Page 68 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

then. 6760. How far do you judge she was when you could see her green light? - Well, I saw it some time between 11 and half-past; I do not know exactly. 6761. What distance do you think she was from you when you could see the lights? - About five miles. 6762. As much as that? - About that, I should think. 6763. Did you give any directions to your second officer with reference to this ship? - After the second officer relieved the deck. 6764. At what time did he relieve the deck? - Ten minutes past 12. 6765. Just before that was there any other officer on deck? - The third officer was on deck until 12. 6766. With you? - Well, I was up and down off the bridge till 12 o’clock. 6767. Then at 12 o’clock the second officer relieved the third officer? - Ten minutes past 12. 6768. You were still on deck? - Yes. 6769. And did you tell him anything with regard to this vessel? - I told him to watch that steamer - that she was stopped. 6770. She was stopped? - The other steamer was stopped. 6771. When did you notice the other steamer was stopped? - About half-past 11. 6772. And he was to let you know if she did what? - If she altered her bearings or got any closer to us - drifted towards us. 6773. Did the ice extend at all to the eastward or westward of you? - It seemed to me to be running more north and south, but whilst we were stopped we were surrounded by loose ice. 6774. From north to south was the field? - Yes. 6775. Then when you stopped you got surrounded by the loose ice? - I ran into the loose ice before I could stop - before the ship was brought up. 6776. There was ice between you and this vessel? - Yes. 6777. And then you noticed this vessel had stopped at half-past 11, presumably also on account of the ice? - On account of the ice. 6778. Can you tell us at all how this ship was heading? - She was heading to the westward, that is all I can tell you. 6779. Could you tell her bearing at all? - Well, I have heard it since. I heard what it was at midnight - S.S.E. from us by compass. 6780. That was at midnight? - Yes. 6781. (The Commissioner.) Was the compass correct? - No. 6782. (The Attorney-General.) What variation? - The variation that day at noon was 24 3/4. She was about 24 when we were stopped; the deviation would be about 2E, making an error of 22W. The Commissioner: Are these minute particulars of importance? 6783. (The Attorney-General.) No, I do not think they are, my Lord. (To the Witness.) Did you speak to the second officer again later about going down below? - I went into the chart room at a quarter-past 12. 6784. Is that below? - No, it is on the bridge deck, just below the upper bridge. 6785. Then did you speak to him through the speaking tube? - At 20 minutes to 1. 6786. Did he say whether she had changed her position? - I asked him if the steamer was the same. He said it was the same; he had called her up once, but she would not reply to him. 6787. Then you went to lie down in the chart room? - Yes, I told him I was going to lie down in the chart room then. 6788. A little later did he whistle down the tube and tell you she was altering her bearings? - A quarter-past 1.