Before you go, I want to ask you with reference to the sinking of the “Titanic.” You know we have heard from several witnesses that the afterpart of the ship which, shortly before the foundering was in the air, more or less righted itself. That has been stated. Now supposing this to be the ship (demonstrating) and she turned up in this way, what I want to know is, from your observations, is it possible that having turned up in that way and being, one may say, half submerged, she broke in two, her afterpart coming down, and that then she went down and the afterpart came up in the air? Do you understand? - I follow you quite clearly. I should not in any circumstances think that was so. I should think it was quite impossible. 14908. It is suggested that perhaps you, being in the water, would not see that righting of the afterpart of the ship at all, and that you possibly only saw her after she had got in that position and was going down? - I should not think so, my Lord. I should not think, after once she had shown a tendency to break, and was weakened, she would ever have the strength to right again. 14909. That is your view? - That is my view. 14910. You do not give credit to those witnesses who say that the afterpart of the ship, having once been up in the air, righted itself? - No, my Lord, I do not. (The Witness withdrew.) (Adjourned to tomorrow at 10.30 o’clock.)