Page 199 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

MR. W. D. HARBINSON (instructed by Mr. Farrell) appeared on behalf of the third-class passengers. (Admitted on application.) MR. ROBERTSON DUNLOP watched the proceedings on behalf of the owners and officers of the s.s. “Californian.” (Leyland Line). (Admitted on Application.) MR. H. E. DUKE, K. C., M. P., and MR. VAUGHAN WILIAMS (instructed by Messrs. A. F. and R. W. Tweedie) appeared as Counsel on behalf of Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff-Gordon. (Admitted on Application.) HERBERT JOHN PITMAN, Sworn. Examined by Mr. BUTLER ASPINALL. 14911. Were you serving as Third Officer on the “Titanic” at the time of this accident? - Yes. 14912. What certificate do you hold? - Ordinary Master. 14913. How long have you been in the service of the “White Star” Line? - Five and a-half years. 14914. And during those 5 1/2 years have you been travelling backwards and forwards across the Atlantic? - A twelve-month only. 14915. And have you had considerable experience on the sea in other parts of the world besides the Atlantic? - Sixteen years. 14916. Twelve months experience in the Atlantic? - Of the North Atlantic. 14917. I will get this fact from you now, it comes a little later in your story. You were saved in boat No. 5, were you not? - Yes. 14918. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) We have had some evidence with regard to boat No. 5, my Lord, but not of a very satisfactory character. It is the evidence of Shiers, the fireman, at page 113. He was not able to give us very useful evidence with regard to the matter. It is Question 4653: - “(Q.) Then you got into No. 5? Was No. 5 lowered? - (A.) Yes. (Q.) Who were in No. 5? You were, who else? - (A.) One other fireman, a steward, and a quartermaster. (Q.) And were there some women and children in No. 5? - (A.) Women, no children. (Q.) Do you know how many women? - (A.) No. (Q.) Was the boat full or not? - (A.) It was not full - as many as it would take off the davits was what the officer said - as many as he thought the boat would take off the davits.” (To the Witness.) To come to the Sunday, the 14th, at the time of the accident you were off watch and asleep in your cabin, were you not? - That is right. 14919. When before, on that day, had you last been on duty? - 6 to 8 p.m. 14920. And before in the course of that day, had you been on duty? - 12 to 4 in the afternoon. 14921. Was it within your knowledge that the ship would probably meet with ice that evening? - We knew that we should be in the longitude of ice. 14922. Who told you that? - I saw it in a Marconigram. 14923. Do you know from which ship that Marconigram had come? - I have no idea. 14924. Did you particularly concern yourself with that matter? - No, I simply looked at them and saw that there was no ice reported on the track. 14925. Did you see one Marconigram or two Marconigrams? - Two, I think. 14926. Were these posted in some part of the ship? - Yes, in the chart room. 14927. And you read them, did you? - Yes. 14928. Was there any discussion between you and any other of the officers about the fact that you would probably meet ice that night? - I do not think so. 14929. Do you mean you do not remember? - I do not remember it. 14930. As you have said, you were turned in at the time the vessel struck the iceberg, and, I believe, asleep? - Yes. 14931. You were aroused and at first did you think much had happened? - No, I did not.