Page 35 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

5987. Did you put them into the boat? - We threw them in. The boat was standing off about a yard and a half from the ship’s side, with a slight list. We could not put them in; we could either hand them in or just drop them in. 5988. You said “a slight list.” Was it the “Titanic” that had the list? - Yes, Sir. 5989. A list to port? - Yes, a list to port, and that made the boat swing out about a yard and a half. 5990. Supposing the ship was lying on an even keel with no list, how much space would there be between the rail and the boat? - Just enough space to step into it. 5991. Did that fill your boat or was there still room? - Eventually it was filled - pretty well filled anyway. 5992. Was it filled from the boat deck? - Yes. 5993. You did not, I think, go away in the boat? - No. 5994. Although it was your boat? - I was supposed to be captain of the boat by the crew list. 5995. By the crew list you were in charge? - Yes. 5996. Why was it that you did not get in? - Well, I was standing waiting for orders by the officer to jump in, and he then ordered two sailors in and a steward - a steward named Burke. I was waiting for orders to get into the boat, but they evidently thought it was full enough and I did not go in it. 5997. Do you know who the two sailors were? - No. 5998. (The Commissioner.) How many men were put on board this boat? - As far as I could see only three - two sailors and a steward. 5999. (The Solicitor-General.) Two sailors and a steward named Burke? - Yes. That is all I could see. 6000. As far as you could see, were all the rest women and children? - Women and children. 6001. Was she lowered down? - Yes. 6002. And went away from the side of the ship - I did not see her after she was lowered. 6003. That is No. 10. There would be three boats on the port side? - Yes. 6004. Abaft of that? - Yes; Nos. 12, 14, and 16. 6005. Was work being done in connection with them at the same time? - Yes, but a little later than us. 6006. Then, of those four, Nos. 10, 12, 14, and 16, was No. 10 the one that got into the water first? - Yes. 6007. Did you stay by the davits of No. 10 till she was launched? - Oh yes. 6008. And then where did you go? - I went “scouting round,” as we call it. 6009. I want to know if you saw anything of Nos. 12, 14, and 16? - I did not see them go. I saw them filling up, but I went away. I went down below after that. 6010. No. 10 was your boat, and No. 10 had gone? - Yes. 6011. And then you went below? - Yes. 6012. As far as the boats are concerned, is that all you can tell us? - As far as those boats, yes. 6013. Now I want to ask you a question about the boat list. You say you knew that you were supposed to be in command of No. 10? - Yes. 6014. Had you seen a list like that up in the “Titanic” (Showing list.) - Yes, there was one in the kitchen, posted up on the Thursday with just the kitchen staff on it. 6015. The kitchen staff on the kitchen list was posted when? - On the wall in the kitchen. 6016. Which day? - On the galley, what call “D” deck. 6017. Which day? - On the Thursday. 6018. And did that list show as regards the galley staff, the cooking staff how they were distributed among the different boats? - Yes. 6019. You say it was on the Thursday, she left Queenstown on the Thursday, did she not? -