Page 96 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

7456. Then the light went on flickering, did it? - Yes. 7457. And did you look at it then through glasses? - Yes. 7458. And when you did that you say you made out that it was a masthead light? - Yes. 7459. And did you come to the conclusion that she was not sending any Morse messages at all? - Yes. 7460. You have told us, I think, that the officer of the watch was Mr. Stone, the Second Officer? - Yes. 7461. Did you report to him; did you call his attention to the lights you had seen? - Yes. 7462. I suppose this would all take a little time. You said about a quarter-past twelve you noticed the light first. By the time you had finished your attempt with the Morse signaling what time would it be? - About getting on for 25 past. 7463. A little later than that, did the Second Officer, Mr. Stone, say anything to you about this ship? - At five minutes to one. 7464. What was it he told you? - That she had fired five rockets. 7465. That was at five minutes to one? - Yes. 7466. Had you not been on the bridge all the time? - No, Sir. I went down at twenty-five minutes to and came up at five minutes to one. 7467. You went down at twenty-five minutes to one and came up at five minutes to one, and it is when you come up that this message is given? - Yes. 7468. Could you still see her lights? - Yes, Sir. 7469. Was she still in the same position? - No, Sir. She was about two and a half points before the starboard beam. 7470. Can you tell us whether your ship during that hour had been heading the same way, or whether she had shifted her position? - The ship was swinging round. 7471. Your ship was? - Yes. 7472. Of course, if your ship was swinging round, even though the other ship was stationary, after a bit her lights would bear differently from you? - Yes. 7473. When you say it was 2 1/2 points upon the starboard beam, do you mean forward of the starboard beam? - Before the beam. 7474. Five and a-half from the bows? - Yes. 7475. You say that the “Californian” was swinging. Can you tell me, do you know, which way she was swinging? - She was swinging towards the nor’ard. 7476. Now, I just want to get what happened after that. You have told me that the Second Officer said to you that the ship had fired five rockets? - Yes. 7477. Did he tell you anything else about what he had been doing while you had not been there? - He told me that he had reported it to the Captain. 7478. Did he tell you what the Captain had instructed him to do? - Yes. 7479. What was it? - To call her up on the Morse light. 7480. Did he tell you whether he had tried to call her up on the Morse light? - Yes. 7481. Had he? - Yes. 7482. What had been the result? - She had not answered him, but fired more rockets. 7483. Did you see her fire these further rockets? - I saw three rockets. 7484. You saw three? - Yes. The Commissioner: Does this mean that there were ten rockets fired by this time? 7485. (The Solicitor-General.) I was just going to find out the same thing. (To the Witness.) Let. us get it quite clear. The Second Officer had told you, you say, that she had sent up five rockets? - Yes. 7486. And you say that you saw three rockets? - Yes. 7487. Did the Second Officer tell you of any more than the five? - No.