Page 46 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 32 - 36

Question 6335. This is in the evidence of Joughin: “(Q.) The only other thing is this. You say you saw men coming to close watertight doors; that is to say, those doors do not shut automatically? - (A.) That is right. (Q.) Was that on E deck? - (A.) Yes, immediately outside my room. (Q.) Watertight doors? - (A.) Yes. (Q.) On E deck? - (A.) Yes. (Q.) Was one aft of your room? - (A.) Immediately forward. (Q.) Immediately forward of your room? - (A.) Yes. (Q.) Then was it that watertight door, which you see on the plan is in the alleyway, which is in front of your room? - (A.) I am not sure, but I think it is No. 23 door.” I need not follow that further. Then on page 231, Question 10338, Pearcey, who was a pantryman on the “Titanic,” is asked this question: “What was it that first indicated to you that there had been a collision with the iceberg? - (A.) There was just a small motion, but nothing to speak of. (Q.) What happened immediately after this motion? - (A.) The order was, “All watertight doors to be closed.” (Q.) Are you referring to the watertight doors of this F deck? - (A.) Yes. (Q.) Were they closed? - (A.) Yes. (Q.) Did you help to close them? - (A.)Yes. (Q.) Did several other men help with you? - (A.) Yes. (Q.) Where did you close them? - (A.) I closed them on towards aft. I closed the pantry doors of my pantry on the starboard and port sides,” and so on. Then on page 236, in the evidence of Brown, Question 10669, he is examined by myself: “(Q.) Only one question. Did you hear an order given in the alleyway about the watertight doors? - (A.) That was the first order I heard after I was woke by the shock. (Q.) Just tell us what you heard? - (A.) Who gave it I do not know, but I heard an order in the alleyway outside our quarters to close all watertight doors. (Q.) There are watertight doors in the alleyway? - (A.) Yes, lower down, further aft than our quarters are. (Q.) And you heard that order given? - (A.) Yes. Then on the same page Question 10691: “(Q.) What did you do next? - (A.) The first order I heard was from the Second Steward to close all watertight doors on F deck. (Q.) To close the watertight doors on F deck? - (A.) That was the first order I heard given. (Q.) How long after the accident was it you heard that order? - (A.) A matter of about a quarter of an hour. (Q.) And did you go to F deck to obey that order? - (A.) No. The Third class Chief Steward was sent for, for his men to do that order. (Q.) Was that Mr. Kieran? - (A.) Yes. (Q.) Did you see the Captain about this time? - (A.) No. I saw the Captain a matter of about 20 minutes after that.” Then comes the order about the passengers going upstairs. There are only two other questions on this point. They are in the evidence of Joseph Thomas Wheat on page 240, Question 10922. “(Q.) Then what did you do? Where did you go? - (A.) I went upstairs to E deck again and went down to F deck to close the bulkhead doors on F deck by the Turkish baths. There are two bulkhead doors there. (Q.) And did you close those? - (A.) Yes. (Q.) Did you do that alone, or did somebody help you? - (A.) I closed the inside one myself and then to close the other we had to go on top and turn that one with a key.” Then Question 10937 on the next page: “(Q.) Could you give us some idea, how long after that was should you say, that you closed those watertight doors by the Turkish baths? - (A.) I do not suppose it would be more than five or six minutes. (Q.) Then you were a few minutes down looking at the water? - (A.) Yes.” Then, of course, the nature of the damage had to be ascertained. Mr. Boxhall speaks to that on pages 355 and 356. I do not propose to follow this in detail, but if your Lordship would look at page 355 and the following page, your Lordship will see that, beginning with Question 15358, he gives a description of what was done looking for the damage. It is a longish description and I am not going to occupy time by reading it. It runs over to page 356 down to Question 15377. Then the carpenter, on the same page, 355, Question 15368, is referred to: “(Q.) Did the Captain then tell you to find the carpenter? - (A.) Yes, I think we stayed on the bridge just for a moment or two, probably a couple of minutes, and then he told me to find the carpenter and tell him to sound the ship forward. (Q.) Did you find the carpenter? - (A.) I met the carpenter, I think it would be on the ladder leading from the bridge down to A deck, and he wanted to know where