Page 28 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

message from the Captain of the “Californian” to the “Antillian,” and no doubt is the message which is before you. The Commissioner: Is he mistaken when he says that he thinks the message was to the “Baltic.” 16408. (The Attorney-General.) I think so, according to what we have got. (To the Witness.) You said you thought it was to the “Baltic.” I have called your attention to the only message which we have got, at least of which we know so far, which is a message from the “Californian” to the “Antillian,” sent at about 5.30 and giving this information about the “three large icebergs, five miles to the southward of us.” Is there any reason you have to recollect that it was to the “Baltic”? - May it have been this message to the “Antillian”? - There is no special reason why I should recollect the “Baltic” beyond the fact that it was on my mind from the time I landed in New York, and that was the evidence I gave on the Saturday. 16409. I think I understand what you mean? - At the same time we had many communications and on the Sunday the traffic was very heavy. 16410. (The Commissioner.) You were very busy on the Sunday? - Very busy. 16411. (The Attorney-General.) According to your recollection when you gave the evidence in America you thought it was a communication from the “Californian” intended for the “Baltic”? - Yes. 16412. What did you do when you got that message? - I delivered it to the officer on the bridge. 16413. Do you remember who the officer on the bridge was? - No, I was not acquainted with the officers. 16414. But whatever it was, I understand it was the ice report which you have told us of, and you delivered that at once to the officer on the bridge? - Yes. 16415. Was that what you always did when you got a message - well, what is your objection, Sir Robert? Sir Robert Finlay: My objection is that we know what he did when he heard the message to the “Titanic.” However - 16416. (The Attorney-General - To the Witness.) What was your practice when you got a message? - If it was for the navigating staff or the Captain we delivered it personally. The Commissioner: You scarcely had a practice on board the “Titanic,” because it was her first voyage. You may have had a practice on some of the other ships. The Attorney-General: He was there for some days, of course. 16417. (The Commissioner.) Yes, he was there for some days. (To the Witness.) This is the only ice message, as far as I have gathered, that you can tell us anything about? - It was our practice if a message - 16418. Never mind about your practice at present. I am asking you, was this the only ice message that you remember being received on board the “Titanic”? - It was the only ice message, but it was not the only message for Captain Smith. The Attorney-General: I did not ask him about a practice as to an ice message, my Lord. 16419. (The Commissioner.) No, but I am thinking about ice messages. (To the Witness.) Did you receive any other message that you can remember that concerned in any way the navigation of the ship? - None that I can recollect. 16420. Then this is the only message you received during the whole of this voyage that could in any way affect the navigation of the ship? - Yes. 16421. And you say you delivered it? - Yes. 16422. Then I do not know what practice you could have about such messages on that ship; you may have had a practice on other ships? - There were messages coming through for Captain Smith all the time, but they did not affect the navigation of the ship.