(The witness was sworn by Senator Bourne.)
Senator BOURNE.
Please state your name, age, residence, and occupation.
Mr. ARCHER.
Ernest Archer; age 36; 59 Port Chester Road, Woolston, Southampton; able seaman.
Senator BOURNE.
How long have you been rated as an able seaman?
Mr. ARCHER.
About 20 years.
Senator BOURNE.
How long have you sailed with the White Star Line?
Mr. ARCHER.
With the White Star Line, five years this month.
Senator BOURNE.
When did you join the Titanic?
Mr. ARCHER.
On Wednesday, the 10th of April, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
Did you sign the day she sailed?
Mr. ARCHER.
No; signed on Monday, two days before she sailed.
Senator BOURNE.
You were on the Titanic at the time of the catastrophe?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
Will you explain, please, in your own way, what occurred immediately preceding and following the accident?
Mr. ARCHER.
I was in my bunk, asleep. I heard a kind of a crush, something similar to when you let go the anchor; it wounded like the cable running through the hawse pipe.
Senator BOURNE.
Was there a shock, a jar?
Mr. ARCHER.
No; no shock and no jar; just a grating sensation.
Senator BOURNE.
You were asleep at the time?
Mr. ARCHER.
I was asleep at the time.
Senator BOURNE.
Are you a sound or a light sleeper?
Mr. ARCHER.
A pretty light sleeper, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
You are easily awakened?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
So, if there had been much of a shock, you think you would have felt it, although you had been asleep?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
It was more of a noise?
Mr. ARCHER.
More of a noise than a shock, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
What happened?
Mr. ARCHER.
I jumped out of my bed, put on a pair of trousers, and ran up on deck to find out what was the matter. I saw some small pieces of ice on the starboard side, on the forward deck.
Senator BOURNE.
Which deck?
Mr. ARCHER.
The fore well deck.
Senator BOURNE.
How much ice was there?
Mr. ARCHER.
Not an extraordinary lot, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
How much?
Mr. ARCHER.
Not a great lot.
Senator BOURNE.
No heavy pieces?
Mr. ARCHER.
No, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
Not any 50 or 100 ton chunks?
Mr. ARCHER.
No; nothing like that; just small pieces.
Senator BOURNE.
No pieces any larger than your head?
Mr. ARCHER.
No; I never saw any larger than that. After I saw the ice I went back in the door and put on a pair of shoes, a guernsey, and a cap. While I was doing that the boatswain ordered us on deck.
Senator BOURNE.
How long after that did that occur?
Mr. ARCHER.
About 10 minutes, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
What did you do?
Mr. ARCHER.
We went on deck to the top of the forecastle ladder, to the boatswain, and we waited for the watch, and he gave us orders, and we proceeded to the boat deck and proceeded to uncover and clear away the boats.
Senator BOURNE.
Had you been assigned to a boat?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
What number?
Mr. ARCHER.
No. 7.
Senator BOURNE.
That was on the port side?
Mr. ARCHER.
No; on the starboard side, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
The odd numbers were on the starboard side?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes; the odd numbers on the starboard side and the even numbers on the port.
Senator BOURNE.
Did you go right to your own boat, No. 7?
Mr. ARCHER.
No; we did not have orders to go to No. 7; we had orders to uncover all boats.
Senator BOURNE.
You went, then to the boat you were nearest to at the time?
Mr. ARCHER.
We were to start and get it ready for lowering.
Senator BOURNE.
After you uncovered the boats, what then?
Mr. ARCHER.
We went to them, uncovered them, and got the falls ready for lowering. Then I went over to the starboard side and assisted in lowering about three boats. I could not mention the number of the boats I lowered. I never taken any notice. Then an officer came along - I could not mention his name - and he sang out that they wanted some seamen on the other side, on the port side, to assist over there. I went over then and assisted in getting Nos. 12, 14, and 15 out. I assisted in getting the falls and everything ready, and the passengers into No. 14 boat. Then I went to No. 16.
Senator BOURNE.
Have you a recollection that would be sufficiently distinct to be of value to the number of passengers that went into Nos. 12, 14, and 16?
Mr. ARCHER.
Well, I should say, sir, they would approach about 50.
Senator BOURNE.
To each boat?
Mr. ARCHER.
To each boat.
Senator BOURNE.
Then what?
Mr. ARCHER.
Then when I got to No. 16 boat the officer told me to get into the boat and see that the plug was in; so I got in the boat. I seen that the plug was in tight; then they started to put passengers in, and I assisted to get them in.
Senator BOURNE.
Were you still remaining in No. 16?
Mr. ARCHER.
Still remaining in the boat and assisting the passengers, children and ladies, to the boat.
Senator BOURNE.
Did any men get in?
Mr. ARCHER.
No, sir; I never saw any men get it, sir; only my mate.
Senator BOURNE.
You were directed by the officer to get into the boat, and your mate was directed by the officer to get into the boat?
Mr. ARCHER.
So far as I know, he was, sir. I never heard the order for him to get in. I was busy with the children. I was busy. I did not know who was speaking.
Senator BOURNE.
Then what?
Mr. ARCHER.
I heard him give orders to lower the boat. The last order I received after I heard that was from the officer, to allow nobody in the boat, and there was no one else to get into the boat. That was just prior to starting the lowering.
Senator BOURNE.
You and your mate were in the boat?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
Was the officer in the boat?
Mr. ARCHER.
No; no officer in the boat.
Senator BOURNE.
Then you lowered the boat?
Mr. ARCHER.
We lowered the boat, and my mate pulled at the releasing bar for both falls, and that cleared the boat, and we started to pull away.
Senator BOURNE.
Having about 50 passengers in the boat and only your mate and yourself?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir; the master-at-arms [Joseph Bailey] came down after us. He was the coxswain.
Senator BOURNE.
He came down one of the ropes?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir; came down the fall.
Senator BOURNE.
He was sent by an officer?
Mr. ARCHER.
I presume he was sent by an officer.
Senator BOURNE.
To help fill up your complement?
Mr. ARCHER.
He said he was sent down to be the coxswain of the boat.
Senator BOURNE.
And he took charge?
Mr. ARCHER.
He took charge.
Senator BOURNE.
And you acted under his orders, you and your mate?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes.
Senator BOURNE.
So there were three of you and about 50 passengers?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
All women and children, or some men?
Mr. ARCHER.
All women and children.
Senator BOURNE.
While you were loading the boat was there any effort made on the part of the others to crowd into the boat?
Mr. ARCHER.
No, sir; I never saw any.
Senator BOURNE.
No confusion?
Mr. ARCHER.
No confusion at all.
Senator BOURNE.
No individuals, men or others, who were repelled from getting in?
Mr. ARCHER.
No, sir; I never saw anything of that at all, sir; everything was quiet and steady.
Senator BOURNE.
Then after you commenced to row away?
Mr. ARCHER.
We rowed, I should say, a quarter of a mile away from the ship, and we remained there.
Senator BOURNE.
Why did you remain?
Mr. ARCHER.
We stood by the ship, sir. We would not go right away from it. To tell you the truth, I did not think the ship would go down. I thought we might go back to her again afterwards.
Senator BOURNE.
After she struck, the general impression, so far as the ship was concerned, was that she was not going to sink?
Mr. ARCHER.
I did not think so myself, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
You remained, then, about a quarter of a mile away, and what happened?
Mr. ARCHER.
I heard a couple of explosions.
Senator BOURNE.
You heard two?
Mr. ARCHER.
I heard two.
Senator BOURNE.
How far apart were the two?
Mr. ARCHER.
I should say they would be about 20 minutes between each explosion. From the time I heard the first one until I heard the second one it would be about 20 minutes, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
What did you assume from the explosions?
Mr. ARCHER.
That the water had gotten into the boiler room.
Senator BOURNE.
Were you sufficiently near so that you could see the ship itself when you were about a quarter of mile away?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir; quite distinguish it.
Senator BOURNE.
That is, the lights on the ship?
Mr. ARCHER.
Oh, yes; sir.
Senator BOURNE.
Did the bow lights go out first?
Mr. ARCHER.
They started to go out from forward.
Senator BOURNE.
Did quite a number of the lights in the bow, or forward, go out at the same time?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
Or were they gradually going out?
Mr. ARCHER.
Gradually worked along, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
From bow to stern?
Mr. ARCHER.
From bow to stern; yes, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
Do you think the ship broke in two?
Mr. ARCHER.
Well, I could not say that, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
There was nothing that gave you such an impression?
Mr. ARCHER.
No, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
You were watching the ship all the time?
Mr. ARCHER.
Watching it settle down all the time; yes, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
How long a period elapsed from the time the lights began to go out forward, and then aft, before all the lights went out? Two or three minutes or seconds?
Mr. ARCHER.
I should say three quarters of an hour.
Senator BOURNE.
You would?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir; from the time they first started to go out.
Senator BOURNE.
You were not familiar with the boiler rooms on the ship?
Mr. ARCHER.
No, sir; I never was in the boiler rooms at all.
Senator BOURNE.
Did you hear any cries after the lights went out?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir; when the ship went down she seemed to come up on end.
Senator BOURNE.
When she came up on end, the stern up in the air, was her keel visible? Did you see that?
Mr. ARCHER.
I could not say, sir, that I could see her keel.
Senator BOURNE.
Were the lights still visible on the stern?
Mr. ARCHER.
No, sir; the lights were out.
Senator BOURNE.
How, at that time in the morning, would it be possible for you to see that the stern was in the air and the bow down, at a distance of a quarter of a mile? It was just a black object, was it not?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir; just a black mass.
Senator BOURNE.
What time, about, did you figure this was? Have you any idea?
Mr. ARCHER.
Well, I should say about 2 o'clock.
Senator BOURNE.
But that would be a guess on your part, would it?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir; about 2 o'clock. I had no watch to see any time, so it would be only a rough guess.
Senator BOURNE.
Then what did you do after the ship had sunk?
Mr. ARCHER.
It was spoken by one of the lady passengers to go back and see if there was anyone in the water we could pick up, but I never heard any more of it after that.
Senator BOURNE.
And the boat was in charge of the master-at-arms?
Mr. ARCHER.
The master-at-arms had charge of the boat.
Senator BOURNE.
Did this lady request you to go back?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir; she requested us to go back.
Senator BOURNE.
What did he say?
Mr. ARCHER.
I did not hear; I was in the forepart of the boat.
Senator BOURNE.
There were 50 people in the boat?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
And you were rowing?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
Did any of the ladies in the boat ask to help to row or take a trick at the oar?
Mr. ARCHER.
There was one, a stewardess.
Senator BOURNE.
She tried to assist?
Mr. ARCHER.
She tried to assist.
Senator BOURNE.
And she did?
Mr. ARCHER.
She did do so. I told her it was not necessary for her to do it, but she said she would like to do it to keep herself warm.
Senator BOURNE.
Your boat was perfectly watertight?
Mr. ARCHER.
Oh, yes; no water in it at all, sir.
Senator BOURNE.
Then you stood by until the Carpathia rescued you all?
Mr. ARCHER.
And we fancied we saw a light, sir, and we started to pull toward the light for a time, and then, after we had been pulling for it half an hour, we saw the Carpathia's side lights.
Senator BOURNE.
Was it the Carpathia you thought you saw?
Mr. ARCHER.
Not in the first place.
Senator BOURNE.
What was that?
Mr. ARCHER.
We did not know what became of that. When we saw the Carpathia, we turned to go back. I knew that was a steamboat of some kind, so we turned and made back towards the Carpathia. Of course, it turned out to be the Carpathia. We did not know at the time what ship it was, but I knew it was a steamboat of some kind.
Senator BOURNE.
Were any of your people transferred from your boat after you lowered her, or taken from the water by you?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir; one fireman. There was one fireman found in the boat after we got clear. I do not know how he come there.
Senator BOURNE.
Was he taken out of the water?
Mr. ARCHER.
No, sir; I do not know how he come in the boat. He was transferred from another boat, I think it was No. 9, after we were pulling toward the Carpathia.
Senator BOURNE.
Why was he transferred; to help row the other boat?
Mr. ARCHER.
Yes, sir; to help row the other. I believe that there was only one other able seaman in it.
Senator BOURNE.
Do you know his name?
Mr. ARCHER.
The fireman's?
Senator BOURNE.
Yes.
Mr. ARCHER.
No, sir; I do not.
Senator BOURNE.
What were your duties at sea?
Mr. ARCHER.
Keeping the ship clean; washing the paint work; scrubbing and keeping the deck clean.
Senator BOURNE.
Thank you, Mr. Archer.
(Witness excused.)
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