Page 185 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

express to the Commander in a respectful manner.” - Then there is pasted in on that page opposite Article 254 - “Look-outs.” “All Quartermasters and, as far as possible, the regular look- out men in the Company’s various services, must hold a Board of Trade certificate of examination of their eyesight.” I do not think there is anything more that I need read. HAROLD ARTHUR SANDERSON, Sworn. Examined by the SOLICITOR-GENERAL. 19074. Are you a member of the firm of Messrs. Ismay, Imrie and Company, the Managers of the White Star Line? - I am. 19075. And are you also a Director of the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, Limited, of Liverpool, who are the owners of the steamers? - That is so. 19076. How long have you been associated with the White Star Line? - About 17 years. 19077. As we know, the “Titanic” and the “Olympic” were the two latest steamers of that line? - That is so, yes. 19078. I think you produce a little diagram like that, do you not? - I do. It is instructive of the progress of the Company in regard to the size of its ships. 19079. It is just to show, as I understand, how your fleet has tended to consist of vessels of an increasing size? - That is the intention. 19080. (The Solicitor-General.) Your Lordship will see on the extreme right hand the largest outline, which is labelled “Olympic,” “Titanic,” the two being substantially the same. (To the Witness.) Are the details on the little table I have in my hand, the black table, supplied from the White Star Company, and are they accurate? - They are accurate, yes. The Solicitor-General: Your Lordship will see towards the top of this little table, “Average speed, knots per hour.” The Commissioner: Yes. 19081. (The Solicitor-General.) What I was calling attention to, as Mr. Sanderson says the particulars are supplied by the White Star Line, was the “Average speed, knots per hour,” which is a heading for a line which runs across at the top immediately above the line entitled “When built,” and I see, Mr. Sanderson, that “average speed, knots per hour” which you put down for the “Titanic” is 21 knots? - That is inaccurate, and arises in this way. That information was given at the time the ship was under construction. While she was under construction a new system of propulsion, a combination of turbine and reciprocating engines, was adopted for the ship, and when adopted, with her 21 to 21 1/2 knots, which is what we anticipated, she proved to be considerably faster. 19082. Does what you have just told us apply both to the “Olympic” and the “Titanic”? - That is true of both ships. 19083. Was the “Olympic” also under construction when this table was compiled? - I think it is probably so; I cannot recall the exact occasion when that was framed or the name of the vessel. Both the ships were ordered at the same time, and I have no doubt that that 21 knots was put in before the results of the “Olympic’s” and the “Titanic’s” new system of propulsion had been ascertained. The Commissioner: It seems to me to indicate that it may be a little more or it may be a little less. The Solicitor-General: It would indicate that if the ship was going more than 21 knots she was going in excess of her average speed. Now, my Lord, I think the facts about Messrs. Harland and Wolff will come more conveniently from Mr. Wilding, and I will not delay about that. I think the