Page 118 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 23 - 26

24101. What do you mean by saying that the crews were exercised? - The boats’ crews; about eight men and an officer in each boat. 24102. Those are sailormen, are they not? - Yes, always sailormen. 24103. (The Commissioner.) No firemen or stewards? - No firemen or stewards. 24104. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) I think you also inspected the third class passengers’ quarters? - I did. 24105. Were they in proper order? - Yes, they were in a very good and cleanly condition. 24106. This inspection lasted, in all, for how many days? - I visited the ship one day on her arrival for a very short time, and the next day I visited her was just before sailing, and then on the morning of sailing. Of course, it is a very busy day. I start somewhere about half-past 7 in the morning and I carry on till the ship sails at noon. My time is very fully occupied on that day. 24107. As the result of it all, did you, in fact, give this vessel her clearance? - I did. 24108. And was she in proper order to go to sea as an emigrant ship when she sailed from Southampton? - Undoubtedly. Examined by Mr. SCANLAN. 24109. Was it your duty to see whether all the lifeboats on the “Titanic” were equipped in accordance with the provisions of the Rules and Regulations made by the Board of Trade under the Merchant Shipping Acts? - That had already been done at Belfast. 24110. It did not fall to your duty? - No, it did not fall to me. 24111. Have you any idea as to what would be an efficient method of drilling crews to man lifeboats in case of accident? - Yes; I think that all hands that form the crew should be exercised in handling the ship’s boats, both firemen and stewards. 24112. I take it that up to the time of the “Titanic” disaster that had not been the practice? - Not in the White Star Line. 24113. Not in the White Star Line? - No. 24114. Had it been the practice on other lines to have boat drills in which all the crew of the different grades would take part? - No, that has not been the custom. It has been the custom to muster them and muster them at the various boats in accordance with their boat stations. 24115. There was not even a muster on the “Titanic”; nothing but the lowering of the two boats you have told us of? - Except my muster - the muster to see whether the numbers were correct. 24116. Do you think in having boat drills such as you have described where the different branches of the crew took part, that it would be desirable to lower more than two boats? - Possibly; in view of the “Titanic” disaster, perhaps it would be. 24117. The whole of the boats, Captain? - Well, I would not say the whole of the boats; I would say a larger number than two. Examined by Mr. CLEMENT EDWARDS. 24118. Are you responsible Surveyor for testing the strength of the boats? - Not in this case, no. 24119. Was there any report made to you about a fire having taken place in the bunker in Section 5? - No. 24120. In the ordinary case ought such a report to have been made to you if there was a serious fire before the ship sailed? - Yes, if it was a serious fire it ought to have been reported to me. 24121. If it was sufficiently serious for it to be reported - if it was regarded as so serious by the officer that it ought to be reported to the makers, would it, in your view, be sufficiently serious for a report to be made to you? - Hardly, it is not an uncommon thing to have these small fires in the bunkers.