Page 226 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

afterwards. 19513. You do not think it would enable the man on the look-out to see ice? - I think it would help him to find the ice; but would get him into trouble with passing ships. 19514. Would there be any likelihood of coming into contact with passing ships? - I am afraid we cannot look upon the system of meeting ships as perfect as that. In spite of our lane roads we are meeting and crossing ships constantly. 19515. Now, do you think, in view of what has occurred that the opportunities of getting from one part of a big ship like the “Titanic” to another part are adequate? - I think they are as near perfection as they can be on the “Titanic.” 19516. Do you think, with regard to the passengers fore and aft that their opportunities of getting from the very front and back of the ship to the boat deck might not be improved upon? - I do not see how they could be. 19517. In this case you have read the figures, the percentage of loss was higher of that particular class. Now, do not you think that the intricate maze of passages may have been one of the reasons why these people did not find their way to the boat deck? - I do not admit that there was any intricate maze of passages, and I do not think the position of the third class passengers was directly affected by that or that your point, that they could not get there, had anything to do with their not going away in the same number. I think that the position in which the boats are placed on the ship necessarily being the position which is the best for launching them, happens to be abreast of that portion of the ship in which the first and second class passengers are carried, and, therefore, when the call for women and children came, the women and children who were handiest came to the boats first, and that is the reason, I think, why there were more first and second class women and children saved than third class, because the nearest were taken first. 19518. Then the third class women were aft? - Yes. 19519. Would it not be possible, in consequence of what you have just said, to place a number of boats for third class women somewhere about the well deck? - It would be a very inconvenient place to carry a boat and almost an impossible place to launch a boat from, because of the overhang. 19520. Would it not be possible so to alter the construction of your ships that these boats for third class passengers could be carried in the rear of the ship (pointing to the model)? - If you look where you are pointing, you will find the line of the ship comes there, and to put a boat out there would be a most dangerous thing. 19521. I mean carrying them in? - I mean to launch a boat would be a most dangerous thing to attempt in that portion of the ship. 19522. Dangerous even with a steamer, as it was in this case, slowed down? - That is an exceptional case. 19523. Then would you think it desirable, in view of the fact that you do not consider it feasible to put the boats so near the stern, that when you are issuing passengers tickets to all the passengers the number of the boat to which they are assigned in case of emergency should be put on the passengers tickets you issue? - What am I going to put on the tickets for which we have not got places in the boats? 19524. I am assuming for the purposes of my question that you would provide - The Commissioner: That is very remote. First of all, you have to assume that there is boat accommodation for every soul on board. Otherwise, as Mr. Sanderson says, you could not fill up a ticket. Mr. Harbinson: I am assuming that for the purposes of my question. The Commissioner: It is too remote. 19525. (Mr. Harbinson - To the Witness.) Would it be desirable to indicate upon the tickets the boats which the passengers would be assigned to? - I can conceive no useful purpose that could