Page 95 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 19 - 22

21393. (Mr. Clement Edwards.) Yes, my Lord. (To the Witness.) Will you take your memory back to the interview which took place in October, 1909? Do you remember how long that interview lasted? - It lasted all day. 21394. (The Commissioner.) And were you talking about lifeboats all day? - No, we were talking about two or three thousand things in the day. 21395. How long did you talk about lifeboats on that occasion? - I could not say; I should think probably not more than five or ten minutes. 21396. Five or 10 minutes on each occasion? - Yes. 21397. That is 10 or 20 minutes altogether? - Yes. The Commissioner: We shall get it by degrees. 21398. (Mr. Scanlan.) Now was it on that occasion that you remember Mr. Ismay and Mr. Sanderson being present? - Yes. 21399. Was it on that occasion that you submitted the plans for the davits? - Yes. 21400. Was it on that occasion that Mr. Ismay said something, but Mr. Sanderson did not? The Commissioner: No. The Witness: In those interviews we generally arranged that only two should talk so as not to lose time, and generally, if Lord Pirrie was present, he did the talking on the one side and Mr. Ismay on the other. 21401. And a very good plan too. - And Mr. Sanderson and I were more or less dummies. The Commissioner: That has a verisimilitude. 21402. (Mr. Clement Edwards.) Now do you remember what Mr. Ismay said in regard to this proposal that there should be equipment for this number of boats? - He quite agreed that it would be a good thing to make preparations for supplying the larger number of boats. 21403. (The Commissioner.) Now do be accurate. Do you mean to say that he thought it was desirable that a larger number of boats should be supplied, or that there should be what Mr. Edwards correctly calls an equipment for a larger number of boats? They are two different things. - I take it at that first interview it was merely the davits for carrying four boats. 21404. But you say something different. At this first interview the equipment - Was not taken up. The equipment was not under consideration at the first. 21405. I am talking about the davits, you know. At this first interview, as I understand, the suggestion that davits should be prepared which would enable a larger number of boats to be put upon the ship and worked was approved? - Yes. 21406. And that is all? - And that is all. 21407. (Mr. Clement Edwards.) I am purposely taking it in stages, my Lord, so that we can get it quite clear. (To the Witness.) Was anything said at that interview as to the advisability, or otherwise, of carrying a larger number of boats? - Nothing. 21408. Not at that interview. Now then, when you attended the second interview in January, 1910, is that the occasion when four hours were occupied? - Yes. 21409. Was Mr. Ismay, and also was Mr. Sanderson, present on that occasion? - Yes. 21410. How long did the conversation on that occasion last in regard to the subject of boat equipment or boats? - I should say 5 to 10 minutes. 21411. Did you have any discussion at that time with regard to the number of boats, as apart from the question of the character of the davits? - No. 21412. None at all? - None at all. 21413. Was there any decision arrived at at that interview in regard to what equipment for the boats you should fix up? - Nothing. 21414. Was there any arrangement arrived at by which some decision some later time should be come to in regard to the number of boats? - No, that was not considered at that time; I did not hear anything.