Page 61 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 19 - 22

20862. You do not agree with it? - No. 20863. Do you agree with my suggestion? - On the whole, no. 20864. Have you any suggestion to offer of your own? - If additional boats are to be carried I would much prefer to have them on the boat deck. 20865. You see what Mr. Sanderson says, that being so far from the third class quarters they did not find their way there? - We have had evidence that they did find their way there. 20866. But we have evidence that there were more third class women, a greater percentage of third class than other classes, drowned? - I agree, but I do not think that was due to any lack of ability to reach the boat deck. 20867. You have a theory of your own? - A very general theory; it is not one that Mr. Sanderson’s evidence covers. 20868. Are not the “Olympic” and the “Titanic” and all these big steamers built in such a way that the third class passengers are shut off from the quarters of the second and first class during the voyage? - They are not allowed to wander through the second and first class accommodation. 20869. That is what I would expect, and therefore they are unfamiliar with the different passages that lead from the first and second class quarters to the boat deck, where the boats are installed? - Quite right, but we have had evidence that they were shown the way. 20870. But in moments of emergency, if there are not people to show the way, would it not be possible to have boats in a position on the ship where people would be able to find their way themselves? - It would be much better to make regulations to ensure their being shown the way. 20871. Would you prefer that? - Very much. Examined by Mr. HOLMES. 20872. Can you tell me the name of the Board of Trade Surveyor who was on the “Titanic” some two or three thousand times? - I think all three Surveyors. 20873. Three different ones? - Yes. 20874. Were they Engineer Surveyors or Shipwright Surveyors? - Both. I must say the 2,000 to 3,000 visits include the visit to the engines as well as to the ship, because the whole thing is surveyed. 20875. And in those two or three do you include - ? - In all, there were three. 20876. Does that include the Surveyor for the purpose of the passenger certificate? - He was one; he was the principal one for the ship; he did all the later work for the ship. Examined by Mr. LEWIS. 20877. Did your firm build the “Teutonic” and the “Majestic”? - Yes. 20878. Were longitudinal bulkheads placed in those ships? - I think so, and they were promptly taken out, or holes made in them, at a later date. 20879. Can you tell us why they were dispensed with? - Because they were considered dangerous. 20880. Can you tell us why they were considered dangerous - from what point of view? - From the point of view that if one side of the ship got flooded it might lead to a very serious list, and possibly to a capsize. 20881. Not from any difficulty of working arrangements? - I believe not for the working arrangements; it was done long before I was connected with it. 20882. Now, with regard to the coal bunker, where the fire took place. You remember the evidence with regard to the fire in the bunker? - Yes. 20883. It was stated by one witness, I think Hendrickson, that the fire caused the bulkhead to