Page 122 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

8142. You saw a steamer? - Yes. 8143. What lights did you see? - At first I just saw what I took to be one light, one white light, but, of course, when I saw her first I did not pay particular attention to her, because I thought it might have been a star rising. 8144. When do you think you began to pay particular attention to her? - About 11.15. 8145. About five minutes after you first saw her? - About five minutes after I first saw her. 8146. Did you then see more lights than one? - About 11.25 I made out two lights - two white lights. 8147. Two masthead lights? - Two white masthead lights. 8148. Did you make out any other lights then? - Not at the time, no. 8149. You said that she was a little abaft your starboard beam? - Yes. 8150. How were you heading? - At that time we would be heading N.E. when I saw that steamer first, but we were swinging all the time because when we stopped the order was given for the helm to be put hard-a-port, and we were swinging, but very, very slowly. 8151. You say you were heading about N.E.? - We were heading N.E. 8152. Did you notice that at the time? - Yes. 8153. Was that with a view to see in what direction the steamer was bearing? - No, for my own information. 8154. But it was at that time? - At that time, yes. 8155. Now, how did she bear, how many points abaft the beam did she bear? - Do you mean when I first noticed her? 8156. Yes? - I should think about 3 1/2 points, but I took no actual bearing of her. 8157. That would leave her S. by W.? - We were heading N.E. and she was three points abaft the beam. 8158. Your beam would be? - S.E. 8159. That would bring her about 7? - S. or S. by W. - S. 1/2 W. 8160. Could you form any judgment how far off she was? - When I saw her first light I should think she would be about 10 or 12 miles. 8161. Judging by the look of the light? - By the look of the light and the clearness of the night. 8162. (The Commissioner.) That was when you saw the one light? - Yes, when I say she was 10 to 12 miles away. 8163. (Mr. Rowlatt.) Did she appear to get nearer? - Yes. 8164. The lights clearer? - Yes, all the time. 8165. Was she changing her bearing? - Slowly. 8166. Coming round more to the south and west? - More on our beam, yes, more to the south and west, but very little. 8167. Did you report that to the captain? - Yes, because, as I said before, he left orders to let him know if I saw any steamers approaching. 8168. You went down to him? - I went down to the lower bridge, which is part of the saloon deck. 8169. (The Commissioner.) Would this be something after 11 o’clock? - Yes, my Lord, when I went down to him it would be as near as I could judge about 11.30. 8170. (Mr. Rowlatt.) What did you say to him? - I knocked at his door and told him there was a steamer approaching us coming up on the starboard quarter. 8171. (The Commissioner.) The door of what? - The door of the chart room. It is a Venetian door. 8172. (Mr. Rowlatt.) Did you say what sort of a steamer you thought she was? - Captain Lord said to me, “Can you make anything out of her lights?” I said, “Yes, she is evidently a passenger steamer coming up on us.”