Page 7 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

5354. And you had the seven men of the crew? - Yes. 5355. That is 28? - Yes. 5356. When you were picked up by the “Carpathia” that was the number you had on board? - Yes. 5357. How many was your boat constructed to carry? - I suppose the lifeboat is constructed to carry about 60 or 70. 5358. (Mr. Raymond Asquith.) Apart from these three whom you picked up out of the water, did you see anyone else alive in the water? - No. 5359. Did you row about and look for people? - We were rowing all night. 5360. On the scene of the wreck? - Yes. 5361. With regard to the people whom you took off the collapsible boat, were they women or men, or both? - I think there were some men; we were a little excited to try and save them because they were on the point of sinking, and I never took that much notice who they were, but I think there were women amongst them, but they were nearly all men - three stewards were amongst them. 5362. Were they the only members of the crew in the collapsible boat? - That is all I could recognise at the time. 5363. You think there were some women, but they were mostly men? - Yes. 5364. (The Commissioner.) Now, can you tell me when you arrived on the “Carpathia” how many men and how many women were there in your boat? - I could not tell you; I think there were about six or seven, but I could not swear to it. 5365. Six or seven what? - Women. 5366. Out of the 28? - Yes, I think there were that number, but I could not swear. Out of the 28, as I understand, there were 10 of the crew, perhaps I was wrong. Mr. Raymond Asquith: I think there would be 11, counting the Fifth Officer. 5367. The Commissioner: Of the 18 that you took from the other boat, I understand that three were members of the crew? - Yes. 5368. And you already had seven? - Yes. 5369. That was 10? - Yes. 5370. You picked three people from the water? - Yes. 5371. Were they men or women? - Men. 5372. Was any one of those three a member of the crew? - Yes, one. The Commissioner: Then you are right, Mr. Asquith, there were eleven. 5373. (Mr. Raymond Asquith - To the Witness.) Are you quite sure that you are right in saying this boat was No. 14? - Yes. Mr. Raymond Asquith: I ask that question, my Lord, because another witness named Scarrott, has given evidence who says he was in boat 14, and he describes the boat as having about sixty- four. The Solicitor-General: It is the second witness that was called, my Lord. Mr. Raymond Asquith: One of them must have made a mistake about the number. The Commissioner: It is not so far wrong, Mr. Attorney. The Attorney-General: No. 5374. (The Commissioner.) This man says there were fifty-three passengers in his boat, No. 14, and seven that would make sixty; and then for some reason or another they were transferred to another boat. There would be about sixty in this boat No. 14 according to this man. (To the Witness.) I want to know this: Can you tell me what boat it was you transferred your passengers to? - I could not tell you. 5375. Did you transfer them all? - Yes. 5376. They were nearly all women? - We transferred all the women and children.