Page 17 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

heard in the main engine room. Do you remember? You were standing in the turbine engine room close to the door? - Yes. 5608. And you told us you heard what was going on in the main engine room? - The telegraph? 5609. Yes, I want you to tell my Lord what it was? - They rang down “Stop,” and two greasers on the bottom rang the telegraph back to answer it. Then they rang down “Slow ahead.” For ten minutes she was going ahead. Then they rang down “Stop,” and she went astern for five minutes. 5610. (The Commissioner.) The orders were “Stop,” “Slow ahead,” and then “Astern”? - No, it was “Stop,” and then “Astern.” She went astern for five minutes. Then they rang down “Stop.” 5611. “Stop,” “Slow ahead” - 10 minutes, you say? - Yes, about 10 minutes. 5612. Then “Stop” again? - Yes, “Stop”; then she went astern for about five minutes. 5613. (The Attorney-General.) Did you hear the order about “Astern”? - Well, it was on the telegraph. 5614. What was the order? - “Go astern” - “Slow astern.” Then they rang down “Stop,” and I do not think the telegraph went after that. 5615. A telegram came “Stop”? - Yes, and I do not think the telegraphs went after that. 5616. (The Attorney-General.) The first order you heard was “Stop”? - Yes. 5617. Did the engines stop before the order came “Slow ahead”? - Oh, yes. 5618. They did stop? - Yes. 5619. Then when the engines had stopped the order came “Slow ahead”? - Yes. 5620. Can you tell us at all what time passed between the order “Stop” and “Slow ahead”? - I should say about 10 minutes or a quarter of an hour. 5621. “Stop,” of course, comes at once? - It comes at once. They cannot stop the engines at once. 5622. That is what I want. They cannot stop them at once? - No; they are bound to let the steam get out of the cylinder first, otherwise they would blow the cylinder covers off if they tried to stop them at once. 5623. You would not know how long it would take to stop the engines? - No, I do not. 5624. I think you said ten minutes to a quarter of an hour “stop,” then ten minutes “slow ahead” and then again “stop”? - Yes. 5625. Then how long between “stop” and “slow astern”? - I suppose that was a matter of about four or five minutes. 5626. That is between “stop” and “slow astern.” And how long between “slow astern” and “stop” for the last time? - Five minutes. 5627. Did you hear those orders given before you went to the aftermost tunnel? - Yes. 5628. So that all this which you have told us happens before you go to release your mate? - Yes. The Commissioner: I make out this would take about half an hour? 5629. (The Attorney-General.) Yes, that is what I make it. (To the Witness.) Was there a clock there? - Yes, the engineer had a clock. There is not one in the turbine-room; but he had one of his own for taking the count of the turbine engines, the revolutions that the engine is turning. The Commissioner: Will you look at Dillon’s evidence on this point at Question 3718? The Attorney-General: Yes. The Commissioner: And 3720? The Attorney-General: I have it in mind, my Lord. The Commissioner: I am told by one of my colleagues that it is directly in the teeth of this evidence. The Attorney-General: I am afraid that is likely to happen more than once in the case. The Commissioner: No doubt; we shall not get the same story from everyone. The Attorney-General: Of course this man is down in the engine room and he is telling us. I am