Page 185 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

- I did not see all the men get in. 9648. But you knew that you were being asked as to the number of men, male passengers, who were in the boat? - Yes. 9649. Now, if you have made a mistake, can you explain how you came to the conclusion or can you tell us now how many men were in the boat and how many women? - Well, I took it from what I could see - I was in the bows of the boat - there were most men forward. I could not see the women; the women were in the centre of the boat. 9650. The women were in the centre of the boat? - Yes. 9651. And is it still your evidence that although you did not know the numbers of men and women, the majority of the people in the boat were men? - Yes, as far as I could see. 9652. Is that still your evidence? - Yes. 9653. (The Commissioner.) I do not know what you mean by “As far as I could see.” I suppose these people were dressed in all sorts of garments? - Yes. 9654. Do you mean you had some difficulty in distinguishing men from women? - You would have at night. 9655. You got to the “Carpathia” at daylight? - Yes, just after the break of day. 9656. It was coming daylight. Had you a difficulty then in distinguishing the men? - Well, no. 9657. (Mr. Scanlan.) Did anyone make a count of the passengers? - Yes. 9658. Who did? - A man called Stewart. 9659. (The Commissioner.) Do you mean the “Carpathia’s” steward? - No, on our boat - the man in charge of the boat. 9660. (Mr. Scanlan.) The man called Jack Stewart, and he is a survivor? - Yes. Examined by Mr. HARBINSON. 9661. Do you remember the Attorney-General asking you before it was lowered - that is No. 15 boat - to A deck, had she taken in passengers at all? - Yes. 9662. And you answered there were no passengers. Now do you remember being asked whether any passengers were standing on A deck at this time when the boat was lowered, and you said, “Yes, there were some.” Then the Attorney-General says, “Women and children? - (A.) There were four or five women and children.” And then do you remember this: “Did you get those four women and three children into the boat? - (A.) Yes. (Q.) Were there any more?” and did you say. “No, they sent scouts around and shouted out for any more women and children and waited quite a while, but there were no more women and children to be found?” - Yes. 9663. Is that correct? - That is correct. 9664. This was on A deck? - Yes. 9665. Where did they send the scouts? - Round A deck. 9666. How long did it take them sending those scouts round? - About six or eight minutes. 9667. Did they send them to any other deck than A deck? - I do not know. 9668. You do not know? - No. 9669. There was ample time to send them to other decks? - No, there was not. 9670. Was there any great hurry about the launching of this boat? - The officer, I think, was pretty anxious to get her ready because the ship was taking a list. 9671. Who was the officer who sent the scouts around? - I could not say his name. 9672. And it was after the scouts returned that the boat was filled with men? - Some more men got in. The Commissioner: The boat was filled. Whether it was filled with men or not, we do not know. 9673. (Mr. Harbinson - To the Witness.) Well, more men got in? - Perhaps half-a-dozen.