Page 32 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 19 - 22

need do. Mr. Rowlatt: The document you have before you is not very easily understood. The Commissioner: No, and I do not want to understand it in parts where it is not material. Mr. Rowlatt: If your Lordship pleases. The Attorney-General: There has been no attack or suggestion made that there was anything defective in the pumping arrangements. The Commissioner: No, there was no suggestion against the pumping arrangements. 20470. (Mr. Rowlatt.) There is only one matter on this. (To the Witness.) My Lord asked yesterday about the fresh water and the salt water? - Yes. 20471. Now that is explained I think in the middle of page 17. You are speaking there of the 17 transverse watertight divisions under the tank top? - Under the tank top. 20472. You say, “Fourteen of those compartments have 8-inch suctions and three 5-inch suctions; six compartments were used exclusively for fresh water with 4-inch suctions to fresh water pumps”? - The compartments used exclusively for fresh water were tanks under Nos. 1, 2, and 3 holds, and also those under Nos. 4, 5, and 6 holds. That is, the tanks outside the machinery space, as I explained. 20473. That answers what my Lord was asking yesterday. Now, I think we can pass from that, and nothing arises upon the “ship’s side doors”? - There has been some cross-examination on them. 20474. Has there? - Where are the ship’s side doors; just explain on the model? - (The Witness explained on the model.) Starting forward, there is a side door on D deck, which is only for use in New York for baggage. The foremost passenger door is on E deck at the forward end, abreast of the forward end of Scotland Road. The Commissioner: The suggestion, I understand, was that those side doors might have been utilised for the purpose of getting passengers into the boats. 20475. (Mr. Rowlatt.) Had they all gangways? - They can be used without gangways. Mr. Laing: The suggestion I understood was that if the doors were open they could not readily be shut again owing to their weight, and that water might have come in from the sea through them. That is the suggestion. The Commissioner: I did not understand that. Mr. Edwards: Your Lordship will remember that an instruction was given to the boatswain and certain men to go down and open the gangway doors. Whether in fact they were opened or not there is no evidence clearly to show. The Commissioner: No, but I understood your suggestion, or Mr. Scanlan’s, I do not know which, was that these doors might have been utilised for the purpose of getting people from the decks on to which they opened into the boats? Mr. Scanlan: Yes, my Lord, that is exactly how the point was raised in connection with Mr. Lightoller’s evidence, and it was impressed on my mind by a statement made to me down on the “Olympic” while she was lying in Southampton and we were inspecting her, that those doors there were capable of being used for that purpose, and were meant to be used in emergencies for that purpose. Mr. Rowlatt: Perhaps it would be better if I left Mr. Wilding to answer questions from Mr. Scanlan. The Commissioner: You have heard what was said, Mr. Wilding; what do you say to that? - There was evidence - whether it was reliable or not it is not for me to say at present - that directions had been given, I think, by the Captain - Mr. Scanlan: Yes, my Lord. 20476. (The Commissioner.) Directions by the Captain that these side doors should be opened, and, as I understood, it was suggested in the examination of the witness by, I think, Mr. Scanlan