Page 23 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

16308. He is available as a witness? - Well, he is on the “Mesaba” now. The Attorney-General: We will take steps. I have said already - I do not know whether you caught it - after the point was made and explained by my friend, the Solicitor-General, that we would take immediate steps to get Mr. Adams here as soon as he returns. He is on the voyage. 16309. (Sir Robert Finlay.) Very good. (To the Witness.) In some cases I see your roll of documents shows the terms of the reply received. For instance, take the “La Touraine” message? - Yes. 16310. There is the reply of Captain Smith: “Thanks for your message and information. My position 7 p.m.,” - so-and-so. “Had fine weather. Compliments. - Smith”? - Yes. 16311. You have not got any reply of that kind from the operator on board the “Titanic” with regard to this “Mesaba” message? - No, we would simply send “O.K.R.D.,” which means, Had he got the message? 16312. What does “R.D.” mean? - It is short for “Received.” 16313. The note Mr. Adams has made is “Received, thanks”? - Yes, he would send “R.D.T.K.S.,” which is the usual abbreviation for “Received, thanks.” 16314. That would be a message simply from the operator? - Yes, simply his acknowledgment. 16315. One other question with regard to the “Titanic’s” communications with Cape Race: Was the “Titanic” likely to be receiving a number of messages from other ships for transmission to Cape Race? - That is quite possible. 16316. Is it probable? - It is also probable. 16317. The “Titanic” by 8.30 p.m. ship’s time would be in communication with Cape Race? - Yes. 16318. And there would be a great many other ships not in communication with Cape Race that might want to transmit? - That is it. 16319. And they would do it through the “Titanic”? - Yes, if the “Titanic” had the time to do it. 16320. That would keep the Marconi operators on the “Titanic” pretty busy? - Yes. 16321. (The Solicitor-General.) I handed up to your Lordship a print of the letter of 7th May. Would your Lordship kindly look at the last page - the outside page. The bottom communication on the last page is, or professes to be, a copy of a Marconi message. Now just above that your Lordship will see in the print “This sent on to M.G.V.” (To the Witness.) Is that a misprint? - It is a misprint. 16322. It ought, I understand, to be “M.G.Y.”? - That is so. The Solicitor-General: That is where the mistake came from, my Lord; it is a mistake in printing, and your Lordship might turn the “V.” into a “Y.” (To the Witness.) You have told us that “M.G.Y.” means the “Titanic”? - Yes. Sir Robert Finlay: I daresay the Board of Trade will let us have copies of all these documents. The Attorney-General: Certainly. Sir Robert Finlay: And the procès-verbal, of course. The Attorney-General: Whatever we have I shall not part with those yet; perhaps Mr. Bride may want them. That is all your Lordship wants to put to this witness at present. The Commissioner: There are no other questions I want to put to him. The Attorney-General: We shall recall Mr. Turnbull later, to go into some other matters. (The Witness withdrew.)