Page 68 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

17156. No doubt you had a great many messages to send after you had got these poor people on board? - Yes, I did. 17157. As far as I have been able to check it at present, the only other matter I want is this one thing. Will you take this message in your hand and tell me whether it is a message which you sent, after rescuing these people, from the “Carpathia.” Do you recognise it (Handing document to the Witness.)? - Yes I do. 17158. Just read the message out, will you? - “To Captain ‘Olympic.’ Mr. Ismay orders ‘Olympic’ not to be seen by ‘Carpathia’; no transfer to take place. (Signed) Rostron, Captain of ‘Carpathia.’” [No Answer.] 17159. Is that the Captain of the “Carpathia”? - Yes. 17160. (The Commissioner.) Let me see it. Is this what you call a chit? - Yes; that is a chit of paper. 17161. Pinned or stuck on to an ordinary form? - Yes, pasted on an ordinary form. 17162. There is nothing written on the form? - Only the number of words you will see there in red ink. 17163. “To Captain ‘Olympic.’” Now, where was the “Olympic” at this time? 17164. (The Attorney-General.) A long way? - The “Olympic” was heading towards the scene of the catastrophe at that time. 17165. “Mr. Ismay’s orders, ‘Olympic’ not to be seen by ‘Carpathia.’” What is the meaning of that? Do you know what it means? - I presume it was not advisable for the survivors of the “Titanic” to see the “Olympic,” the sister ship to the “Titanic.” 17166. Why not? I do not understand it at all. The Solicitor-General: It would appear, I suggest, though Mr. Ismay will no doubt explain it to you, that Mr. Ismay was giving a direction as to the course, or the respective courses to be taken by the two ships, that they were not to come within range of one another. The Commissioner: The “Olympic” and what? The Solicitor-General: And the “Carpathia.” Of course, the “Olympic” is a White Star ship. Sir Robert Finlay: I understand it was merely this: The “Olympic” is so very like the “Titanic” that if the survivors on the “Carpathia” had seen the “Olympic” it might have been supposed, ”Here is the ‘Titanic,’ not lost after all.” I mean it was some idea of that kind, sparing the feelings of people on board the “Carpathia.” The Attorney-General: We only want the message. The Commissioner: The only thing is, it was unintelligible to me. The Attorney-General: It is something which Mr. Ismay will, no doubt, explain when he comes, but it was desirable to have it now. Sir Robert Finlay: May I see it, my Lord. (The same was handed to the learned Counsel.) Examined by Sir ROBERT FINLAY. 17167. No one hears a message coming on the Marconi system unless he has the apparatus to his ear? - No, he does not. 17168. There is no signal, no sound to call attention? - There is no detector to show. 17169. Of course, you were the only operator on board the “Carpathia”? - I was. 17170. You are asleep for, say, eight hours, and you do not keep on the apparatus at meal times? - No, not exactly. 17171. Nor all the time otherwise? - Oh, no, there is no necessity; in some parts of the ocean, of course. 17172. And while you do not happen to have it on, whatever number of hours out of the 24 that may be, no message would be taken up? - No, no message would be registered at all.