Page 41 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

6154. What was the general order; that is what I want to know? - All hands out - all hands out of your bunks. There were six of my men working. 6155. In this crowd of several hundreds that you told my Lord about, were you able to distinguish at all who they were, or what they were, whether they were all passengers or sailors or crew? - I could not make out. 6156. You could not make out who they were at all? - They were all mixed up. Examined by Mr. HARBINSON. 6157. You have told us about the means of access from the third-class quarters to the boat deck? - I said from the third-class quarters into the second-class, and from the second-class there is a wide staircase up on to the second-class deck. 6158. And ultimately to the boat deck? - Yes. 6159. It leads to the boat deck? - Yes. 6160. And there is an elevator there also? - Yes. 6161. As a matter of fact, once the dynamos are flooded, and the wires are wet, that would prevent the elevator working, would not it? - I do not know anything about that. The Solicitor-General: There are the stairs. Mr. Harbinson: There are also, of course, the wide stairs. The Commissioner: The stairs that were indicated there. (Pointing on the plan.) 6162. (Mr. Harbinson.) You said to my friend that this crew had served on the “Olympic.” Do you seriously suggest that the crew was transferred from the “Olympic” to the “Titanic”? - No. 6163. (The Commissioner.) He did not say that? -. I said a good many of them. 6164. You said a good many of them had been on the “Olympic”? - A great many. Ten out of my 14 had all been on the “Olympic.” 6165. (Mr. Harbinson.) That is only in the baking department? - That is one department only; but I know the stewarding was practically the same. 6166. You do not suggest that the fact that some of the crew had been on the “Olympic” would dispense with the necessity of the boat drill that my friend has referred to, and having further instructions given them as regards their positions in the boat? - No, that would not, but the previous experience on the “Olympic” would help them. That is what I mean to say. 6167. But it would not take the place of proper and adequate instructions? - It would do, it certainly would. 6168. Would it? - They would have the past experience to go on. 6169. Do you suggest that the fact of their having been previously on the “Olympic” would dispense with the necessity of the proprietors of the White Star Line giving proper instructions, and prescribing an adequate code for the members of the crew when they joined the “Titanic”? - No, I would not suggest that. Mr. Laing: What do you call a code of regulations? 6170. (Mr. Harbinson.) As regards their proper positions in the boat, and what they should all do in case of emergency. (To the Witness.) I think you have described quite a number of passages that lead from the third-class sleeping apartments to the second-class apartments, and then up to the boat deck. There are quite a maze of passages, I believe, in this ship? - I only described one passage, and that is what we call, on the ship, Scotland Road, the wide alleyway that leads from two or three sections of the third-class. It opens into an emergency door leading into the second- class. It is a wide alleyway. 6171. At normal times is that emergency door kept closed? - At normal times, yes. It is kept private. 6172. Would I be right in thinking that at normal times the third-class passengers would have