Page 99 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

understand by that? - That she was making water there. 17746. Yes, but by 1, 2, and 3 holds? - The cargo holds. 17747. Did you understand hatches by holds? - Yes. 17748. Three hatches? - Yes. 17749. You told us you went up on deck and helped with the boats. Did Mr. Lightoller ask you to get some lamps? - No. 17750. Did someone tell you to go and get the lamps? - I had a message from the Captain. 17751. Did you go and get some lamps? - Yes. 17752. You knew where they were because you were the lamp-trimmer? - Yes. 17753. Did you put some lamps in some of the boats? - Yes. 17754. How many boats did you put lamps in? - I could not say. All those boats were on the davits. 17755. All the ones which had not been lowered? - Yes. 17756. Were oil and wicks in the lamps? - Yes. 17757. After you had done that did Mr. Lightoller give you an order about one of the collapsible boats? - Yes. 17758. What collapsible boat was that? - The port foremost. 17759. The port collapsible boat? - Yes, forward. 17760. Did you help to lower that boat and fill it? - Yes. 17761. After you had done that did you go to another collapsible boat? - Yes. 17762. Which one was that? - The port one at the top of the officers’ house. 17763. The port collapsible on the top of the officers’ house? - Yes. 17764. Did you see that launched? - No. 17765. What did you do to that boat? - Helped to clear it away. Mr. Raymond Asquith: That was the one launched upside down. The Commissioner: It never was really launched. Mr. Raymond Asquith: No. The Commissioner: It was washed off the deck by the water. 17766. (Mr. Raymond Asquith - To the Witness.) Then you went over to the starboard side and helped with the starboard collapsible? - I did not help with the boat; I helped with the starboard falls. 17767. Shortly after that you jumped into the sea, did you not? - Yes. 17768. And swam to another lifeboat? - Yes. 17769. Which was No. 4, I think - and were picked up by that? - Yes. I think we have already heard what that boat did, so I will not ask you about that. Examined by Mr. SCANLAN. 17770. Can you tell us when you were told that the ship was in the vicinity of ice? - Mr. Murdoch told me when I put the lights out that night. 17771. Can you tell us at what hour Mr. Murdoch told you that? - About a quarter-past 7. I would not be sure on the point. 17772. Would you repeat, if you can, exactly what Mr. Murdoch said to you about ice? - The words he said were: “Hemming, when you go forward see the fore scuttle hatch closed, as we are in the vicinity of ice, and there is a glow coming from that, and I want everything dark before the bridge.” 17773. The object of stopping the glow, I suppose, was to give the people on the bridge a better chance of seeing ahead? - Yes. 17774. You are sure it was a quarter-past 7? - About a quarter-past 7; I am not sure of the time.