Page 178 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

taking the third of those. At 1.31 what was it you heard the “Frankfurt” saying to the “Titanic”? - “Are there any boats around you already?” 9537. Did the “Titanic” make any reply? - No. 9538. Two minutes after that again, 1.33, did you hear the “Titanic” send a further message? - No, I heard the “Olympic” send a message to the “Titanic”; the “Titanic” acknowledged it. 9539. The “Titanic” acknowledged it? - Yes. 9540. I had better ask you now: is that the last message that you heard from the “Titanic”? - Yes. 9541. What is the time? - 11.47 New York time, that is 1.33. 9542. 1.33 your ship’s time? - Yes. 9543. (The Commissioner.) You do not know what that message was, the 1.33 message? - I did not take it, but it related to “are you steering south to meet us.” It was a message after that description. 9544. That was a message from the “Titanic”? - From the “Olympic” to the “Titanic” asking if he was steering southward to meet him - an official message. 9545. And then you said that the “Titanic” acknowledged it. I want to know whether you hear what the “Titanic” said? - Simply “R.D.” which is the code word for “received.” 9546. Simply “R.D.” acknowledgment? - Yes. 9547. But not saying anything? - No. 9548. (The Solicitor-General.) That is the last message that you hear from this ship. Could you tell at all during this time whether the messages from the “Titanic” were getting fainter? Did you notice that? - No, not in the least. 9549. You were getting nearer to her? - Yes. Allowing for my getting nearer they never got weak at all. 9550. They did not get weak at all, as far as you could see? - No. I presume the flooding of the engine room put the wires out of commission. 9551. (The Commissioner.) The flooding of the engine room did what? - Put the wires out of commission, my Lord. 9552. (The Solicitor-General.) If the dynamo which is usually employed for the Marconi is not available, have you got any storage batteries? You have, have you not? - Yes. 9553. Is it usual to have storage batteries? - Yes. 9554. Are the storage batteries kept in the Marconi operator’s room? - Yes. 9555. That is high upon the ship? - Yes. 9556. Would he need to change over to get to the storage batteries, or would they come on automatically? - He could do it in a minute. 9557. He could do it at once. Do storage batteries send out as strong a message as the dynamos? - No. 9558. Much weaker? - Yes. 9559. That is 1.33. Then, I think, it was eight minutes after that, that is 1.41, that you heard the “Frankfurt” and the Russian ship the “Birma” calling the “Titanic”? - Yes. 9560. And still there was no reply? - No reply. 9561. At 1.56, four minutes to two, did you hear the “Olympic,” the “Frankfurt,” and the “Baltic,” all calling the “Titanic” and no reply? - And no reply. 9562. Then what is your next entry? I think it is just a quarter of an hour later? - Yes, 2.11, “‘Birma’ tells ‘Frankfurt’ he is 70 miles from ‘Titanic.’“ 9563. This is the “Birma,” the Russian ship? - Yes. 9564. “‘Birma’ tells ‘Frankfurt’ he is 70 miles from the ‘Titanic’”? - Yes. 9565. Just give me the next two; I think they are important? - 2.36 I have “All quiet now.” 9566. That is your record? - Yes, “‘Titanic’ has not spoken since 11.47 p.m.”