Page 128 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 19 - 22

CAPTAIN FREDERICK PASSOW, Sworn. Examined by Mr. BUTLER ASPINALL. 21852. Do you hold a British Master’s certificate? - Yes. 21853. Have you held it since 1880? - Yes. 21854. I believe you have been in command as master for the last 28 years? - Yes. 21855. Have you been serving during all that time in the Inman Line? - Yes, the Inman Line, and now the American Line. 21856. The Inman Line, as we know, has become an American line, and you passed on from the British company’s service into the service of the American company? - Yes. 21857. I think you have crossed the Atlantic some 700 times? - About that. I have never kept an accurate record, but about 700 times. 21858. And at the present moment you are in command of the “St. Paul”? - Yes. 21859. She is one of the American Inman Line boats? - Yes. 21860. What speed boat is she? - About 20 knots. 21861. I think I can shorten your evidence in this way: Have you heard the evidence of the last gentleman who was in the box? - Yes. 21862. Did you hear the statements of fact that he spoke to? - Yes. 21863. And the expressions of opinion that he uttered? - Quite so. 21864. Do you agree or disagree with the statement of facts? - I agree with it. 21865. With regard to the expression of opinions do you agree or disagree? - Yes. Examined by Sir ROBERT FINLAY. 21866. What routes have you followed on the Atlantic? - In my first experience, before I was in command of a ship, we used to sight Cape Race all the year round. There were no special routes. Then after that we had orders to go not less than thirty miles south of the Virgin Rocks, and then from 1898 we have used the present routes. 21867. In going over the Virgin Rocks would that take you over the Great Bank? - Yes, winter and summer. 21868. You were making for New York? - Yes. 21869. How far south of the Virgin Rocks do you say you went? - Not less than thirty miles. 21870. Since 1898 you have followed the usual tracks? - Yes, of all the other lines. 21871. The tracks agreed upon by them? - Yes. 21872. Do you see a great deal of ice on the tracks you follow? - On the Northern track we see a great deal. 21873. You have had a very large experience of ice? - I have had a very large experience of ice. 21874. I do not know whether your Lordship caught the last answer of the witness. He said that on that track, which he described as going 30 miles south of the Virgins, they saw a great deal of ice, including field ice. You have had a very large experience of ice? - Yes, a large experience of ice. 21875. Did you ever slacken your speed for ice as long as the weather was quite clear? - Not as long as it was quite clear - no, not until we saw it. If it was field ice of course we kept out of it if we could. We get into it sometimes. 21876. Was that the same by night and by day? - The same by night and by day, as long as the weather was absolutely clear.