Page 12 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

“Titanic,” but it only connects the “Titanic” with one telegram, not with several. The Solicitor-General: Your Lordship sees the affidavit there does not profess to be quoting textually the message. The Commissioner: No, it does not. The Solicitor-General: It is stating it indirectly, and it is possible therefore that he is referring to this message which is now produced. Sir Robert Finlay: I thought there was another message, my Lord, because if your Lordship looks at page 13 the passage my friend was good enough to refer me to, the Attorney-General in answer to your Lordship gives this. Perhaps I had better begin the second column on page 12. It is all connected together. The Solicitor-General: I think you will find he is relying on the affidavit. Sir Robert Finlay: “(The Commissioner.) Yes, it is more than 12 hours before the casualty. (The Attorney-General.) Yes, it would make a difference. The ‘Baltic’ (I have given you the ‘ Caronia,’ and I am dealing now with documents, so that I can be precise) passed on reports of ice by wireless telegraphy to the ‘Titanic’ from 49° 9’ W. to 50° 20’ W.” The Commissioner: That is taken from the affidavit. Sir Robert Finlay: Yes. “(The Commissioner.) When did she pass on those reports? (The Attorney-General.) They were passed on and acknowledged by the ‘Titanic’ at 1 p.m., New York time, on the same day. (The Commissioner.) At 1 p.m.? (The Attorney-General.) Yes, quite roughly, I think it would work out to about 3 p.m. by the ‘Titanic.’” That is the difference between New York time and the ship’s time. “(The Commissioner.) About 3 p.m. by the ‘Titanic’s’ time? (The Attorney-General.) Yes, that is it; and, my Lord, while I am upon that, having given your Lordship 49° 9’ W. longitude to 50º 20’ W., I ought to have added on the outward southern track.’ That was the message. That is the track to which I called your attention. (The Commissioner.) I want to see if I have got the ‘Baltic’s’ figures right - 49º 9’ W., 50º 20’ W? (The Attorney-General.) Yes. (The Commissioner.) I notice that the ice was between those points? (The Attorney-General.) Yes, on the outward southern track. Now if your Lordship would look just below the blue cross marked there, you will see the outward southern track is that line which you see immediately underneath.” The Solicitor-General: I think it is clear the Attorney-General was referring to this very affidavit. The Commissioner: No doubt. The Attorney-General: That is all I had. The Commissioner: If the information sent to the “Titanic” and received by the “Titanic” by the Captain consisted of nothing but this one “Baltic” telegram we have heard read, it would indicate that ice had been seen at a particular spot slightly to the north of the outward southern track. The Solicitor-General: It is “icebergs and a large quantity of field ice today” at that place. The Commissioner: At that spot, yes, whereas, as I understood it previously, the telegrams, in the plural, which were supposed to have been sent on, indicated ice along a considerable line. The Solicitor-General: That is right. The Commissioner: That line being ascertained by reference to a number of telegrams which were supposed to have been sent to the “Titanic,” but which may not have been sent to the “Titanic.” 16186. (The Solicitor-General.) I agree, that seems to be how it stands. (To the Witness.) As I follow, Mr. Turnbull, looking at the procès-verbal of the “Baltic,” you do not find about this time any other messages about ice sent by the “Baltic” to the “Titanic”? - No. The Solicitor-General: Now we go on to the “Californian.”