Page 118 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 19 - 22

taken down along the sides of the ship either forward or aft to get passengers taken off. The Commissioner: I do not remember that. Mr. Scanlan: We had it from Mr. Lightoller, my Lord. I can give you the reference. The Commissioner: Will you read me what he said. I remember the suggestion that the boats should be dropped until it came to a level with one of the gangway doors, but I do not remember any suggestion that the boat, having been dropped, could be moved along the side of the ship. Mr. Scanlan: Yes, that is in the evidence of Mr. Lightoller. The Commissioner: I beg your pardon. I did not understand what you meant. I thought you meant lowering the boat, and then before it is dropped in the water, carrying it along the side of the ship. Mr. Scanlan: No, my Lord; I mean dropping it in the water, and carrying it along the side of the ship. The Commissioner: Oh, yes, that is a different thing altogether. I beg your pardon. I misunderstood you. You need not trouble. Mr. Scanlan: It is at page 316 of Mr. Lightoller, and Mr. Wilding spoke of it. The Commissioner: He spoke of lowering the boat into the water and then pulling it round. 21704-5. (Mr. Scanlan.) Yes. (To the Witness.) Do you view that as a way in which lifeboats might be filled? - They might. 21706. In good weather conditions such as obtained on the night of the 14th April? - Yes. 21707. Do the captains and the officers of the boats know that such a provision is made? - Oh, yes. 21708. You are not a believer in binoculars for seamen? - No. 21709. Do you believe in them for officers? - Oh, certainly. 21710. Even in regard to officers they are for their use? - Yes. 21711. In the navigation of the ship? - Yes. 21712. To enable the officer to pick up anything ahead of him? - Not to pick up. The Commissioner: The evidence appears to me to point to this, that they are not required for picking up objects, but for ascertaining with particularity what the objects are when they have been picked up. 21713. (Mr. Scanlan.) Yes, my Lord, I think there is a great deal in that view of the utility of binoculars. (To the Witness.) If binoculars have always been thought useful to officers, how do you come to arrive at the conclusion that they are not at all useful for look-out men and seamen? - Because look-out men are there to use their eyes and to report immediately anything they see, not to find out the character of that object they see. 21714. How could they report anything unless they had some notion of the character of it? - They report what is seen - I mean, if they pick up a light it may be a green or white or a red light - The Commissioner: If I might suggest, Mr. Scanlan, a useful question to him would be this: Why is there a provision made in the crow’s-nest for binoculars if they are not wanted? 21715. (Mr. Scanlan.) Yes. (To the Witness.) You heard that question. Why have you a bag or a box in the crow’s-nest to hold binoculars if you do not think they are required? - That was not always for binoculars; that was for anything the men used in the look-out. 21716. It was not always for binoculars, but it was for anything a man might use on the look- out, you say? - Yes. 21717. What do you mean by that? - His muffler, his clothes, and his oilskin coat and that sort of thing. There is generally a canvas bag put up there. 21718. Take this bag that was on the “Titanic”? - That was a box, I may say, on the “Titanic.” 21719. A box? - Yes. 21720. Specially there for binoculars? - Binoculars, yes, if they had them there.