Page 126 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 19 - 22

daylight.” 21841. (The Attorney-General.) He steered further to the southward, and his speed was only about 11 knots. Then he is asked if he makes any change in the look-out, and he says, “If we expect to see ice we always double the look-out.” That is how it stands, I think. We shall have to consider later the evidence already given. (To the Witness.) I only want to get your view. Supposing you had had a report of field ice ahead, not of icebergs, would you still steam full speed ahead? - Till I saw that ice in clear weather, yes. 21842. Even at nighttime? - On a clear night. 21843. What I do not quite understand is this: Where there was an iceberg of from 60 to 80 feet from the sea level, and it was not seen until within half a mile away, how do you account for that if it was a clear night? - I was not there on that night. The Commissioner: That is my difficulty. The Attorney-General: I agree. The Witness: There must have been some abnormal conditions which misled them. The Commissioner: Or there was a bad look-out. The Attorney-General: Either one or the other. The Witness: I do not think there was, my Lord. I have known the two men, and there is no carelessness. 21844-5. (The Attorney-General.) I am not going to ask you to say there was a bad look-out on another White Star Line boat; do not think that? - No, not against the men. Examined by Sir ROBERT FINLAY. 21846. Just one or two questions. What do you say with regard to the use of glasses, or binoculars, by the look-out man? - They are a source of danger, Sir. They spoil the look-out. 21847. How is that? - The look-out man when he sees a light if he has glasses is more liable to look at it and see what kind of a ship it is. That is the officer’s business. The look-out man’s business is to look out for other lights. 21848. The look-out man ought to be looking about while the officer on the bridge finds out what kind of a light it is? - Yes, it is his business to find out what kind of a light it is, what way it is going, and so on. 21849. Has Mr. Ismay sailed on ships in which you have been? - Several times. 21850. Has he ever in any way interfered with the navigation? - No, Sir. 21851. Did he go simply as an ordinary passenger? - He was treated simply as an ordinary passenger. The Commissioner: As far as I know there is no evidence that he interfered, unless the taking of the telegram from the Captain and keeping it in his pocket, can be regarded as interference. There is no evidence that Mr. Ismay interfered; the evidence goes the other way. The Attorney-General: I do not want to mislead, or for my friend to be under any misapprehension with regard to that. Your Lordship’s question to me I agree with - there is no evidence that he interfered in any way with the navigation of the vessel, but I do not agree that he was an ordinary passenger, or treated as an ordinary passenger. Sir Robert Finlay: He was, of course, the Chairman. The Attorney-General: Yes, and he was apprised of the icebergs. Sir Robert Finlay: And although Chairman he simply travelled as any ordinary passenger travelled. He took no part whatever in the directing of the ship, and never interfered in the slightest way. The Attorney-General: I do not want to argue it, but we have to bear in mind that the ice report was given to him for a specific purpose, and to no other passenger on the vessel.