Page 42 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

11909. (Mr. Lewis.) You have heard that all the other boats picked up passengers out of the water? - I heard it in the morning. 11910. Without any danger? - Yes, but how long was it afterwards? The Commissioner: Don’t you ask questions or we shall never get through. 11911. (Mr. Lewis.) And are you still of the opinion, after hearing that, that it would have been dangerous to your boat? - Yes. 11912. You do not think you could have saved a few? - Not at that time. (After a short adjournment.) Mr. Duke: I made a statement to your Lordship this morning with regard to an interview which was had by some gentleman, whose identity at that moment I was not aware of, with the witness. As I made that statement, and as I now know the facts, I should like, if I may at some time, to tell your Lordship what I would have said then if I had been aware of it when your Lordship mentioned it to me, which will make clear what the position is, and, if need be, I will call the people who were concerned. The Commissioner: I do not quite understand what it is you wanted to say. Mr. Duke: It is very little, my Lord; it is this: Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff-Gordon were at sea; they were on their way from America to this country. Their solicitor, Mr. Tweedie, had no instructions except a cable message to inform the Board of Trade that they desired to attend at any Inquiry which might be held. He complied with those instructions. A member of their family, a connection of theirs, communicated with a firm of solicitors, and that firm of solicitors supposed they would act for Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff-Gordon, and thought it was the proper thing to try to ascertain, in view of Hendrickson’s statement, what the other members of the crew said about this matter. One of those gentlemen saw the witness, and I have now the witness’s statement here, which I am quite ready to hand to the Attorney-General. But that firm did not in fact act; and Mr. Tweedie, although he became aware that the interview had taken place, had no sort of connection with it, and Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon had no sort of connection with it at the time it took place. If there is any question which is desired to be raised about it I will deal with it. The Commissioner: Well, I think it would be better if you hand to the Attorney-General the statement that was taken down by this gentleman. Mr. Duke: If your Lordship pleases, and if my friend thinks fit to enquire of me anything which will put him in a position to examine or cross-examine, of course I am at his disposal. Mr. Laing: I have a few questions to ask of the witness, but I will follow my friend Mr. Duke. Mr. Duke: I understand my friend intends to deal with totally different matters from those that I have to deal with. The Commissioner: Quite. Examined by Mr. DUKE. 11913. Just answer me two or three questions. First of all, with regard to the sending off of this boat. So far as you are aware did anybody interfere with Mr. Murdoch’s discretion as to the sending off of that boat? - No; I saw nobody interfere. 11914. Did the boat come along in its order to be sent off? Was it sent off when it was reached in its order, along the ship’s side? - Yes. 11915. The boats, I suppose, were floated so that they would go astern? - Yes. 11916. And this was the forward boat? - Yes, this was the last boat forward. 11917. And below it was the surf boat, either below or outside? - That was inboard, the surf boat.