British Wreck Commissioner's Inquiry
Day 25
Testimony of Alexander Boyle
Examined by Mr. BUTLER ASPINALL.
24516. You are the Engineer surveyor in Chief to the Board of Trade?
- I am.
24517. How long have you held that position?
- Three and a half years, since January, 1909.
24518. I think you have altogether been 28 ½ years in the service of the board?
- That is so.
24519. I believe before that you served your Apprenticeship as an engineer, and also served at sea for a number of years as a marine engineer?
- I did.
24520. For the purposes of this Enquiry your special department was connected with the machinery and mechanism of the "Titanic"?
- Yes, all the machinery and mechanism in the ship.
24521. And were certain matters in connection with the "Titanic" put before you?
- Yes.
24522. Did you make tests of materials?
- Oh, yes.
24523. Steel and cast iron?
- Yes, cast steel.
24524. And matters of that sort?
- Yes.
24525. And I think amongst other matters, you had the material of the davits before you, had you not?
- Yes.
The Commissioner:
The material?
Mr. Butler Aspinall:
I do not know the technical term.
The Witness:
Yes, that is right, the material of which the davits are constructed.
24526. What is it?
- Cast steel.
The Commissioner:
Nobody suggests the material was not good.
Mr. Butler Aspinall:
I was merely proving, as we have done throughout, that the Board of Trade have dealt with the matters about which certain question have been asked.
The Commissioner:
This appears to me to be rather beside the question.
24527. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) I will pass from it. (To the witness.) With regard to one other matter that came specially before you, I think that was the mechanism of the doors in the watertight bulkheads?
- That is so.
24528. Did you consider whether or not the mechanism was good and efficient?
- Yes, I did.
24529. And did you pass it?
- We did pass it. The drawings were submitted to my office and carefully considered and passed.
24530. In the event did you finally pass all the matters that had been put before you?
- I did.
The Commissioner:
And I am sure he thought them all right.
24531. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) I was going to ask him that next. (To the witness.) Did you think they were all right?
- Yes.
24532. And were they all right?
- Yes.
The Commissioner:
Now that will do. Do any of you gentlemen want to ask any questions?
Mr. Edwards:
I do not.
Sir Robert Finlay:
No, My Lord.
(The witness withdrew.)
