Page 182 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 23 - 26

The Commissioner: I tell you that I do not think this is a matter upon which you can usefully ask any questions at all. It has been entirely exhausted and very well dealt with by Mr. Scanlan and Mr. Edwards, and I think you can very well leave it alone. Mr. Harbinson: There is one question they have not asked, my Lord, and that is as regards the placing or the location of boats on the various decks. I respectfully submit that that is a matter of some importance. The Commissioner: Very well. 24838. (Mr. Harbinson - To the Witness.) Have you or your Committee considered that question? - We are considering it now. 24839. You do consider that is a matter worthy of consideration? - Certainly. 24840. And also the question of access, especially for third class passengers, to the deck, on whatever deck you decide the boats should be? - All classes. 24841. Your Committee is also considering that? - Yes, for all classes - the crew and everybody. Examined by Mr. COTTER. 24842. Are you making any recommendations in regard to the class of lifebuoys to be carried in the future? - We are inquiring into that also. 24843. And also into the means of launching the boats? - Yes. 24844. Whether you will have electric winches or cranes or the old blocks? - We are going into that carefully. We have already got it under consideration and have discussed it in great detail. 24845. You do not care to pass an opinion on it now? - I would sooner not, if you do not mind. The Attorney-General: There is one question you asked, my Lord, that I should like to deal with as far as I can, and that is as to the applications that have been made under Rule 12. Your Lordship will remember it has been dealt with in evidence. It comes to this that 103 applications have been made since 1890, and 69 have been granted - roughly speaking, the applications have been five a year, and three to four a year have been granted. That is the position. I have got here the applications and the grounds, but it is rather difficult to classify them. They are down in four grades. The Commissioner: Will you tell me the biggest ship that has applied? 24846. (The Attorney-General.) I see the “Campania.” The Witness: That is the one that I wanted to recall. 24847. (The Commissioner.) That is one of the smaller Cunarders? - That is one of the older Cunard boats. 24848. (The Attorney-General.) She is not so very small? - She is a fine big boat, but she is not one of the biggest now. 24849. (The Attorney-General.) 20,000 odd, I think she is? - 12,000, I think. The Commissioner: Somebody said about 17,000. I do not know which is right. Which is the smallest? The Attorney-General: I do not think I can tell you from this. The Commissioner: The tonnage is not given? The Attorney-General: No, the tonnage is not there, but the length is. The Commissioner: That will do, if you can tell me the longest and the shortest. The Attorney-General: There are a number that come under the longest grade, which is not less than 425 feet in length, or cross-Channel steamers irrespective of their length. That is why it is so difficult to find out without analysing it. They both come in the same grade. The Commissioner: Do you mean to tell me that the cross-Channel steamers comply with this