Page 105 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

distance of lights at sea, but what would you say? - I should say she was 5 to 7 miles away from us. 17852. The Captain gave the directions? - Yes, he pointed the ship out. 17853. Having got down to the water’s edge did you obey that direction as well as you could? - We did. 17854. And rowed in the direction of that light? - Yes, we pulled all night in the direction of the steamer. The Commissioner: Does 5 to 7 miles away agree with the information from the “Californian” as to the position she took up when she anchored? Mr. Butler Aspinall: It is widely different, my Lord. The Commissioner: That is what I was thinking. The distance would be about 20 miles, would it not? Mr. Butler Aspinall: Yes; 19 was in my mind - 19 to 20. The Commissioner: We have had the log of the “Californian.” Mr. Butler Aspinall: We have. The Attorney-General: The point your Lordship is upon is one which wants a little clearing up. Our attention has been directed to the same point. The Commissioner: Very well, I will not say anything more about it now. 17855. (Mr. Butler Aspinall - To the Witness.) I was asking you your view of distance. It was a good night for seeing lights - a clear dark night? - Yes, clear and very dark. 17856. You say you pulled all night, but were you ever pulling at any speed? - I could not say the speed. We were pulling the whole night, the four of us. 17857. Who was steering? - A lady was steering. 17858. Did these ladies behave well? - Yes, very well indeed. 17859. One lady was steering. Did any of the ladies assist at the oars? - They assisted the men, yes. 17860. They did? - Oh, yes. 17861. Pulling towards these lights, you would have your back towards them, I suppose? - Yes. 17862. Do you know what happened about those lights? - There was a lady at the tiller; she reported the sidelights in view. 17863. You say she was at the tiller? - Yes. 17864. Did she show a knowledge of steering? - Oh, yes. 17865. Do you know her name? - The Countess of Rothes. 17866. And was she making reports, as it were, from time to time to you about these lights? - Yes. 17867. And what happened in the end about these lights? - When daybreak came we saw another steamer coming, and we turned round and left that one; we could not seem to make it. 17868. What was the last you yourself saw of those two lights you told me about? - It seemed as if the vessel was turning round and leaving us. 17869. How long before it was daylight was that? - I could not say the exact time, but not long before daylight. 17870. Did you yourself ever see any sidelights? - Yes. 17871. You did? - Yes. 17872. What sidelight or sidelights of that steamer did you see? - There was the red and the green light. 17873. You saw them both? - Yes. 17874. I suppose you turned round to look? - Yes, I stopped rowing then. 17875. Did you see those sidelights on one or more occasions? - On the one occasion.