Page 60 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

12364. (The Attorney - General.) Yes, my Lord. (To the Witness.) Was anybody sitting on the thwart close to you? - No, I was on the thwart by myself. 12365. As far as you were concerned you were talking to nobody? - No, I had conversation with nobody at all. 12366. And you heard nothing at all, is that right? - That is right. Examined by Mr. SCANLAN. 12367. It would have been quite a safe thing to have gone back? - Yes. 12368. And taken in some people? - Yes, it would have been. The Commissioner: Did you hear that question and answer, Mr. Attorney? The Attorney-General: I do not think I did. The Commissioner: He was asked whether it would have been quite safe to go to the rescue of these people and he said it would. 12369. (Mr. Scanlan - To the Witness.) Did it not occur to you that the proper thing to do under those circumstances was to row back? - It would have been the proper thing to do, but I had to obey the orders of the coxswain of the boat, so it was no good my suggesting anything at all. 12370. Had the coxswain on your boat said “Oh, we must not go back”? - There was no conversation. I never heard any orders from the coxswain at all. 12371. You must have been greatly touched when you heard those poor creatures screaming for help? - Yes. 12372. Did you suppress your feelings and say not a word to anybody? - Yes, that is right. I hardly knew what I was doing at the time, and I did not suggest anything at all. 12373. You had two ladies and three gentlemen in the boat? - That is right, Sir. 12374. Is this your evidence, that they also suppressed their feelings, and said nothing? - That is right. I did not hear them say anything. 12375. Did it not occur to you that it was really an inhuman thing to leave those people to perish when you could have gone to their assistance and rescued some of them? - It was inhuman. 12376. It was an inhuman thing? - Yes. 12377. Did you feel it to be so at the time? - I did feel it, Sir. 12378. Why did not you say something to those passengers? - I had to obey the orders of the coxswain of the boat. I was in the boat just the same as they were. The Commissioner: You will not get him away from that, you know. Examined by Mr. HARBINSON. 12379. You said you saw lights on the port side? - Yes. 12380. When did you see those lights first? - I saw lights when I was clearing away the port emergency boat. 12381. Before you launched your boat? - Yes. 12382. Did you hear any order given to those in your boat about standing by? - Yes, stand by the ship after we had lowered. 12383. Did you hear Mr. Murdoch give that order? - Yes. 12384. You saw those lights before you were lowered? - Yes. 12385. Was there any conversation about the lights, as to what they might be? - No. 12386. Did you get any orders to row towards those lights? - No. 12387. How did you know you rowed towards them? - Because I looked round. 12388. And saw you were rowing in that direction? - Yes.