Page 32 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

th 13 , could you recollect them now? - No. The Attorney-General: Nor has he been asked. The Commissioner: I asked if he could remember them. The Witness: I am not offering to give you particulars of the messages which were sent on the 14th. 16482. I am talking about this one particular message to Cape Race? - I was to tell you that Mr. Phillips was transmitting the time we had on board our ship, also his distance and bearing from Cape Race, and the number of messages he had for Cape Race, which is the usual thing when establishing communication with a land station. 16483. (The Attorney-General.) See if you can tell us in your own way, without my suggesting it to you, why should you particularly remember getting into communication with Cape Race? - It was just before I went to bed; I was not asleep, and I had nothing else to do but to lie and listen. 16484. Is it important to you to get into communication with Cape Race? - It was that night. 16485. Had you been in communication with Cape Race before on that voyage? - No. 16486. Is it of importance for you when you can get into communication with it that you should at once send messages? - It is. 16487. (The Commissioner.) Do I understand that messages collect together before you get into communication with Cape Race which have to be transmitted when you get into communication with Cape Race? - Yes, they do. The Commissioner: That explains it. 16488. (The Attorney-General.) One thing more your Lordship will follow. (To the Witness.) Is that your first means of communication with America on your voyage? - Yes. 16489. So that, of course, you would be anxious whatever messages you have got to send to America to get into communication with Cape Race and then transmit them? - Yes. 16490. (The Attorney-General.) Your Lordship sees why he would remember that. (To the Witness.) So that on this particular occasion you have told us now and explained to my Lord why you recollect that. Now will you tell me, when you came up at 12 o’clock and relieved Mr. Phillips did you find any telegrams still to relay to Cape Race? - As far as I can recollect Mr. Phillips told me he had cleared all the traffic to Cape Race. 16491. He had got a considerable accumulation? - Yes. 16492. Now, the only other thing I want you to tell me is, did he tell you - can you recollect, whether he said when it was that he had finished relaying the telegrams to Cape Race? - He did not say. 16493. Was this conversation that you have told me of directly you came up? - Yes. 16494. That is 12 o’clock? - Yes. The Commissioner: After the collision. 16495. (The Attorney-General.) I am just going to ask about that. (To the Witness.) Tell us in your own way; how did you know first of all there had been a collision? - Mr. Phillips intimated that he thought we had struck something from the fact of feeling the shock. 16496. You yourself had not felt it? - No. 16497. Had you been asleep? - Yes. 16498. Did you remain in the room with Mr. Phillips at 12 o’clock? - Yes. 16499. At that time were you sending any messages? - No. 16500. Did the Captain come in to you? - He did shortly afterwards. 16501. Between the time of your coming up and the Captain coming in to you had you sent any messages? - No. 16502. Or received any? - No. 16503. Then what did the Captain say? - The Captain told us he wanted assistance.