Page 13 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 23 - 26

- No, my Lord. The Commissioner: Would it be the duty of the Master-at-arms, Mr. Attorney, if people desired to be shown about the ship, and how to move about in it, to show them? 22760. (The Attorney-General.) I will enquire. I should have thought not. Captain Bartlett: The Masters-at-arms, my Lord, generally police the deck, and keep a look- out for fire and anything of that sort. They do not escort the passengers round the deck at all. There are stewards for that purpose - chief third class stewards. 22761. (The Commissioner.) What I want to know is this: Supposing a third class passenger were to ask a third class steward (I mean by that a steward in the third class) to show him the way to the boat deck, would the steward do it? Captain Bartlett: The steward would do it after consulting the purser; he would take it to the head of the department. 22762. (The Commissioner.) There is only one purser, I suppose? Captain Bartlett: No, we had four on board the “Titanic.” 22763. (The Commissioner.) Have you a purser for the third class? Captain Bartlett: No, my Lord, not specially appointed for the third class; there is one to the first and one to the second, and there is an assistant to each. Those pursers attend to the whole of the passenger department of the ship. 22764. (The Commissioner.) Supposing a third class passenger applied to one of those stewards and said, “I want to see how I can get up from my quarters to the boat deck,” what would that steward do? Captain Bartlett: He would report it to the chief third class steward, and he would take it to the purser. 22765. (The Commissioner.) Then would the purser, as a matter of course, provide for showing the man how to get to the boat deck? Captain Bartlett: Most certainly, my Lord. They would be taken round especially in a case like this. It has never been asked, to my knowledge. 22766. (The Commissioner.) I know; people never ask these things, but I want to know if they do happen to ask, whether there is any information supplied? Captain Bartlett: Most certainly there is. 22767. (Mr. Harbinson - To the Witness.) If I may suggest to your Lordship, the point I am at with Sir Walter is, what precautions are taken in the course of a voyage to see that the Regulations of the Board of Trade as regards sanitation and matters of that sort are in force. Are there any travelling inspectors or people who visit ships from time to time to see that those Regulations are in force? - On shore? 22768. Or between ports? - Not between ports, not a travelling inspector. 22769. Take a British ship as an illustration that was going, for instance, to South America, and then from South America to some other port before returning to Great Britain. Would there be any inspector or officer of the Board of Trade whose duty it would be to see that on those boats between different ports the regulations are in force? - No. 22770. When the Merchant Shipping Act of 1906 was being discussed was not this question of boat accommodation prominently brought before the Committee? - The Parliamentary Committee? 22771. Yes, and pressed on the then President of the Board of Trade. Do you know? - I do not remember. I should be sorry to say yes or no. There were so many subjects. 22772. (The Commissioner.) Who was President of the Board of Trade at that time? - Mr. Lloyd George. 22773. (Mr. Harbinson.) Since then has this question of boat accommodation been prominently brought to the notice of the President of the Board of Trade. I mean prior to the date