Page 219 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

decks which you went to? - Through a staircase under the port side of the forecastle head which takes me down into D deck, and then walked along aft along D deck to just underneath the bridge, and down the staircase there on the port side, and then I am down on E deck near E deck doors, the working alleyway; and then you cross over to the starboard side of E deck and go down another accommodation staircase on to F deck. I am not sure whether I went lower. Anyhow, I went as low as I could possibly get. 15363. (The Commissioner - To the Witness.) Just come round here? - Yes, my Lord. (The Witness explained plan to the Commissioner.) The Commissioner: He appears to have got to F deck. His first statement was right. 15364. (Mr. Raymond Asquith - To the Witness.) Did you then go up again through the other decks as far as C deck? - I came up the same way as I went down. 15365. Without noticing any damage? - I did not see any damage whatever. 15366. When you got to C deck did you see some ice there on the deck? - Yes, I took a piece of ice out of a man’s hand, a small piece about as large as a small basin, I suppose; very small, anyhow; about that size (Describing.) He was going down again to the passenger accommodation, and I took it from him and walked across the deck to see where he got it. I found just a little ice in the well deck covering a space of about three or four feet from the bulwarks right along the well deck, small stuff. 15367. Did you then go and report to the Captain? - I went on to the bridge and reported to the Captain and First Officer that I had seen no damage whatever. 15368. Did the Captain then tell you to find the carpenter? - Yes, I think we stayed on the bridge just for a moment or two, probably a couple of minutes, and then he told me to find the carpenter and tell him to sound the ship forward. 15369. Did you find the carpenter? - I met the carpenter. I think it would be on the ladder leading from the bridge down to A deck, and he wanted to know where the Captain was. I told him he was on the bridge. 15370. Did the carpenter tell you anything about there being water? - Yes, he did; he said the ship was making water fast, and he passed it on to the bridge. 15371. What did you do? - I continued with the intention of finding out where the water was coming in, and I met one of the mail clerks, a man of the name of Smith. 15372. Did he say something? - He also asked for the Captain, and said the mail hold was filling. I told him where he could find the Captain and I went down to the mail-room. I went down the same way as I did when I visited the third class accommodation previously. I went down as far as E deck and went to the starboard alleyway on E deck and the watertight door stopped me getting through. 15373. The watertight door on E deck was closed? - Yes. Then I crossed over and went into the working alleyway and so into the mail-room. 15374. What did you find in the mail-room? - I went down in the mail-room and found the water was within a couple of feet of G deck, the deck I was standing on. 15375. The mail-room is between the Orlop deck and G deck? - Yes, that is the mail hold. 15376. Was the water rising or stationary? - It was rising rapidly up the ladder and I could hear it rushing in. 15377. Did you go back and report that to the Captain on the bridge? - I stayed there just for a minute or two and had a look. I saw mail-bags floating around on deck. I saw it was no use trying to get them out so I went back again to the bridge. I met the Second Steward, Mr. Dodd, on my way to the bridge - as a matter of fact in the saloon companion way - and he asked me about sending men down below for those mails. I said “You had better wait till I go to the bridge and find what we can do.” I went to the bridge and reported to the Captain. 15378. We have been told that at some time you called the other officers; both Mr. Lightoller