Page 217 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

19403. (Mr. Scanlan - To the Witness.) I suggest to you that to row a boat like your lifeboats in average weather you would require a crew of nine? - Well, I differ with you entirely. 19404. Very well. Now you stated yesterday, and I agree with you, that it is not necessary to have a larger crew? The Commissioner: I suppose the larger the crew the less number of passengers can be carried? Mr. Scanlan: Yes, my Lord. The Commissioner: But I suppose the crew weigh the same as the passengers? Mr. Scanlan: I suppose so, and they have an elementary right to safety next after the passengers. The Commissioner: Certainly, and for all I know before the passengers. 19405. (Mr. Scanlan.) I do not suggest that, my Lord. (To the Witness.) But in making up your crews, of course you do make up a list of crews for your different lifeboats. You assign men to different stations. Do not you assign more than five to each of your lifeboats? - Yes, but not with any idea that they should go in the boat necessarily. 19406. Not necessarily, but surely that is the object of stationing a man at a boat and expecting him in ordinary circumstances to go to his position, that in an emergency he will go there? - To the boat, yes, but not necessarily go in the boat. 19407. But in so far as men are wanted, I presume the intention is that if they are there at their stations the men stationed to a particular boat will be sent with it? - Some of them. 19408. Now you stated yesterday that you do not think it is necessary that the full crew of the boat should be seamen, and I am instructed to agree with you, but is it not necessary, if the use of lifeboats is to be maintained, that the crew, from whatever department of the ship they are taken, should get proper training? - They should have a reasonable knowledge. 19409. Have you any suggestion to make as to how they ought to be trained for this work? - Yes. 19410. Will you tell my Lord what it is? - My suggestion is that the leaders of the men should do their best to get the men to carry out the Company’s regulations and to take advantage of the opportunities for drill which we are trying to afford them. 19411. But until this disaster to the “Titanic” you have stated, or it has been stated, and you have accepted the statement from my friend, Captain Barclay, that when you have this so-called drill at Southampton you put into the boats, not a mixed crew of firemen and stewards and sailors, but a crew composed entirely of sailors? - It is quite true Captain Barclay said that, but he made a mistake. I am now in possession of further information. 19412. (The Commissioner.) On what subject? - On the subject of what is done with these boats. May I read a telegram which I received? 19413. Yes. - I sent a telegram after the rising of the Court yesterday to ask if it was the fact that other ratings than deckhands had no opportunity of getting boat experience, and this is the reply. 19414. Who is answering it? - Our Manager in Southampton. “Replying to your wire, boats on sailing morning have been recently manned by deckhands and stewards, we muster them here. Occasionally stewards will man one or two boats entirely. This was done on the ‘Titanic’ - ‘Olympic’ today had six boats in the water manned by stewards and deckhands.” 19415. Tell us what is done now. I understood Mr. Scanlan to be asking you what was done before the “Titanic” went down. 19416. (Mr. Scanlan.) I will just accept the statement of Captain Barclay as to what was done. (To the Witness.) I take it now that since the “Titanic” disaster an effort has been made to train all hands, men of all classes in the ship, for the working of the boats? - An effort is being made, and we are being met with an absolute refusal on the part of the men. 19417. And you would like the men’s leaders to co-operate with you in getting the men to take