British Wreck Commissioner's Inquiry
Day 15
Testimony of Wilfred Seward
Examined by Mr. BUTLER ASPINALL.
17785. Were you Second class Pantry Steward on the "Titanic"?
- Yes.
17786. And I believe you were in your bunk when you felt the shock?
- Yes.
17787. You got up, and after you got up, did you look after the second class passengers, or help to look after them?
- I went to sleep again.
17788. I do not want the whole story. You did, after a time, get up?
- Yes.
17789. And then you knew that it was necessary to help the passengers?
- Yes.
17790. Did you help your second class passengers, put lifebelts on them and warn them about what they were to do?
- I put lifebelts on lots of passengers, not knowing what class they were.
17791. Had you a boat assigned to you according to the boat list?
- Yes.
17792. I think you had seen the boat list?
- Yes.
17793. You knew your boat was No. 3?
- Yes.
17794. Finding that people were taking to the boats, you went to your boat?
- I went to No. 5 boat first.
17795. But eventually you went to your boat?
- Yes.
17796. And when you got to your boat were there people being put into it?
- No.
17797. Later on were they put into it?
- Yes.
17798. I do not want the whole story; we have heard it so often. Was that boat lowered to the water?
- Yes.
17799. Were there about 58 people in that boat - 60 people, say?
- Between 50 and 60.
17800. I think you were in it?
- Yes.
17801. And a steward?
- No other steward.
17802. Were there some firemen and sailors in it?
- Yes.
17803. How many do you think?
- About 15.
17804. Fifteen firemen and sailors?
- Yes.
17805. Of the 15, about how many do you think were firemen?
- There would be 10 firemen and four sailors.
17806. Who else was in the boat?
- First class and second class passengers.
17807. Were they men or women?
- Men and women.
17808. How many do you think were men?
- About 10 men.
17809. And how many women?
- The rest were women and children.
17810. But how many?
- I have not the exact numbers.
Mr. Butler Aspinall:
We can do the sum.
Examined by Mr. COTTER.
17811. Who got you out of your bed that night?
- The second Steward.
17812. Did he give you any orders?
- No, not special orders, only to get on deck.
17813. And you went to the second cabin instead?
- I went to my own place.
17814. What did you do when you got to the second cabin; did you go into the dining-room?
- I went into my own place to see the boat-list.
17815. Did you go into the second cabin dining-room?
- No.
17816. Where did you go to put the lifebelts on people?
- Down on the companions.
17817. Do you remember seeing the emergency door open on E deck?
- All emergency doors were open at that time.
17818. How long after the collision was this?
- About three-quarters of an hour.
17819. Were any general orders given at all throughout the ship in the stewards' department?
- To get all the passengers on deck and see they had lifebelts.
17820. That was the order?
- That was the order.
17821. Do you remember seeing any bulkhead doors closed along that deck?
- No, I could not see that; it would be inside.
Examined by Sir ROBERT FINLAY.
17822. Was there difficulty about getting people into the boats?
- They did not seem to wish to get into the boats.
17823. Your room would be aft off the main alleyway?
- Amidships.
17824. I suppose you would go along by the main alleyway?
- Yes.
17825. In doing that, did you see the stewards attending to the people?
- The stewards were doing the best they could.
17826. Were there many third class passengers you saw?
- They were all third class passengers I saw then.
17827. Coming along?
- Yes, going to the emergency door.
17828. Were there biscuits and stores being got out from the storekeepers?
- They were bringing them up from the store rooms for the boat at that time.
(The Witness withdrew.)
