Page 95 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

7422. When you came on duty at midnight did you find that your ship had stopped? - Yes. 7423. We have been told she stopped some time before half-past ten? - Yes. 7424. When was it that you saw any ship’s light round you first? - About twenty minutes past twelve. 7425. What was the light that you saw? - A white masthead light and a red sidelight. 7426. Could you see both those lights clearly? - I could see the red light with the glasses. 7427. You used glasses to see the red light, the port light, but you could see the white light, could you, with your naked eyes? - Yes. 7328. Could you see more than one white light? - I saw a glare of lights on her after deck. 7429. You mean the port-hole lights? - A glare of white lights on her after deck. 7430. I do not think you quite answered the question I was putting to you. Did you or did you not see any second white steamer lights? - Not distinctly, sir. 7431. Do you mean you are not sure whether you could see it or not? - No. 7432. Not sure? - No. 7433. Do you know at all which way your ship, the “Californian,” was heading? - I was told afterwards that she was heading east-north-east. 7434. So that she was really pointing in the opposite direction to the direction she had been steaming? - I could not say. 7435. She was going from the east to the west? - I do not know what she was steering. 7436. She was going from Europe to America? - Yes. 7437. And she was pointing how? - East-north-east. 7438. Where did the lights of this steamer you have spoken of bear from you? - Right on the starboard beam. 7439. Would that be broad on the starboard beam? - Right on the starboard beam. 7440. Did you form any view as to how far away the ship was? - From four to seven miles. 7440a. You thought she was from four to seven miles away? - Yes. 7441. Did you notice anything about her masthead light, her white light? - Yes. 7442. What was it? - It was flickering. 7443. Did you form an opinion about it; what did you think she was doing? - I thought it was a Morse light calling us up. 7444. That would be using her masthead light to send Morse signals? - I did not know it was the masthead light then. 7445. Using a light to send Morse signals? - Yes. 7446. Did you report this? - I went to the keyboard and called it up. I went to our keyboard and called her up. 7447. Is the keyboard that you speak of the keyboard, that would work your Morse signaling? - Yes, Sir. 7448. When you work your Morse signaling with your keyboard, what is the light that you flash? - On top of the bridge. 7449. Do you know how to use the keyboard and send Morse signals? - Yes. 7450. So that you went to your keyboard to send them? - Yes. 7451. When you tried to call up this steamer with your Morse signals, could you get into communication with her? - No, Sir; the lights were still flickering. 7452. Could you read at all the message, if it was a message, which this flickering light was sending? - Yes, Sir. 7453. You could? - Yes. 7454. What was it you read? - I did not read any message. 7455. Could you read it if it was clear? - I could have done if it was a Morse light, but I looked at her through the glasses afterwards, and found it was a masthead light.