Page 73 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

had, I think, a few women in, and they filled up with men passengers. 12607. But the boat in which you left was clearly an exception to that rule? - No, no exception at all. The woman who had been present had all gone in the three lifeboats. 12608. Could you see from your position on the starboard side how many women were on the port side? - No, I could see nothing at all of the port side. 12609. So that as far as your knowledge went at the time there might have been a large number of women on the port side waiting for boat accommodation in the lifeboats? - It is possible, of course. 12610. I think you asked the officer on the boat deck if he would allow you to go away in this No. 1 boat? - I said to him, “Can we go there,” I think. 12611. Of course, the ladies were invited to go? - The ladies were not invited to go. The ladies had been invited to go to two or three previous boats and they refused to go absolutely. Then all the ladies had embarked, every one that was visible, and I found myself suddenly in front, this boat being manned by some stokers. 12612. That request of yours applied, of course, only to yourself? - I did not consider it a request at all; I merely saw an empty boat, and I had two ladies with me, and I said, “May we go in that boat?” 12613. Could you see from your position on the boat deck at No. 1 whether the after boats on the starboard side had all been lowered? - No, I could not see; I could only see that section. (pointing to the model.) 12614. Could you see from that position close to No. 1 whether there were passengers along the boat deck at the afterend of it? - No; my impression was that there were no passengers as far as I could see. 12615. You said, in giving your evidence on Friday, that all the women in your part of the ship had gone? - Yes. 12616. Did you mean the women who were first class passengers? - I did not know what class passengers they were. There were a certain number of women outside the gymnasium door, and they had all been taken off. I do not know what class they were in the least. 12617. You did not even know whether there were other women on the boat deck on the opposite side or further aft who were waiting for accommodation in the boats? - No, I knew nothing of that sort. 12618. Under those circumstances, you asked permission for yourself to go in? The Commissioner: That is not quite accurate. He asked if he might go. Perhaps that is only a distinction without a difference. Mr. Scanlan: I see that, my Lord. (To the Witness.) Do you recollect who was the officer in charge at the launching of lifeboat No. 1? - I did not know till, I think, two days ago. Mr. Duke: It was not a lifeboat, Mr. Scanlan; it was the emergency boat. Mr. Scanlan: We have known it since this Enquiry commenced as a lifeboat. The Attorney-General: No. Mr. Duke: If my friend insists for his own purposes in calling this boat by a wrong name, I can only protest against it. The Commissioner: I think Mr. Scanlan has been very fair so far, and I do not think he is unfair at the present. 12618. (Mr. Scanlan - To the Witness.) With regard to this emergency boat, if Mr. Duke prefers you know now, do you, the name of the officer who was in charge when it was being manned? - Yes, I believe so. 12619. Who is he? - I think it is the fifth officer. 12620. Is that Mr. Lowe? - Yes, I think it is. If Mr. Lowe is in Court perhaps he will be willing to be identified?