Page 169 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

9328. When you say four seamen, do you mean four A. B.’s? - No, seamen. We could put firemen in there. Very often firemen can pull a boat just as well as a sailor. 9329. You say four seamen. What number of other hands do you think in addition? - Those are sufficient for the oars and one officer; someone to take charge of the boat, some petty officer or certificated officer which ever boat it is. 9330. One qualified officer and four seamen who are capable? - I do not say a qualified officer; I say a petty officer; it may be a certified officer or a petty officer. Examined by Mr. COTTER. 9331. When you left London on your last voyage did you have any boat drill before you left? - Not before we left. 9332. You had no boat drill at all? - No, not before we left. 9333. Was there a Board of Trade Surveyor there? - We passed the ship on the 27th of March; the Board of Trade passed her on that date, the 27th March, 1912. 9334. Did the Board of Trade Surveyor examine the boats at all? - Yes. 9335. Did he see one swung out and lowered? - I cannot say; I was not on board. I was away home. I live in Liverpool. 9336. You are speaking of a boat that holds 49? - Yes. 9337. And you say four seamen would be sufficient for that. How many seamen would be required for a boat which would hold 68? The Commissioner: I thought he answered that. 9338. (Mr. Cotter.) He was speaking of a boat with four oars, I think? - Yes. The Commissioner: He answered the question with regard to a boat holding 70. 9339. (Mr. Cotter.) You were not speaking of a boat which would hold 70? - No, 49. The Commissioner: Then I mistook the question which you put, Mr. Edwards. Did not you put a boat which held 70? Mr. Clement Edwards: Yes, evidently I did not make my question perfectly clear. The Commissioner: It was perfectly clear to me. 9340. (Mr. Cotter - To the Witness.) A boat that would hold 68 people would require a larger number of seamen? - Yes; I should put six men in a boat like that. 9341. (The Commissioner.) I want to understand this. Supposing the sea was quite smooth and the question was about saving the passengers, I suppose the more crew you put into a boat the less passengers you could put in? - That is true. 9342. If the sea were perfectly smooth, would you then in order to save more passengers put in a less crew? - Certainly, my Lord. 9343. (Mr. Cotter.) Is it not a fact that a boat that will carry 68 people will require nine? - You can have six at the oars and an officer in charge. 9344. There are four seats in the “Titanic” boats? - You want to save passengers. If you are in a cargo steamer and you are only saving your crew, then you will have so many men allotted to these boats; you will have so many firemen, and so many seamen, and so many stewards, and so many engineers. 9345. Is it not the fact that you have the same thing in the first class passenger liners if you have proper drill? - That is quite right. 9346. Do you have bulkhead drill? - We have no doors in our bulkheads. We have no doors in them except in the engine room in the tunnels. There are two watertight doors there. 9347. Only down below in the tunnel? - Yes. 9348. And she carries how many passengers? - I have had 1,800 people in her. 9349. 1,800 people? - Yes, passengers.