Page 168 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

she has doors; the passengers could be taken from there. 9306. Yes, she has doors on the third class deck; but how would you get the passengers lowered from those doors into the boat? - If the doors were in a line with the boats they could easily pass through the doors into the boats. 9307. Do you think it would be a practical suggestion to lower the boat from the boat deck practically empty, and to have your passengers on the third class deck, and to have them let down from the third class deck into the boat? - If the weather permits, and it is practicable. 9308. Could that be done in rough weather? - I do not think so. 9309. Then you have no suggestion as to what could be done to save passengers in rough weather? - No. Examined by Mr. HARBINSON. 9310. Does ice at sea give any other indication of its approach beyond a coldness in the atmosphere? - In certain cases the atmosphere appears luminous on the horizon. 9311. As a matter of fact, does a haze usually envelop an ice-field? - Not usually. 9312. You said you heard on the morning of the 15th from your operator about the “Titanic” signals? - Yes. 9313. What time did you hear? - 12.30 by my clock. 9314. How many operators have you on board? - One. 9315. He had not turned in at the time? - He had turned in, but he had his ear-pieces on at the time. 9316. He had not divested himself of them. Now would you consider it safe in the neighbourhood of an ice-field, provided your boat had the power, to go ahead at 21 knots an hour? - It would be most unwise to go that speed at nighttime. Examined by Mr. HOLMES. 9317. Out of the crew of 143, how many were officers? - We had 4 officers. 9318. Four officers under you? - Yes. 9319. And what watches did they keep? - Double watches when near land or in the ice track. 9320. What length of time would that mean? - Four hours on and 4 hours off. 9321. Throughout the day? - Yes, that is when we are in the vicinity of ice or in the vicinity of land. 9322. And in mid-ocean? - We keep single watches. 9323. Four hours on and 8 hours off? - Yes. 9324. You have been asked about the power of these boats to live in the sea. Do you know that recently, when the crew of the “Chesapeake” had to take to their boats, they were for 7 days in mid-Atlantic in their lifeboats? - I had not heard of it. 9325. May we take it that you are increasing your lifeboat accommodation beyond the Board of Trade regulations because you consider those regulations are inadequate? - We are putting sufficient boat accommodation in for all the passengers that we shall carry. 9326. Is that because you consider the present Board of Trade regulations are inadequate? - That is right. Examined by Mr. CLEMENT EDWARDS. 9327. What in your view is the right number of men for manning a lifeboat capable of holding 70 people? - You ought to have at least four seamen in it.