Page 133 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

lit up quite so hurriedly. The Commissioner: Well, I am not quite so sure. This was the first voyage of a new ship. The Attorney-General: Monday was very close at hand, after all. Sir Robert Finlay: But you do not want more than 12 hours. 18400. (The Attorney-General.) Very well. (To the Witness.) At least we know this, Mr. Ismay, that certainly there was no slowing down of the vessel after that ice report was received? - Not that I know of. 18401. You knew, of course, that the proximity of icebergs was a danger; you knew that much, did not you? - There is always danger with ice - more or less danger with ice. 18402. I suppose you are familiar with the reason of the different tracks which are marked upon the charts? - Perfectly. 18403. Different tracks for different seasons of the year? - Yes. 18404. And that is for the purpose of avoiding ice, is it not? - Not entirely. 18405. I will not argue with you about entirely, but, at any rate, it is an important factor? - It is. 18406. And for that reason you get, I think, I am right in saying, a more southerly track during a certain period of the year? - That is true. 18407. Had you no curiosity to ascertain whether or not you would be travelling in the region in which ice was reported? - I had not. 18408. (The Commissioner.) I thought you said just now that you knew that this was the point at which you were approaching the region of ice? - I knew we were approaching the region of ice, yes. 18409. (The Attorney-General.) How did you know that? - How did I know what? 18410. How did you know that you were approaching the region of ice? - By this Marconi message. 18411. The Marconi message which you had received from the “Baltic”? - Yes. 18412. And you knew, did you not, that you would be in the region of ice some time on that Sunday night? - I believe so, yes. 18413. Now, I should like to understand who told you that? - I think the information I got was from Dr. O’Loughlin, who said we had turned the corner. 18414. That is the doctor with whom you had dined that night in the restaurant? - Yes. 18415. Was he the doctor who always travelled with the ship? - He had been in the service over 40 years. 18416. As a doctor? - Yes. 18417. But did you tell him about the Marconigram? - I did not. 18418. I do not quite understand then how you mean what he said to you? - He made the remark at dinner, “We have turned the corner.” 18419. Did you know what turning the corner meant? - Yes, I knew that. 18420. You knew, I suppose, that you would alter your course then? - Yes, I knew that. 18421. And you would alter your course, I think, more to the northward? - Yes. 18422. And you knew that that would bring you nearer to the region of ice which had been reported to you? - I could not say exactly where the ice was. I do not understand latitude and longitude. 18423. Do you mean that? You are giving evidence here in the Court. Would you reconsider that statement, that you do not know the meaning of latitude and longitude? - I said the Marconi message did not convey any meaning to me as to the exact position of that ice. 18424. Did it not convey to you that it was possible to ascertain whether the latitude and longitude designated in that Marconigram would be a track that you would have to cross? - For me to ascertain that? 18325. Yes? - No. That is for the Captain of the ship. He was responsible for the navigation of