Page 205 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

class passengers? - I do not know of it. 10160. Have you seen it? - I have not seen it. 10161. How many days had you been on the “Titanic” before the accident took place? What th day did you join? - The ship left on the 10 , on the Wednesday; I joined the ship on the Friday before the Wednesday. 10162. You had been on board a number of days then, and during the time that you had been on board had you looked whether or not those gates were locked or the barriers fixed? - No. 10163. You had not looked? - No. 10164. Do I rightly understand you to say that you do not know whether they were locked or not? Is that the effect of your evidence? - No; I fail to understand you. 10165. You did not look whether the gates were locked or the barrier closed from the time you went on to the “Titanic” until the time of the accident. Is that so? - I do not see how they could be locked. I do not think so at all. 10166. Did you look to see whether the gates were locked or the barriers permanently fixed down? - Prior to the accident? 10167. Yes? - No. 10168. Therefore you do not know whether they were or were not? - Previous to the accident I cannot answer. 10169. Therefore at the time of the collision you do not know? - No. I say previous to the accident. Mr. Harbinson: I quite follow you. 10170. (The Commissioner.) They were all down, as I understand, when you were bringing the passengers away? - Yes, my Lord. 10171. All three were opened? - Yes, my Lord. 10172. (Mr. Harbinson.) Did you see anybody open these gates or raise these barriers? - No, I did not see anybody open them; but I had to pass through them, and I saw them open. The Solicitor-General: Not “opened” but “open.” 10173. (Mr. Harbinson.) You saw them open? - Yes. 10174. You do not know who opened them? - No. 10175. You saw them open? - Yes. 10176. That was when you were taking up the first batch of third class passengers? - Yes. 10177. Do I gather rightly from you that it was a considerable time after the third class steward had told you to rouse up your people that you went about reassuring these people and telling them that the vessel was not hurt? - No; right from the very first we were trying to convince the people that she was not hurt. 10178. Did I understand you rightly when you said that “A large number of men were coming from forrard [forward], from the front part of the ship; I went about among my people trying to show them that the vessel was not hurt”? - Trying to “assure” them - not to “show” them. 10179. I accept your correction - “trying to assure them that the vessel was not hurt” - is that what you said? - That is so. 10180. Why did you on your own authority, after you had been told by the first class steward - ? - By who? 10181. By your chief third class steward to go down and rouse these people - Why did you upon your own authority go round and tell them that the vessel was not hurt? - It was not on my own authority at all. 10182. Who told you to do that? - The third class steward told me to get my people about as quietly as possible. 10183. Why did he tell you to get them up? - I cannot answer why he did. I take it, on account of the collision. He must have had word that there had been an accident.