Page 72 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

boats? Do you mean that he said so? 12596. Yes. - I did not hear him. 12597. An order given by him to the men that were rowing? - I did not hear the order, no. 12598. “I was going my way back then as near as I possibly could to the scene of the disaster after we met the other boat. I strained my ears to hear whether I could hear anybody, any person whatever making a cry. (The Commissioner.) And you heard no one? - (A.) I heard no one. (Q.) They were all drowned by that time; is not that so? - (A.) I could not say that, sir, because there were some picked up in a boat out of the water before daylight, according to the other story. Of course, I cannot say about other people.” Then your Lordship will remember at the end, I put to him very definitely what he had said in America. That is at page 262. The particular passage bearing upon this is at page 263, Question 11749 - “Then you were asked whether you made any effort to get there, that is the people from whom you heard the cries? - (A.) Yes. (Q.) It is pointed out to you that you had said your boat could take more? - (A.) Yes, I did say so.” I am putting to him that what his answer was in America. “Your answer to that is, “Yes, we came back, but when we came back we did not see anybody nor hear anybody.’ - (A.) That is quite right.” Then I put to him: “Why did not you tell him what you have told us today, that you heard the cries, but in the exercise of your discretion and as master of the situation you had determined not to go back because you thought you might be swamped? Why did not you tell them that? - (A.) My idea of the whole concern was that they had us in three at a time in America - that you have not got there, I expect - to get us through as quick as possible.” He says he agrees that is not the same account as is given here; he left that out. That is the point I was on. (To the Witness.) What I want to know is whether you can assist us upon that at all. Did you know any effort was made to pick up people who might be drowning? - No, I did not. 12599. So far as you were concerned there was no attempt of any kind to pick up drowning people? - No; I did not know that the idea had arisen to go back at all. 12600. Of course if Symons is giving a correct account it would appear that orders were given there which you do not recollect? - Yes. 12601. Because he told the men to pull - Mr. Duke: He says he did not hear it, not that he does not recollect it. The Attorney-General: We will hear what he says about it. If my friend is drawing a distinction between what he did not hear and what he did not recollect, it is a little fine for me. (To the Witness.) I suggest to you if a man is speaking and you are there and he is giving orders to the men who are rowing in the boat there was no difficulty in your hearing; but it made no impression on your mind and you do not recollect it? - Yes, I do not; I did not hear it. Examined by Mr. SCANLAN. 12602. Did you hear the order given when other boats on the starboard side were being lowered that women and children were to be first? - I do not know whether I heard the order, but I knew it was the orders. 12603. And that only women and children were getting in in any large numbers? - In much greater numbers, yes - few men. 12604. I suppose from the conversation amongst the passengers and the conversation you had had with officers you had become aware that the lifeboats did not offer accommodation for more than half the passengers and crew? - No, I did not know anything about it. I had not spoken to any officer or to passengers on that subject. 12605. That rule with regard to women and children was observed with regard to all the boats launched from the starboard side that you saw launched? - Yes, the three forward ones. 12606. With the exception of the one boat in which you left yourself? - No, the boat before that