Page 10 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 23 - 26

22750. Do you issue from the Board of Trade any regulations as to distress signals at sea? - Yes. 22751. Can you refer the Court to them? - Speaking from memory, I think the distress signals are contained in the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. The Commissioner: Now what points are you going to make on this, Mr. Edwards? Is it that distress signals are not effective, or what? Mr. Edwards: No, my Lord. The point here is as to whether, if there are common distress signals part and parcel of the Regulations under the Merchant Shipping Act, then it may bring the responsibility home to those responsible for the navigation of the “Californian.” That is what I am upon. The Commissioner: At present, so far as I am concerned, you need not labour that point, because, if it be the fact, as I am disposed at present to think it is, that the “Californian” saw those distress signals, and that they were the signals of the “Titanic,” I have no doubt at all in my mind that they ought to have made efforts to get to the “Titanic.” Mr. Edwards: Then I will not pursue that point. Examined by Mr. HARBINSON. 22752. Is there a Statistical Branch of the Board of Trade? - Yes. 22753. Does that Statistical Branch keep a record of the passengers that leave this country and go to America every year? - I have no personal knowledge of what is kept in the Statistical Department, but I believe they do. 22754. Could you ascertain for the Court, the percentage of the different classes that leave the United Kingdom each year and go to America? - Yes, I can certainly promise that, if you will say within what period. 22755-6. I will before the Enquiry closes? - You will send us word. The Commissioner: Can you tell us how many Irish emigrants were on board this ship the “Titanic”? Mr. Harbinson: Less than 200, my Lord. The Commissioner: And how many emigrants were there altogether? Mr. Harbinson: I should say, my Lord, somewhere about 800. The Commissioner: Now can you tell me this. The 600 were foreigners, I suppose. Mr. Harbinson: English and foreign, I should think. The Commissioner: I am not at all sure. Mr. Harbinson: I am not able to say the exact percentages. The Commissioner: No, the exact percentages I should not expect you to be able to ascertain. I think you will find it is a fact that something less than 200 were Irish emigrants. Mr. Harbinson: Roughly speaking, 180, I think, my Lord. The Commissioner: Something like that; I think that is right, and that the remainder were foreigners. Now have you ascertained what percentage of the Irish emigrants were saved and what percentage of foreigners were saved? Mr. Harbinson: I do not think there are any returns. I know the percentage of Irish. The Commissioner: What is the percentage of Irish? Mr. Harbinson: The percentage of Irish was something like 30, but I will tell you accurately. The Commissioner: I will accept it for the moment; I daresay it is right. That would be about 60 of the Irish emigrants saved. Now what percentage of the others were saved? Mr. Harbinson: It has been put in, my Lord; I will just refer your Lordship to it in a moment. The Commissioner: Does it distinguish between Irish emigrants and foreign emigrants? Mr. Harbinson: No, my Lord.