Page 64 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

Witness.) You had no one to help you on board the “Carpathia”? You cannot work all the 24 hours. What were you doing or preparing to do about 11 o’clock that night? - Well just previous to having received the signal I was taking the long-distance news from Cape Cod. 17086. That is news that is being sent to the ship from the mainland? - Yes. 17087. Were you going on working, or were you going to bed? - I was going to turn in directly afterwards. 17088. (The Commissioner.) What happens to the instrument when you turn in? Is there any one there to gather up messages that may come? - No, my Lord, nobody at all. 17089. And I suppose you sleep eight hours, or something like that out of the 24? - About eight, yes. 17090. That is supposed to be the regulation. So that for one-third of the time there is, so to speak, no operator on the ship? - No, my Lord. 17090a. (The Solicitor-General.) This was between 11 and 12. I think you said you were preparing to turn in? - I was. 17091. I want you to tell us two or three things about it. You gave evidence in America about it. Had you begun to take your clothes off? - I had taken my coat off. 17092. And you were in course of going to bed? - Yes. I should have been turning in in about 10 minutes or a quarter of an hour. 17093. And had you still got the receiver in your hand or by your side? - No, it was on my head. 17094. Were you waiting for something? - Well, I was waiting for a confirmation of a previous communication I had had with the “Parisian.” 17095. (The Commissioner.) You always have the receiver on your head, have not you? - Not always. 17096. Do not you sit with it on your head? - The greater part of the time we do, yes. 17097. (The Solicitor-General.) You do not go to bed with it, I presume? - No. 17098. You were waiting for a confirmation of some message you had sent? - Yes, I was. 17099. Where were you expecting it to come from? - From the “Parisian.” 17100. As soon as you got that confirmation, had you intended to turn in? - Yes. 17101. And while you were waiting with your coat off, preparing to go to bed and expecting this confirmation, did you hear a message from the “Titanic”? - Well, no, not just then. 17102. Explain it? - After I had waited a long enough time to get this confirmation, I wrote out the chit of the previous communications during the day and reported them to the bridge. After reporting them I returned to the cabin, and I sat down, and I asked the “Titanic” if he was aware there was a batch of messages coming through from Cape Cod for him, and his only answer was, “Struck a berg; come at once.” 17103. Now tell us, as nearly as you can, it is only a recollection, I understand - what it was which the “Titanic” said to you? - She said, “Come at once; we have struck a berg,” and sent his position, and then he sent C.Q.D. The Solicitor-General: Your Lordship sees that just corresponds to what was overheard: “Struck iceberg, come to our assistance. Sends the position.” The Commissioner: Yes. 17104. (The Solicitor-General - To the Witness.) You heard that, and what did you do? What was your reply; what did you do? - I confirmed it before reporting it to the bridge. 17105. Does that mean you got it repeated? - No, I did not get it repeated. I asked him if he intended me to go straight away to the bridge and get the ship turned round immediately, and he said, “Yes, quick.” 17106. Did you go to the bridge? - Straight away, yes. 17107. You reported it to your Captain? - To the officer on watch first, and, from him, to the