Page 102 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 19 - 22

that report was ever published till after the ship was lost. 21512. No, but if you follow my question you will see the point. It required a minimum capacity of 9,625 feet available in boats for the “Titanic”? - Yes. 21513. In point of fact, the requirements for the “Titanic,” apart altogether from this report, were 9,625 feet. The boat cubic capacity required under this report, if acted upon, would have been 8,300 cubic feet; it would have been 1,325 cubic feet less if this latest report was acted upon? - Yes. 21514. So that, as I understand it, your latest Report - this one which has been referred to, and which my Lord knows, in fact required less boating capacity than actually existed or exists at the present time according to the present Board of Trade Rules for a vessel like the “Titanic”? - Yes. And that was your view? 21515. (The Commissioner.) Answer that question. Was that your view? - It was not. 21516. Why on earth did you sign it? - I do not know why I did. I am not generally soft. 21517. (The Attorney-General.) Well, I should not have thought so? - But I must say I was very soft the day I signed that. 21518. (The Commissioner.) Who was it that persuaded you to sign it? - You see I do not remember one of their names although I know them nearly all to shake hands with. 21519. (The Attorney-General.) I suppose you know Mr. Norman Hill? - Yes. He was in the Chair, was he? 21520. I suppose so, because he signs first? - Yes, he was. Was not there a Labour M.P. on it, Mr. Havelock Wilson? 21521. (The Commissioner.) Did he agree? - I think he must have agreed. Mr. Scanlan: He is one of the signatories to it. 21522. (The Commissioner.) He signed it? The Witness: Yes; he was also soft, because he did not approve of it I remember. The Commissioner: How many signed it without approving of it? I am told that Mr. Havelock Wilson is one of the signatories. 21523. (The Attorney-General.) Yes, my Lord, he is. There are ten signatories. I suppose they constituted the Committee? - At those meetings was there a note kept of my handing in those plans of extra boats, and what I said at those meetings on the boat question? Will you let me know that? Might I ask that question? 21524. (The Commissioner.) No, you may not. The Witness: That would put some person in a hole, my Lord, and it would be better not to do it. 21525. (The Attorney-General.) Will you let me ask you a question now which I think to some extent corrects the impression that you have made by your answer to me and which I think is only fair to you, should be corrected. The table that I was putting to you was the extension of the table to 45,000 tons and upwards, but I see that there is an additional requirement in a later paragraph: “Additional boats and rafts required shall be of at least such carrying capacity that they, and the boats required by Columns 2 and 3 of the above table, shall provide together three- fourths more than the minimum cubic contents required by Column 4 of that table.” So that you would have to add that to the 8,300. - Yes, it is only a few feet one way or the other. It is only a small affair; I know about that second part of it. The Commissioner: He says it is a very small affair. 21526. (The Attorney-General.) I think he is wrong. Three-fourths must at least add something substantial if you compare it with the original figure they were taking. Really it amounts to this, this 8,300, and you have to take three-fourths of that? - 6,000? 21527. Yes, it is not a few feet more; it is 6,225 feet? - It is subject to the next paragraph about one thing and another. It is put on in one place and taken off in the next, I think.