Page 116 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

and then he looks over the side and he says “There is that steamer; she is all right.” According to the story you have told us you know, when you saw this other steamer’s stern light disappear you thought she was all right. What was there in your story to the Chief Officer which led him to make this observation: “There is the steamer; she is all right”? - I do not know what led him to make that observation. 8021. Why should he have said it, in view of the evidence you have given us here today you know? Do not you think you told the Chief Officer that you were fearful the steamer you had seen had gone down? - No. I told him the steamer had steamed away from us in a south westerly direction. Examined by Mr. SCANLAN. 8022. Did you obtain a certificate from the Board of Trade as a mate? - As a first mate in steamships, yes. 8023. Was that certificate given to you after examination? - Yes. 8024. When did you obtain that certificate? - Last December twelvemonth. 8025. Is not part of the subjects of examination the signals of distress and the signals to be made by ships wanting a pilot? - Yes, the articles. 8026. That is one of the subjects in which you are supposed by the Board of Trade to be qualified before you get the certificate? - Yes. 8027. I suppose before you sat for that examination, you read something about signals? - I learned them. 8028. Do you mean to tell his Lordship that you did not know that the throwing up of “rockets or shells, throwing stars of any colour or description, fired one at a time at short intervals,” is the proper method for signaling distress at night? - Yes, that is the way it is always done as far as I know. 8029. And you knew that perfectly well on the night of the 14th of April? - Yes. The Commissioner: And is not that exactly what was happening? 8030. (Mr. Scanlan.) You have heard my Lord put that question. That was what was happening? - Yes. 8031. (The Commissioner.) The very thing was happening that you knew indicated distress? - If that steamer had stayed on the same bearing after showing these rockets - 8032. No, do not give a long answer of that kind. Is it not the fact that the very thing was happening which you had been taught indicated distress? - Yes. 8033. (Mr. Scanlan.) You knew it meant distress? - I knew that rockets shown at short intervals, one at a time, meant distress signals, yes. 8034. Do not speak generally. On that very night when you saw those rockets being sent up you knew, did you not, that those rockets were signals of distress? - No. 8035. (The Commissioner.) Now do think about what you are saying. You have just told me that what you saw from that steamer was exactly what you had been taught to understand were signals of distress. You told me so? - Yes. 8036. Well is it true? - It is true that similar lights are distress signals, yes. 8037. Then you had seen them from this steamer? - A steamer that is in distress does not steam away from you, my Lord. 8038. You saw these before this steamer steamed away from you? - I saw them at the same time the ship started to alter her bearings. 8039. (Mr. Scanlan.) But for a long time while this ship was stationary like your own, you noticed at frequent intervals that she was sending up rocket after rocket? - No. 8040. I thought that you told my learned friend that you had counted the rockets. Here is what