Page 94 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 23 - 26

ice season and the ice comes down both earlier and more rapidly. 23729. So that in that exceptional season you would expect to meet icebergs on that track? - Yes. 23730. It has got further South, at an earlier period? - Yes. 23731. Presumably it is a matter to which your attention is always directed when you are crossing? - Oh, yes. 23732. It is the sort of thing I suppose that an experienced captain always has in mind when he is on the North Atlantic track at this time of year? - Oh, yes, we are always on the alert for it for many months. 23733. There is only one further question I want to put to you. When you do sight an iceberg do you reduce your speed or do you keep your speed? - I keep my speed. 23734. What is the speed of the vessel? - Sixteen knots. 23735. You keep your speed - that, of course, is, I suppose, in the day or it might be at night? - Both day and night. 23736. The question I put to you, and you have answered, is when you have sighted an iceberg? - Yes. 23737. Then you have time, I suppose, from what you said, to get clear of the iceberg going at the speed at which your vessel then is? - I have never had any difficulty to clear when I have met ice ahead. 23738. Does that mean that you see the ice some distance ahead? - Yes. 23739. How far as a Rule? - Well, I have seen it over three miles and at less distances. 23740. Are you speaking of the day or night? - At night. 23741. Do you mean you would see it further in the daytime? - Yes, decidedly, in clear weather. 23742. At night you have seen it at three miles and sometimes less? - Yes. 23743. And supposing that your look-out is properly kept and that the night is clear is there any difficulty in your sighting an iceberg at sufficient distance to enable you to steer clear of it? - None whatever. 23744. And supposing you received reports of icebergs in a latitude and longitude which you would expect to be crossing during the night would you take any precaution as regards speed? - I should maintain my speed and keep an exceptionally sharp look-out until such time as I either had the ice-blink or some sight of ice ahead or in the track of the vessel. 23745. What would be the exceptionally sharp look-out you would keep? - I mean with reference to everybody concerned by my cautioning them and giving my officers instructions to inform the look-out to be on the alert. 23746. Where is your look-out stationed? - In clear weather under ordinary circumstances in the crow’s-nest. 23747. How many do you carry there? - One. 23748. Would that be the only man on the look-out in clear weather except the officers on the bridge? - That would be the only one. 23749. And supposing you were sailing at night and had to keep this exceptionally sharp look- out which you have told us of because of having had ice reports, would you increase the numbers of men on the look-out or not? - No, not in clear weather. 23750. Do you mean that you would go on steaming at the same speed with your man in the crow’s-nest, and that is all? - That is all. 23751. You do not put anybody apparently in the stem head? - No, not unless the weather becomes hazy or any difference to ordinary clear weather. 23752. If the weather does become hazy it would be better to put a man on the stem head, I understand? - A man goes there immediately.