Page 10 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 27 - 31

various Liner Companies, including the German and one of the French. It is on the 6th June, 1912, from the Board of Trade: “With reference to the Enquiry now proceeding into the ‘Titanic’ disaster, I am directed by the Board of Trade to inform you that they have been requested by the Court to obtain information from the leading British (and German) shipping companies engaged in the North Atlantic passenger trade respecting (a) the westward-bound vessels which received on or about the 15th of April wireless or other messages similar to those received by the ‘Titanic’ regarding the presence of field ice or icebergs in their vicinity.” The Commissioner: Why not the 14th? The Attorney-General: I do not know why they said the 15th, but obviously it would cover it, and the answers show it does. “(b) The speed at which they were travelling, and (c) the precautions, such as alteration of course, or diminution of speed, adopted by the Master of the ship in order to avoid danger.” The Commissioner: If these gentlemen have omitted, or do not desire to answer for some reason (I can understand it, I am not in any way blaming them), the information can be obtained in another way, not so satisfactorily, it is true, but it can be obtained in this way - by ascertaining when these vessels left their ports of departure and when they arrived. The Attorney-General: We can do that, but I do not know whether your Lordship would think that would give you the information. The Commissioner: Well, if I found that American liners travelling through that region at this particular time kept their time, arrived at the ordinary time, I should draw the conclusion that they had not slowed down, at all events, for any length of time. The Attorney-General: Yes. Sir Robert Finlay: Of course, it might involve a good deal of investigation into each particular case. The Commissioner: Of course it would. It is very rough. Sir Robert Finlay: Your Lordship will recollect that in the case of the “Titanic” they had intended not to keep up their speed, but to arrive in the evening. The Commissioner: I know that; for the convenience of the passengers, I think it was. Sir Robert Finlay: Yes. The Attorney-General: In order to make it quite clear, I think when I said just now the German Lines have not answered, that is not quite accurate. They have answered, but they have not supplied us with the information. They have said that they will furnish the information as soon as it can be obtained. The Commissioner: Well, that is a very reasonable answer. The Attorney-General: Yes, I have not got the answer. The Commissioner: I daresay they have to wait until they can inspect the logs. The Attorney-General: Quite so; and the Norddeutscher also say they have to get their information from the head office at Bremen. At any rate, we shall have it according to the promise made, and as soon as it is obtained it can be supplied to your Lordship. The Commissioner: I am very glad they have taken up that position. The Attorney-General: We only wrote to the Hamburg-Amerika Line and the Norddeutscher Line, and they replied at once, saying they would furnish the information as soon as it could be obtained. The Commissioner: Have you, Mr. Scanlan, or Mr. Edwards, any information bearing upon this subject. Mr. Scanlan: I have not, my Lord. Mr. Edwards: I have not, my Lord. The Commissioner: Because when you come to address me I should like you to direct your attention to this question as to the blame that is to be fixed upon the Captain. I am very anxious