Page 39 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 32 - 36

gangways? - (A.) Yes. I told them to haul off from the ship’s side, but to remain within hail. That is what I told each of them with the exception of the boat that Mr. Pitman went in.” Mr. Pitman got that order. Then with regard to No. 1, Mr. Murdoch was in charge of that. The order to that was to stand off a little and come back when called. Lowe was also there. No. 1 is the fourth in order from the starboard side according to Mr. Asquith’s Table. Question 11488 on page 257 in Symons’ evidence is: “Do you remember getting an order from Mr. Murdoch to stand off a little way when the boat was lowered? - (A.) Yes, my orders were to pull away from the ship, not too far, and to stand by if I was called back. (Q.) That we have not had from you yet. That is what I wanted. That is quite right. Your Lordship will see the importance of it all. You have it in mind. Question 5011 is what Hendrickson said about this. He was cross-examined about it. That substantially agrees, I think, with what Hendrickson says. I will read you what he says: “We were told to stand off a little way and come back when called.” That is right? - (A.) That is what Mr. Murdoch gave me.” With regard to the other boats on the starboard side, Nos. 9, 11, 13, 15, and the collapsible, there is no evidence of any such order; there is no evidence of any such order at all being given. But with the earlier boats it was obviously contemplated that they should stand by and come to the gangway. Mr. Murdoch was there at the launching of boats Nos. 9, 11, possibly of No. 13, though that is not certain; he was there certainly at No. 15 and at the launching of the collapsible. But there is no actual evidence of the order which Mr. Murdoch gave - as to whether he gave the same order which he had given to the earlier boats or not. Very likely he did not. Then if your Lordship will take the next, the boats on the port side in the corrected order, No. 6 is the first to get away. There is some conflict of evidence about this boat. Hichens says that Mr. Lightoller gave the order to pull for that light (Pointing to the light on the port bow.) Mr. Lightoller says that he gave no such order; and it is not very probable that he should have given such an order. At this time he was ordering the boatswain to open the gangway doors. I will just give the references which verify that. Page 44 is Hichens’ evidence. Question 1159 is “When the boat was lowered did you have any order as to what you were to do? - (A.) Yes, sir. (Q.) Who gave it to you? - (A.) Mr. Lightoller, the Second Officer. (Q.) What was the order? - (A.) To pull for that light - to steer for that light. (Q.) What light? - (A.) There was a light about two points on the port bow, about five miles away I should judge.” Mr. Lightoller contradicts that on page 316, and says in answer to Question 13978: “(Q.) Did you or did you not give any directions to these boats which might be taken to mean that they were to row to the light? - (A.) No. (Q.) Were they to go away or were they to stay by the ship? - (A.) No, I cannot remember giving the boats any directions at all.” There is also an answer 13891 which perhaps I should refer to which may a little qualify what he said. “(Q.) Did you give any further order to that boat No. 6” - that is the first boat to get away on the port side - “as to what it was to do or where it was to go? - (A.) Not that I remember. I knew there was, if I may mention it, this light on the port bow about two points: I had already been calling many of the passengers’ attention to it, pointing it out to them and saying there was a ship over there, that probably it was a sailing ship as she did not appear to come any closer, and that at daylight, very likely a breeze would spring up and she would come in and pick us up out of the boats, and generally reassuring them by pointing out the light; but whether I told them to pull towards the light, I really could not say. I might have done it and I might not.” Then on the same page, 314, your Lordship will find in answer to Question 13896, and following questions, you have some evidence as to the gangway doors. “(Q.) Did you give any orders with the object of getting more people into it when it was in the water? - (A.) Yes; I see what you are alluding to now, the gangway doors. I had already sent the boatswain and 6 men or told the boatswain to go down below and take some men with him and open the gangway doors with the intention of