Page 249 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

Examined by Sir ROBERT FINLAY. 15983. Did Mr. Ismay do all he could to help? - He did everything in his power to help. 15984. You saw this chit, the note about the ice on the table? - Yes. 15985. Did you work it out? - I worked it out roughly. 15986. You were on watch 6 to 8? - Yes. I ran this position through my mind, and worked it out mentally, and found that the ship would not be within the ice region during my watch, that is, from six to eight. 15987. You do not recollect what the figures were? - I do not. 15988. But that was the result you arrived at? - That was the result I arrived at. 15989. You have told us about your firing a revolver in consequence of two men trying to jump in? - Yes. 15990. Who were they? - One was - I do not know whether he was an Italian or what, but he was of the Latin races anyhow? 15991. And who was the other? - I do not know who the other was. He managed to get out of the road. 15992. What was he like; was he fair or dark? - I do not know. If I had I should have chased him out. 15993. You have told us how you tied the boats under your command together and went back with your boat with only the crew to help? - Yes. 15994. Did you approach as soon as you thought you could do so with reasonable safety? - I did. I had to wait until I could be of some use. It was no good going back there to be swamped. 15995. And you saved some. Then coming back you were under sail, if I rightly understand? - I was. 15996. And you took your own collapsible in tow? - That was the collapsible that I had in the string of boats, yes. 15997. And then you met another collapsible? - I did not meet her. It was a good way off and I sailed down to her. 15998. I want you to tell me a little particularly about that collapsible. How many people were on her? - I do not know. I do not want to appear sarcastic, or anything like that, but you do not count people in a case like this. I should say, roughly, about twenty men and one woman. 15999. And you took them off her? - Yes. 16000. She was in a bad way rather? - Yes. 16001. Did you leave anyone on that collapsible? - I did. I left three bodies. 16002. Are you certain that the three bodies that you left were the bodies of dead people? - Absolutely certain. 16003. Did you satisfy yourself about that? - I made the men on that collapsible turn those bodies over before I took them into my boat. I said, “Before you come on board here you turn those bodies over and make sure they are dead,” and they did so. 16004. Is there the slightest doubt in your own mind that they were dead? - Not the slightest doubt. 16005. When you were on the “Titanic” did you get the revolutions? - I did. 16006. What was the highest? - The highest I remember was 75 revolutions per minute. 16007. That was on the 14th April, was it? - I do not know that it was on the 14th; it may have been at any time as far as I know; but that is as far as I remember. Seventy-five was the highest revolutions. 16008. On the voyage? - Yes. 16009. (The Commissioner.) Do you see any reason why the lifeboats should not have been