Page 255 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

witnesses that the barriers were down, and I thought from that there was more than one barrier. 19940. (Mr. Rowlatt.) What does the barriers being down mean? - I can only imagine that it means that the gate was open. 19941. (The Commissioner.) What was open? - This hinged gate was open. 19942. There was only one, I understand? - There is only one - of course, there is one each side of the ship. There are other ways to the boat deck, one of which we had evidence was used where there is a door that would have to be opened. 19943. (Mr. Rowlatt.) Is that the emergency door? - That is the emergency door to the second class stairway from the working alleyway. 19944. (The Commissioner.) I was going to ask you a question about the name “emergency door.” The very name “emergency door” suggests that it is ordinarily shut? - Yes. 19945. How many of these emergency doors are there? - There are in all three, one to the forward first class main stairway. In each case they come from the working alleyway. 19946. You mean Scotland Road? - From Scotland Road. There is one leading direct into the forward first class entrance from Scotland Road up on to the top, and then you can go on there; one from Scotland Road into the forward second class entrance, and one from Scotland Road into the after second class entrance. 19947. How are these emergency doors shut? - With an ordinary handle, as far as I know, my Lord. They have means for locking them, but I understand they are not locked at sea. 19948. They are not locked? - Not locked - I understand not. There is a lock on them, but I understand they are not locked at sea. I have frequently passed through them at sea. 19949. What is the object of having a door there? - The passage is used by the third class passengers and crew extensively, and it is to prevent their being able to get in without continuously watching them. That was the intention. If you do not put doors there, or barriers of some sort, you would have to have somebody continuously stationed there to prevent people going into the second class accommodation and losing their way, for example. 19950. Do the stewards use those doors? - I believe they do on the way from their own quarters to the accommodation of the passengers they have to attend to. 19951. That is what I mean - passing from the place where they do their work to the place where they sleep, and so to speak live, they would have to use these doors? - I believe they would, my Lord. 19952. So that they are being used daily? - Regularly, as I understand. 19953. (Mr. Rowlatt.) There were other emergency doors that we heard of on E deck right aft in the third class quarters here (Showing on plan)? - Those are the two doors I was referring to from Scotland Road into the forward and after second class stairways. Those are two, and then there is a third one right forward. 19954. They are marked on this plan. There is the one right forward that goes into the first class entrance, and then there is one in the middle at the boiler casing? - No, those are doors into the boiler casing, the fidley escape doors. They are the escape doors. This door is not an emergency door, because it is always open. 19955. You remember, my Lord, he said, there were doors into the fidleys by the chimneys, what is marked on this plan as “Emergency door”? - It is at the foot of this long stair. 19956. It is that stair (Showing.)? - At the foot of that stair. 19957. And those doors are into the fidleys? - Yes, and are not emergency doors. 19958. As I understand it on this plan the emergency door leads into that staircase which runs by the lounge pantry. The two other doors which are marked here are the doors into the fidleys, but they are not called emergency doors? - And are not for the use of anyone except the firemen coming into the working passage. 19959. You have spoken of four emergency doors, have you not? - In all, now, I had