Page 174 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

on the route travelling from New York to the United Kingdom with reference to ice. Are there any instructions of any kind? If so, I should like to see them? - Not that I know of. The Commissioner: I thought you said coming from the United States to the United Kingdom. You mean both ways? The Attorney-General: What I meant to say was trading between. Sir Robert Finlay: There are no such special instructions; that is left to the judgment of the Commander. The Attorney-General: I understood that was the case from what Mr. Ismay said yesterday, but I was not quite sure from some of the questions today whether it might be suggested that similar instructions, or those instructions were given to the commanders. Sir Robert Finlay: Oh, no; I said expressly that those instructions with regard to field ice were for vessels going further North on the Canadian route, and that as regards the routes with which we are dealing there were no special instructions with regard to ice. 19014. (The Attorney-General.) Very well; that makes it quite clear. (To the Witness.) It is in contemplation that on a voyage from the United Kingdom to New York an ice-field might be met? - So far as I am aware, it has hardly ever been known for field ice to come down there. 19015. “Hardly ever been known” means it has been known? - It may have been known, but I cannot give you any reliable information with regard to that. The Commissioner: The chart does not indicate such a thing. The Attorney-General: As what? The Commissioner: As field ice as far South as the track. The Attorney-General: No, field ice not, but icebergs certainly. The Commissioner: Oh, yes; I thought you were dealing with field ice. The Attorney-General: I was on the question of ice, and the one question I was putting was on field ice, but I am directing it also to icebergs. The Commissioner: Icebergs are marked a good deal further South. The Attorney-General: Your Lordship sees “field ice between March and July.” The Commissioner: Somewhat to the North of the track. 19016. (The Attorney-General.) A little to the North of the track - not much, very little; but icebergs, of course, as shown by the chart, have been seen within this line in July and August, and the line there indicated is South of the track to New York. (To the Witness.) Are you aware of that? - Am I aware of what? 19017. That on the chart it is indicated that icebergs have been seen within a dotted line on the chart in July and August which is South, a good deal South, of the track to New York? - I have not seen the chart, but I have no doubt that is so. 19018. I do not want to ask you about the chart, because that is for my Lord. Why I am directing your attention to it is for this purpose: It seems to indicate, at any rate, that you may meet ice? - Certainly. 19019. If you follow the track when you have turned the corner and follow the track to New York, you may meet ice, either field ice, I suppose - infrequently apparently - or icebergs? - Certainly icebergs, but I should hardly think it was possible for field ice to be there. The Commissioner: When they are indicating icebergs South of the track, what the chart says is: “Icebergs have been seen within this line in April, May and June.” The Attorney-General: Yes, I was looking at the one a little above it, but your Lordship is quite right. That is more Southerly still. The Commissioner: I do not see any corresponding indication of field ice below the etched mark which is described as “Field ice between March and July.” The Attorney-General: No, I do not think there is anything. The Commissioner: There is an indication on the chart that icebergs are occasionally seen