Page 46 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

received by me nor did I hear of any telegram. 16815. Were you in communication with the Captain and with other officers during that time? - Between six and ten? 16816. Yes? - I was in communication with the Chief Officer when I relieved him, and with the First Officer when I was relieved by him for dinner, and with the Commander when he was on the bridge, as well as junior officers. 16817. How often, and for how long, did you see the Commander on the bridge? - He came on the bridge about five minutes to 9, and remained with me till about twenty or twenty-five past nine. 16818. A message such as that from the “Mesaba” would be one, of course, of great importance? - I have no doubt it would have been immediately communicated to me if it referred to pack ice, as I believe it does. The Solicitor-General: May I ask him a question or two about it? Examined by the SOLICITOR-GENERAL. 16819. How many messages about ice on the 14th have you any knowledge of? - I have a distinct recollection of the message that the Commander brought on the bridge to me, and which I mentioned as having read while he held it in his hands. 16820. You told us that was about a quarter to one? - Yes. The Solicitor-General: I will give your Lordship the reference, if I may. That will be found in this witness’s evidence at page 302, Question 13466. Perhaps I may read two or three before that. Your Lordship had asked: “What time was it?” and I had said: “So far, my Lord, he has said it was between 12.30 and 1 in the middle of the day”; and then I said to Mr. Lightoller: “(13460.) Can you fix at all as between those times? - (A.) About 12.45 as near as I can remember. (Q.) Very well; about a quarter to 1? - (A.) Yes. (Mr. Laing.) I have the wording of it,” and he handed to me the wording of the “Caronia” message. I read that to the witness. Then I said at Question 13463: “You had not heard anything about that before you went off your watch at 10 o’clock? - (A.) No. (Q.) Can you help us? Would 9.44 a.m. “Caronia’s” time coming from New York be likely to be later than your 10 o’clock watch coming to an end? You see, you went off duty at 10? - (A.) Yes. (The Commissioner.) Did Captain Smith tell you when he had received the Marconigram? - (A.) No, my Lord. (The Solicitor-General.) And the first you knew of it was when Captain Smith showed it to you at about a quarter to one? - (A.) Yes. (Q.) So far as your knowledge goes, is that the first information as to ice which you had heard of as being received by the “Titanic”? - (A.) That is the first I have any recollection of.” That is that one. The Commissioner: Where is that last question? 16821. (The Solicitor-General.) The very bottom question on page 302. (To the Witness.) That is the “Caronia’s” message, so that we may fairly treat that as identified and brought to your notice in that way? - Yes. 16822. Now apart from that message, were not other messages, in your belief, received to the knowledge of the officers about ice on the 14th? - To my belief there were perhaps some messages, but I can give no information and I cannot recollect with any degree of distinctness having seen them. 16823. I will tell you why I put the question, and I think my Lord will remember it. I put it to you for this reason. I asked you if you recollected when you were here the other day, whether Mr. Moody, when he calculated that you would reach the ice at 11 p.m., had, you thought, used the “Caronia” message, and you told me your impression was he had used another message; is not that so? - Precisely. 16824. That is in the middle of page 304, Question 13531. You will see the answer: “I directed