Page 70 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 32 - 36

would, in general terms, agree with the evidence given by Mr. Ismay as to his conversation with the Chief Engineer, that he hoped to keep it under by pumping. I admit the evidence is circumstantial.” Will you go on reading that, please? Mr. Laing: I will read the next Question: “20347: What I wanted to ask you is this. A difficulty is felt as to how No. 4 could have been injured in the skin of the ship if the wound terminated, as from Barrett’s evidence apparently it did terminate, just above the watertight compartment forward of No. 5? - (A.) From a calculation which I will refer to in a moment, I cannot believe that the wound was absolutely continuous the whole way. I believe that it was in a series of steps, and that from what we heard Barrett say in his evidence it was the end of one of the series of wounds which flooded the different spaces; that before the ship finally cleared the iceberg as the helm was put over she would be tending to swing her side into the iceberg, and that a very light contact was made in No. 4. It seemed very probable, quite apart from actual direct evidence of the fact; that is, that after the ship had finished tearing herself at the forward end of No. 5, she would tend to push herself against the iceberg a little, or push herself up the iceberg, and there would be a certain tendency, as the stern came round to aft under the helm, to bang against the iceberg again further aft. (Q.) Is the ship broadening at all as far aft as that (Pointing to the model.)? - (A.) Practically parallel.” Then your Lordship asks him about Cavell’s evidence at 20349: “If this evidence of Cavell’s is correct, do you draw the inference that in some way or other there was an injury to the skin of the ship as far aft as the No. 4 boiler section? - (A.) I believe that to be correct the whole body of evidence tends that way, Barrett’s in particular. (Q.) If the double skin had been carried up higher” - and then it passes off to another point. Your Lordship remembers the evidence quite generally, that they were pumping in No. 4, and that they brought a section of some pipe from aft in order to couple up, as Mr. Wilding thought from the evidence, and pump from No. 3 section, so as to increase the pumping power on that particular division, and that they were pumping up there until practically the last, because, as Dillon and Cavell say, the water was rising as they left. Would your Lordship like me to read Dillon’s and Cavell’s evidence again? The Commissioner: No, I think not. Now, Mr. Dunlop, how long do you think you will take to convince us that the “Californian” did not see the “Titanic’s” lights? Mr. Dunlop: I think, my Lord, I will take about two hours. May it please your Lordship, I am instructed by the Leyland Line, the owners of the “Californian,” to appear on their behalf and on behalf of the Master, and I desire at the outset to express on their behalf their profound regret that the “Californian” was unable to, or did not render any assistance to the “Titanic.” If, when they heard of the loss of the “Titanic,” they had also learned that the “Californian” had either been the means of saving some of those whose lives were unfortunately lost, or had been the means of relieving the sufferings of those who by a merciful providence, were saved, it would, my Lord, have been a great source of consolation to them. I do not desire for one moment, nor is it their intention that I should, in any way minimise the importance of the duty which, in accordance with the best traditions of the sea, rests upon the masters of all ships, to render, if they can, assistance to others who may be in distress. My Lord, I think I might be allowed to read a telegram, which I find in “Lloyd’s Weekly Shipping Index,” which the Leyland Line sent to the ‘Californian” as soon as they heard of this disaster, because it shows what their attitude was towards the “Titanic”: “The Leyland Company” - the telegram reads - “have instructed the Captain of the ‘Californian’ by wireless telegraphy to remain near the scene of the wreck and render whatever aid is possible until he is relieved or until his coal supply runs low.” My Lord, this shows their desire and their anxiety that the “Californian” should render whatever assistance was at that time possible. If the “Californian” had rendered any assistance to the “Titanic,” not only would she have been rendering a service to humanity, but she would also have been rendering a service to the owners themselves, because the