Page 109 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

say; I am not on deck, and I cannot say. 17956. You have not had much experience of rowing yourself? - Well, I have done a bit. 17957. Was the kitchenhand an experienced man at all? - Yes. 17958. He was? - Yes. 17959. And the two sailors? - Yes. 17960. Was any order given to you to keep within hail of the “Titanic”? - No, we were told to make for the steamer and return to the ship. 17961. And return to the “Titanic”? - Yes, and return to the “Titanic.” 17962. (The Commissioner.) What were you told to do, to make for the light? - To make for the light, land the passengers, and return to the ship. 17963. Who gave you that order? - Captain Smith. 17964. The gentleman who gave you that order must, I suppose, have thought that the lights that were visible were close to? Did Captain Smith say to you, “Make for those lights”? - He did. 17965. “Put your passengers on board that ship with those lights and then come back here”? - Yes, my Lord. The Commissioner: Then I presume - I do not know - that he must have thought those lights were close to. I do not at present think he is right about that. He may very well have been told to keep away, to go out a bit and be ready to go back. 17966. (Mr. Scanlan.) I will ask him to give the exact order he got, my Lord. (To the Witness.) Will you tell my Lord exactly what the Captain said to you as to what you were to do when your boat was lowered; what order did you get? - He pointed in the direction of the two lights, and said: “Pull for that vessel; land your people and return to the ship.” Those were Captain Smith’s words. 17967. And did you think you would go to that ship and land your passengers, and go back to the “Titanic” and pick up more? - We did at the time. 17968. (The Commissioner.) This was about 1 o’clock in the morning? - About 1, yes. Examined by Mr. HARBINSON. 17969. In what direction were the lights that you saw? - On the port side. 17970. Before the boat was launched, did you see the lights? - No, not till Captain Smith pointed them out. 17971. It was he who directed your attention to them? - Yes. 17972. After the boat was launched that you were in, did you see any rockets sent up? - Yes, from the “Titanic.” I also saw the Morse code being used. 17973. About how many rockets did you see sent up? - I should say I saw about a dozen go up; probably more. 17974. A dozen rockets from the “Titanic”? - Yes, they kept going up. 17975. And you could see those quite distinctly? - Yes. 17976. And should those lights have been seen by the steamer towards which you were pulling? - Yes. 17977. Those rockets should have been seen? - Yes, I think they ought to have been seen. The Commissioner: Well, we know they were, Mr. Harbinson. 17978. (Mr. Harbinson.) Yes, my Lord. (To the Witness.) Seen distinctly? - Yes, I should think they ought to have been at the height they were sent up from the “Titanic.” 17979. Now, can you tell me about how long after the impact with the iceberg was it that you knew that the “Titanic” was doomed? - Well, I should say about 20 minutes. 17980. Did you get any instructions from Captain Smith or any of the officers as to what you should do then? - The order came down below to see the passengers out, and get the lifebelts on