British Wreck Commissioner's Inquiry
Day 16
Testimony of Edward J. Buley
Examined by Mr. BUTLER ASPINALL.
18093. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) This Witness was in boat No. 10, My Lord. (To the witness.) Were you serving as an A.B. on the "Titanic" on 14th April?
- Yes.
18094. I do not want you to tell the whole story, but you left the ship in boat No. 10, did you not?
- Yes.
18095. You felt the shock; I think you were awake at the time. You then helped with some of the boats?
- Yes.
18096. And later on you left in boat 10. Were there any crew with you in boat 10?
- Yes.
18097. Who?
- An able seaman forward, Evans, and a fireman and a steward.
18098. Who else was in the boat besides those members of the crew?
- Women and children.
18099. How many?
- I should say about 50, 50 to 55.
18100. All women and children?
- All women and children.
18101. Then, I think, having got that boat down to the water's edge, you pulled away, and then you were later on joined by one of the Officers in another boat, Mr. Lowe?
- Yes.
18102. We have seen him, and he has told us the story, and I think the result of his coming up was that he got his boat full. He put out a great many of his passengers into other boats and then went away with you in his boat, did he not?
- Yes.
18103. To pick up any of the poor people who were in the water?
- Yes.
18104. He has told us the story in a great deal of details. You succeeded in picking up some, I believe?
- Yes.
18105. And then later on you were picked up by the "Carpathia"?
- Yes.
Examined by Mr. SCANLAN.
18106. Had you a sufficient crew for rowing this boat No. 10?
- No.
The Commissioner:
Oh, do not ask that question again please; they were sufficient to get the boat in safety to the "Carpathia."
Mr. Scanlan:
There is one point I wish to submit to your Lordship at a later stage; that is, if there had been proper rules with regard to the manning of boats there would have been a greater number of men on board to man each lifeboat, and that they could have done better work in saving passengers than they did.
The Commissioner:
But what do you mean - better work when they were once in the water?
Mr. Scanlan:
Yes.
The Commissioner:
They could not have saved more than the whole, you know, and they did save the whole.
Mr. Scanlan:
There were not two-thirds of the people saved for whom it is alleged the lifeboats on the "Titanic" had capacity.
The Commissioner:
I know that. That is a very important point; but at present I am thinking about your reiterated question as to whether there were sufficient men in the boat to manage the boat when she was once in the water. I have heard that question so often that I am beginning to get a bit tired of it.
18107. (Mr. Scanlan.) If I have asked the question sufficiently often to convince your Lordship of the point of view I am instructed to lay before you, I feel I have done sufficient. (To the witness.) Had you any difficulty in lowering that boat?
- I did not lower it.
18108. Was there any difficulty in lowering No. 10?
- No difficulty, to my knowledge.
Examined by Mr. HARBINSON.
18109. I believe, after the collision you found some ice on the deck?
- Yes, on the well deck.
18110. Was there much?
- A couple of tons.
18111. Of block ice?
- Of block ice.
(The Witness withdrew.)
