Page 8 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

5377. Why did you do it? - Well, I suppose this was Officer Lowe’s idea: if we rowed back to the wreckage and picked up a lot, our boat would not hold them all. That was his idea, to save as many as possible. 5378. (Mr. Raymond Asquith.) Did you know a man named Scarrott, a seaman? - No. 5379. You cannot say whether he was in your boat or not? - No. 5380. Was there fresh water in your boat? - Yes. 5381. Do you know whether there were any compasses or provisions? - We never attempted to look. 5382. (Mr. Scanlan.) Had your boat a light? - Well, they looked for a lamp, but did not find it; the boat was full at the time when we were looking for it. 5383. (Mr. Raymond Asquith.) Did you pick up another collapsible boat after? - Yes, full up. 5384. (The Commissioner.) You came up to another collapsible boat full? - Yes. 5385. (Mr. Raymond Asquith.) You mean you transferred the people from the second collapsible boat to your boat? - No, we picked up two boats altogether. 5386. (The Commissioner.) By picking them up you mean you came up to them? - Yes, we took one collapsible boat in tow. Examined by Mr. SCANLAN. 5387. I think the idea of transferring your passengers into the other boat was to give you a free boat to go to the rescue of people who were drowning? - I expect that was Mr. Lowe’s idea; I was not in charge. 5388. Is it the case that you could only see three people in the water? - Oh, we saw hundreds in the water, but they were not crying for help; they might have been unconscious, they might have been dead, we could not say to that. 5389. In getting your boat station for No. 16 that meant the arrangements were that in emergency you would go to 16? - Yes. 5390. But you were sent to 14? - No, I was not sent to 14. 5391. The Commissioner: He went to 16. 5391a. (Mr. Scanlan.) Yes, my Lord. (To the Witness.) But the boat you went with was 14? - Yes. 5392. The purpose of giving you this station was that you would be one of the crew of No. 16? - Yes. 5393. Can you tell me whether, of the seven who were in No. 14, who rowed away in No. 14 when it was lowered, any single one of them was given as his station this No. 14? - I could not tell you that. 5394. Do not you think, if there had been a muster, that the men would better have been able to go at once to their own stations? - They might have done so; they might have been called upon for other orders. Examined by Mr. HARBINSON. 5395. Coming up from the saloon that night was there any evidence of confusion on the boat deck? - None at all. 5396. Or in any part of the ship? - There was a little confusion round boat 14 with those foreigners, the men. That is all the confusion I saw.