Page 85 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

7183. (Mr. Clement Edwards.) Did you tell the American Court of Enquiry, “I have a faint recollection of hearing the cabin boy about four o’clock saying something about the ship still standing by”? - I did not. 7184. As a matter of fact you were expecting the lad to come back with a message from the officer as to whether the ship was still there? - Not to come back; I was expecting him to come down for the first time. 7185. So that you were expecting a message from the lad? - I was expecting a message from the officer. 7186. (The Commissioner.) By the lad? - By the Apprentice. 7187. (Mr. Clement Edwards.) And you said nothing of that before the American Court? - About what you have just read? 7188. Yes? - No. 7189. Did you tell the American Court that “there were flashes of light from this ship; they might have been signals of distress or Morse messages”? - No, Sir. 7190. You said nothing about flashes of light? - I said the Second Officer reported this one rocket which I have mentioned here this morning. 7191. Did you say anything at all about there being flashes of light, and they might have been Morse signals? - No. 7192. Nothing at all? - Nothing at all. 7193. You have said that there was no haze that night? - Yes. 7194. Did you tell the American Court of Enquiry that the light that night was very extraordinary; the conditions were very deceiving? - I told them it was a very strange night; it was hard to define where the sky ended and the water commenced. There was what you call a soft horizon. I was sometimes mistaking the stars low down on the horizon for steamer’s lights. 7195. What is that condition of things due to, if it is not due to a haze? - I do not know; just a flash, that is all. 7196. What do you suggest as a characteristic of the atmosphere on a night of that sort? - I really could not say. We could see a light the full limit of my vessel. 7197. You have said that when you heard from the “Virginian” in the morning that the “Titanic” had gone down, and when you heard that she was 19 miles away you did say something about: “Well, you ought to have seen her signals”? - I did not say it; I thought it. 7198. Did you tell the American Court of Enquiry that at 19 miles distance it would be utterly impossible to see either distress signals or Morse flashes? - I did not say “utterly impossible.” 7199. Do you say it was impossible? - No. I said I did not think it would be possible to see them at that distance. If they were seen they would be so low on the horizon they might be shooting stars. 7200. You now think that it was possible? - That we might have seen them. 7201. At what time did you think it was possible? - At half-past six the next morning I was thinking about it. 7202. Before you were asked these questions at the American Enquiry, you thought it was possible to have seen these lights? - I thought it might have been possible. 7203. And you told the American Enquiry that you thought it was not possible? - I did not think it was possible. 7204. When did you first hear of the message from the “Titanic” that you were to shut up and keep off as they were busy? - Some time during the morning of the 15th. 7205. Did you regard it as an insulting message? - Oh, no. 7206. Did either of your officers regard it as an insulting message? - No. 7207. (The Commissioner.) Is a record kept of these messages? - Yes, my Lord. 7208. By the operator? - By the operator.