Page 55 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

16974. Did any of the messages that you saw about ice convey to your mind that your ship would shortly be in the region of the ice? - Yes. 16975. Which one? - This “Caronia” message. The Commissioner: According to his evidence, the “Caronia” message was the only one which was of any significance. There was “La Touraine” and then another one after the “La Touraine,” about which we know nothing - I know nothing. The Solicitor-General: I cannot trace that at all. The Commissioner: And then comes the “Caronia” and that is all. 16976. (The Solicitor-General.) Are messages about ice, so far as they are material to the ship, put up on a notice board? - Yes, as a rule. 16977. Was that done on this occasion? - Yes, I particularly remember now seeing the “Caronia’s” message on the notice board. 16978. Do you remember seeing any other message except the “Caronia’s” message on the notice board? - No, none that I remember - no other ice reports or other messages that I remember. I must add that there was a message which has come from somewhere or other about a tank steamer. I think we had two or three reports of a German tank steamer that was drifting about on the track without coal. 16979. (The Commissioner.) But not about ice? - No. 16980. (The Solicitor-General.) Listen to this message. I am going to read it to you and see if it reminds you of anything. “A German oil tank steamer ‘Deutschland,’ Stettin to Philadelphia, not under control”? - Yes, I had that in my mind. 16981. Do you know that is part of the message from the “Baltic” about ice? - Yes, I have seen that message today, or heard it read out. 16982. Does your recollection serve you now to show that the message I am referring to is a message that was on the notice board? - No, it does not. 16983. (The Commissioner.) You said you remembered seeing a message about a tank steamer on the notice board? - Yes, but this message on the notice board about the tank steamer had been there two or three days, and this “Baltic’s” message I find today was only received on the Sunday. Sir Robert Finlay: There were other messages about the tank steamer, my Lord. 16984. (The Solicitor-General.) Perhaps Sir Robert will prove that. (To the Witness.) The “Baltic” message - which, of course, was a message to you about ice in this very neighbourhood? - Yes. 16985. Does also happen to contain a reference to a tank steamer? - Yes. 16986. Now I am not speaking about tank steamers, but messages about ice. Just give us your recollection. In your recollection was there one message or more than one message about ice on the notice board? - There is only one message I can recall and that is the “Caronia’s” message. 16987. Do you mean that, so far as you remember, there was no other message, or that you cannot remember the terms of more than one? - I cannot remember any more than the one. 16988. The one message? - That is all. 16989. I must call your attention to the answer which you gave on the 22nd May, on page 354, Question 15318. You are asked by Mr. Asquith this question, “At the time when you came on watch at 4 o’clock” - that is 4 o’clock in the afternoon of Sunday? - Yes. 16989a. “. . . had you heard anything about ice being in the neighbourhood? - (A.) Yes, I had seen reports of ice, and put them on the chart.” Is that right? Sir Robert Finlay: I think if you read the next question and answer - 16990. (The Solicitor-General.) I am going on. Is that right? The Witness: Yes. 16991. Had you received more reports than one and put more than one report on the chart? -