Page 187 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

crew from the boat deck. 9697. All men? - Where from? 9698. A deck? - Yes. Examined by Mr. CLEMENT EDWARDS. 9699. How long were you taking passengers in from A deck? - I could not really say; perhaps about 15 minutes. 9700. Were they being passed through windows? - No. 9701. Do you say that A deck under boat 15 is an open deck on the “Titanic”? - Yes. 9702. Is it not the fact that on A deck on the “Titanic” the widows come right up to the edge? - Yes (pointing on the model.) 9703. That is boat 15 (pointing on the model)? - Yes. 9704. Then how do you say if the windows come right on to end these passengers were passed in? - They were passed in from A deck. 9705. But A deck comes right up here? - Yes. 9706. That is to say the front of A deck is flush with this? - Yes. 9707. Do not the windows open? - No; it is a closed in deck. 9708. It is a closed in deck? - yes. 9709. That is what I thought. Now if it is a closed in deck, how do you say that the passengers were passed to the boat? - From A deck. 9710. But how if it is closed in - through the windows? The Commissioner: The suggestion is, you know, that they could not walk through a sheet of glass. Did they walk through a sheet of glass? - No, Sir. 9711. (Mr. Clement Edwards.) There are windows all along there? - Not on A deck. Mr. Laing: No, there are not. The Witness: A deck is an open deck. The Solicitor-General: You will find windows on the next deck. 9712. (Mr. Clement Edwards.) Then it is wrong information I have? - The windows are forward on A deck. Sir Robert Finlay: The model is quite right. Mr. Clement Edwards: But this, I understand, is a model of the “Olympic.” I will say at once that my instructions are that on the “Titanic” the A deck is a closed deck right to the end, and is different to this model of the “Olympic.” Sir Robert Finlay: No, this model is made as it was on the “Titanic.” The Commissioner: Then we may take this as an exact model of the “Titanic”? Sir Robert Finlay: Yes. The Solicitor-General: That is so. Mr. Clement Edwards: With very great respect to Sir Robert Finlay, I trust that will be proved, because my instructions are very positive upon this point as to the character of the construction of A deck. The Commissioner: At the proper time I suppose this model will be proved. Sir Robert Finlay: Certainly. 9713. (Mr. Clement Edwards - To the Witness.) You say A deck is an open deck? - Yes, aft. The Commissioner: Did you hear his additional word “aft”? My recollection is that, although there are windows, they do not extend the whole length. Mr. Clement Edwards: That is so, my Lord, on the “Olympic.” The Commissioner: You come to a point where the windows stop, and, for all I know, this boat may have been at that point.?