Page 251 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

corner of the house to get to it on B deck. 19867. There is the other big first class stairway. Does that go right down through the ship? - That goes right down to the middle deck, to F deck. 19868. That is the one between the two first funnels? - Yes. 19869. And that is underneath this big brown mark at the top of the plan? - Yes, it goes right down. 19870. Can you tell us how that acts in practice for the first, second, and third class passengers to reach the boat deck? - If you will turn to page 21 you will find it is described in detail - ”Access of passengers to boat deck.” 19871. I see; it is at the bottom of the page. “First class passengers. The following routes lead directly from the various parts of the first class passenger accommodation to the boat deck: From the forward ends of A, B, C, D, and E decks by the wide staircase in the forward first class entrance direct to the boat deck, also by elevators from the same decks as far as A deck, and then up to the top flight of the main staircase.” Do you mean by that that in the forward ends of A, B, C, D and E decks you can go from these decks to the boat deck by the wide first class entrance between the first and second funnels? - Quite right. With regard to the width of the stairway, it is a double stairway varying from 4 to 7 feet on each side. It is 7 feet wide at the fantail. It is 4 feet at the narrowest point and double. That makes 8 feet in all. 19872. “The same route,” you say here would be available “for first class passengers forward of midships of B, C, and E decks”? - Yes. There are no first class passengers amidships on D deck. It is occupied by the saloon. 19873. “First class passengers abaft amidships on B and C decks could use the wide staircase in the after main entrance to A deck, and pass out on to the main deck” - That wants correcting. It should be “pass out on to the open deck.” That is a clerical error. 19874. (The Commissioner.) Where is that? - I say “pass out on to the open deck” instead of “pass out on to the main deck.” 19875. (Mr. Rowlatt.) It is the paragraph which begins “first class passengers abaft the amidships”? - Yes. It is the fourth paragraph in that clause. 19876. Where are the first class passengers that you are speaking of here? - Those in way of the third and fourth funnels, and there is a stairway going up two decks there on to A deck. (Showing.) 19877. And then, where? - Out on to the open deck outside the house. 19878. And then, by the way you have described to the top deck? - Yes, in the way I described a minute ago - that is right, the diagonal ladder. (Showing.) 19879. “They could also use the stewards’ staircase between the reciprocating engine casing and Nos. 1 and 2 boiler casing.” That is it, is it not (Showing.)? - That was the long vertical one, that one (Showing.) 19880. They could also use that one, and that last route again could also be used by passengers on E deck. Is that so? - Yes. 19881. And the passengers on E deck could also use the first class main stairway? - Yes, they would have to walk along the corridor. 19882. And get up that stairway between the first and second funnels? - That is right. 19883. That is the whole of the first class? - That is the whole of the first class - that deals with every one. 19884. Now take the second class passengers. Are they on D deck? Where are the second class passengers on D deck? Are they forward or aft? - There are no second class state rooms higher than D deck. 19885. “Second class passengers on D deck used their own after stairway to B deck up behind the mast.” Is that right? - That is right - up to B deck. That stairway is 5 feet wide, I may say.