Page 203 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 19 - 22

like the “Titanic”? - That I must leave to be explained by the technical officers. 22544. (The Commissioner.) Oh, dear, dear me. I get into confusion when you push off the answer to somebody else who is not in the witness-box? - It is simply because I am afraid of misleading you, my Lord. The Commissioner: Never mind about that. Answer the question. Go on. Mr. Scanlan: May I take it, Sir Walter, that you are not in a position to give this information? The Commissioner: Oh, don’t you help him in that way. I want you to make him give me the information. 22545. (Mr. Scanlan.) Sir Walter, if you are not able to give this information, why are you not able to give it? - Because I cannot carry in my head all the recommendations of the Bulkheads Committee. 22546. But you are the head of the Marine Department of the Board of Trade, and this is an important concern of your Marine Department. I suppose you will take care that you will get this information from somebody else in your Department? - Certainly. 22547. Now with regard to the manning scale, is there any suggestion to your inspecting officers as to what would be a sufficient crew for a ship like the “Titanic”? - The “Titanic” was an emigrant ship. 22548. Yes? - There are certain Regulations laid down to guide the emigrant officer in declaring that he is satisfied with the manning. He has to clear the ship and be satisfied with her manning before she goes to sea. 22549. Is there any standard of sufficiency by which he may satisfy himself? Has he any directions as to what would be a sufficient crew? - Yes, he has. 22550. What, according to his directions, would be a sufficient crew? - “In steamships” - shall I read it or give a general idea of it? The Commissioner: Will you put your question again, I did not hear it? 22551. (Mr. Scanlan.) What would be the requirements of the Board of Trade, the instructions given to your clearing officers, as to a sufficient number of crew? - I have in my hand the scale. It goes up to 9,700 cubic feet - the “total capacity of boats and rafts required under the life- saving appliances Rules” - and here are the different scales - the total capacity of boats and rafts that should be carried. I will take the 8,900 to 9,300, which is nearly at the end of the scale - 46. The Commissioner: Where can I find it? Mr. Scanlan: It is the “Instructions Relating to Emigrant Ships.” The Attorney-General: Page 10 of the book, “Instructions Relating to Emigrant Ships.” 22552. (Mr. Scanlan.) You will find the Table and scale on that page, my Lord. - That is the Table they have to guide them. 22553. This deals exclusively with deckhands? - Yes. 22554. Do you give any directions to your clearing officers as to the number of officers a ship should carry - a ship, say, like the “Titanic”? - There are certain statutory requirements with regard to that. 22555. Can you say, according to those requirements, how many officers would be required? - I think a master - I am speaking from memory, I have not the paper before me - two mates. 22556. A carpenter? - A master and two mates. Are you asking me to define deckhands? 22557. No, I am not asking you yet to define deckhands, but to tell my Lord how many of a crew a ship like the “Titanic” would be expected to carry? - I have given you an indication from the Table. 22558. I know you have given me an indication that applies exclusively to deckhands. Do you give any directions to your Marine Superintendents as to the number in the stokehold, in the engine room, and in other departments of the ships? - No. 22559. Or the number of officers? - The number of officers I can tell you in a moment. You