Page 164 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

MR. W. D. HARBINSON (instructed by Mr. Farrell) appeared on behalf of the third-class passengers. (Admitted on application.) MR. ROBERTSON DUNLOP watched the proceedings on behalf of the owners and officers of the s.s. “Californian.” (Leyland Line). (Admitted on Application.) MR. H. E. DUKE, K. C., M. P., and MR. VAUGHAN WILIAMS (instructed by Messrs. A. F. and R. W. Tweedie) appeared as Counsel on behalf of Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff-Gordon. (Admitted on Application.) MR. F. LAING, K.C. and MR. ALFRED BUCKNILL appeared on behalf of Messrs. Harland and Wolff. (Admitted on application.) JOSEPH BRUCE ISMAY, Recalled. Examined by Sir ROBERT FINLAY. 18897. You were asked about the arrangements between the American Company, as it has been called, and the Company here? - Yes. 18898. Has the American Company ever interfered with regard to the management on this side of the water of the White Star Line? - No. 18899. With whom does that rest? - The management of the White Star Line? 18900. Yes? - With the managers in Liverpool. 18901. And they have never interfered on the other side of the water with them? - No. 18902. You have, I suppose, repeatedly crossed the Atlantic before? - I have. 18903. In your own vessels? - Yes, and in others. 18904. Have you ever on any occasion attempted to interfere with the Captain as regards the navigation of the vessel? - Never. 18905. If I rightly followed the drift of some questions put to you yesterday, it was suggested that you, when you heard of ice, ought to have said something to the Captain with regard to what precautions were to be taken. Would that be in accordance with the practice you have always followed? - It would be absolutely outside my province. 18906. And you have never done so? - I have never done so. The Commissioner: Will you ask him why the Captain handed him the Marconigram? Sir Robert Finlay: If your Lordship pleases. The Witness: I think he handed it to me simply as a matter of information, a matter of interest. 18907. Not as asking your advice? - Certainly not. 18908. Now we have heard about a number of other messages, some of which have been proved, and others not. Your Lordship has seen the additional printed document which contains the same messages, which have not yet been proved. Were any other messages except the message from the “Baltic” handed to you? - No. 18909. You did not see any of them? - I did not. 18910. Did you have any conversation with any of the officers or with the Commander with regard to them? - No. 18911. You knew nothing about them? - Absolutely nothing. 18912. Now will you tell us exactly in your own way what took place when the Captain handed you this message from the “Baltic”? - I was talking to some passengers on deck when he handed me this message. 18913. Which deck were you on? - I was on A deck: I was talking to some passengers, and he handed me this message, and I looked at it casually. 18914. Did he say anything? - No, he said nothing at all. 18915. He simply handed you the paper? - He simply handed me the paper and I looked at it and put it in my pocket.