Page 56 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

the boat being taken back towards the place where the “Titanic” was? - I do not know when that suggestion was made. 12286. Has the suggestion been made by somebody? - To me? 12287. Well, has it been made to your knowledge? - It was made as I know of, by my knowledge. 12287a. Up to that time had you considered at all what took place in the boat that night? The Attorney-General: He does not say the suggestion was made. Mr. Duke: He says it was made. He said “it was made by my knowledge.” The Attorney-General: He did not mean what you mean. Mr. Duke: I did not object to my friend cross-examining this witness when he called him, but I am trying to be regular. The Attorney-General: I am only suggesting there was a misunderstanding between you. Mr. Duke: I am much obliged, Mr. Attorney. The Attorney-General: I will clear it up when it comes to my turn, if you will not. 12287b. (Mr. Duke - To the Witness.) I understood you to say, but you will tell me if I am right, that at some time or other you understood that somebody was suggesting that the people in the boat had not done their duty. Was that so? - No. 12288. Not at any time? - No. 12289. Now when did the question first arise of whether there had been any conversation in this boat about going back; that is, when did it first arise as far as you are concerned? - My version of it is this. I do not know whether you are talking about the crew, or the full boat. Are you talking about the full contents of the boat, or only just the crew? 12290. Well, you tell me in your way what the answer is? - You put it about men refusing to do their duty. 12291. Do not think I am suggesting it for a moment. What I wanted to know was whether you heard that somebody had suggested it? - There was a suggestion in the boat about going back by someone, who, I do not know. 12292. And then there was a reply by someone? - There was a reply by a lady about swamping us. 12293. And you say you think it was the lady who was sitting in the thwart in front of you? - And I heard a gentleman say it would be very dangerous to go back, and the other one replied to him it would be very dangerous to go back, we would get the boat swamped. 12294. Were they sitting in front of you? - Right in front of me. 12295. Do you know there were two passengers, neither of whom was Sir Cosmo, sitting between you and Symons, men passengers? - No; Sir Gordon was alongside of me. 12296. But from somewhere in front of you two passengers said it would be dangerous, and they thought the boat would be swamped? - Yes. 12297. That was not Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon? - No. 12298. I want to ask you about this matter of money. Did you hear a conversation as you were coming towards the “Carpathia” about the men having lost everything they had? - Only their clothes. 12299. Yes; but was somebody saying the men had lost their kit, and it would not be replaced, as you were nearing the “Carpathia”? - Not that I know of. 12300. You did not hear it? - No. 12301. Then it is no use my asking you about it. Was there anything said on the “Carpathia” that the £5 apiece was intended to enable the men who had been sent in the same boat with Sir Cosmo and his wife, to replace their kit? - Not that I know of. 12302. You did not hear that? - No.