Page 80 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

7075. And she has never been heard of since? - Not to my knowledge. 7076. (Mr. Scanlan.) Can you say when you went to sleep on the Monday morning? - I told the second officer I was going to lie down at 20 minutes to 1. 7077. When Gibson came into your room did you look to ascertain the time? - Not to my knowledge; I do not recollect Gibson coming into the room. 7078. I think you recollect his having spoken to you? - I said, “What is it?” 7079. Can you say what time that was? - I cannot. 7080. When did your Marconi operator come off duty? - So far as I was concerned he went off at 11 o’clock, after he had sent the last message. 7081. At 11 o’clock on the Sunday night? - Yes. 7082. When you were in doubt as to the name of this ship and as to the meaning of her sending up a rocket, could you not have ascertained definitely by calling in the assistance of your Marconi operator? - When? At 1 o’clock in the morning? 7083. Yes? - This steamer had been in sight, the one that fired the rocket, when we sent the last message to the “Titanic,” and I was certain that the steamer was not the “Titanic”, and the operator said he had not any other steamers, so I drew my conclusion that she had not got any wireless. 7084. I think you said from the appearance of the green light which you saw before going down from the bridge, you thought it was an electric light? - Did I say that? 7085. Yes. Well, you said that many steamers have electric lights? - They have. 7086. Did you think whether or not it was an electric light? - I did not think anything about it; I was not at all concerned about the steamer. 7087. Had this steamer which you saw, and which you say was, at all events, about the same size as your own, had an electric apparatus, and had you obtained the assistance of your operator, you could have got into direct communication with her, whoever she was? - You say if she had an electric apparatus? 7088. If she had a Marconi installation? - If she had had a Marconi, and we had, of course we could have got into communication. 7089. You had the Marconi? - Yes, we had. 7090. Would not it have been quite a simple thing for you at that time when you were in doubt as to what was the name of the ship, and as to what was the reason of her sending up rockets, to have wakened up your Marconi operator and asked him to speak to this ship? - It would if it had worried me a great deal, but it did not worry me. I was still thinking of the company’s signal. 7091. At all events, now in the light of your experience, would it not have been a prudent thing to do? - Well, we would have got the “Titanic’s” signals if we had done. 7092. If you had done you would, in all probability, have got the message from this vessel? - No. I do not think so. In my opinion that steamer had not got wireless at all. 7093. What reason have you for thinking that this steamer, a steamer which you say was, at all events, as big as your own, had not got wireless? - At 11 o’clock when I saw her the operator told me he had not got anything only the “Titanic.” I remarked then, “That is not the ‘Titanic,” judging from its size and the number of lights about it; and if he only had one ship, then it was not the “Titanic.” I do not see how he could still have that ship. 7094. But as a mere matter of precaution, when you were in doubt and left word that someone was to come down to your cabin and give you a message, would not it have been a proper thing to have tried the experiment? - Well, I was waiting for further information. I had a responsible officer on the bridge who was finding this out for me. 7095. At all events, having your Marconi apparatus it would have been no trouble whatever? - None whatever. 7096. To have got your operator to come to his room? - He was in his room. 7097. And he could have spoken this vessel? - If she had had wireless.