Page 121 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

CHARLES VICTOR GROVES, Sworn. Examined by Mr. S. A. T. ROWLATT. 8111. Charles Victor Groves, is that your name? - Yes. 8112. Were you second officer of the “Californian”? - Yes, I was on the ship’s articles as second officer, but took the duties of third. 8113. You are referred to as third officer in the papers? - Yes. 8114. You remember Sunday, the 14th? - Yes. 8115. Was your watch from 8 p.m. till midnight? - Yes. 8116. And we know your steamer stopped because she got among the ice? - Yes. 8117. At 10.26 was it? - Yes, at 10.26. 8118. And you had had a double look-out. We have heard about that and I will not ask you again? - Yes, a double look-out. 8119. Since about 6? - Since about 6. 8120. Had you seen any icebergs, you yourself, in the afternoon? - Yes. 8121. Where did you see them? - About 5 miles to the southward of us. 8122. What time was that? - About 20 minutes past 5 when I saw them, when I relieved the bridge. I relieved the chief officer then for his tea. 8123. You are talking about the time by your clock? - Yes, ship’s time. 8124. When you came on watch at 8 o’clock was it clear? - Yes, quite clear. 8125. Could you see the horizon? - No, you could not see where the horizon in the sky finished but you could see stars right down as far as the sea. 8126. According to your judgment was there anything in the shape of a haze? - No, nothing whatsoever. 8127. None? - None. 8128. Was the captain on the bridge? - Yes. 8129. How long did he stay there? - He stopped there till about 10.35 - perhaps a few minutes less than that, but about 10.35. 8130. When he left the bridge did he give you any orders? - No he did not, not at that time. But I saw him after that. 8131. Did he give you orders about other ships? - Yes. 8132. When was that? - Probably that was just before he left the bridge, about half-past 10, but the exact time he gave those orders I could not say. 8133. What did he tell you? - He told me to let him know if I saw any ship approaching us. 8134. Did you see any ships approaching? - Yes. 8135. Now, what did you see, and when? - As I said before, the stars were showing right down to the horizon. It was very difficult at first to distinguish between the stars and a light, they were so low down. About 11.10, ship’s time, I made out a steamer coming up a little bit abaft our starboard beam. 8136. Now, did you look at the clock? - When I saw the steamer? 8137. Yes? - No. 8138. Why did you say 11.15? - I say it was about that. 8139. (The Commissioner.) I think you said 11.10? - Yes, I said about 11.10. 8140. (Mr. Rowlatt.) That is your judgment? - That is my judgment. 8141. When had you last looked at the clock? - Ten-twenty-six - well, I had looked at my watch; we had no clock on the upper bridge. I set that at 6 o’clock by the ship’s clock.