WITNESS.
Alfred Allen Booth - Chairman - Cunard Steamship Company
Testimony
The Attorney-General:
May I put in on this evidence the ship's manifest?
(The same was handed in.)
The Commissioner:
Can you tell me where the danger zone began. What are the limits of the danger zone?
The Attorney-General:
No doubt I can, but it is better I think, my Lord, to do it by witness.
The Commissioner:
What I want to know is, whether arrangements could have been made for this steamer to have traversed the danger zone in the dark. You will consider whether that is of any importance or not, but if you think it is of importance I should like to know the facts as to where the danger zone began?
The Attorney-General:
Where the danger zone is supposed to have begun. You cannot say where it actually began.
The Commissioner:
I thought the danger zone had been defined by the Germans somewhere?
The Attorney-General:
I am not sure, but I will deal with the point. I think your Lordship may as well have a copy of the Cunard rules to be observed by all the officers. Mr. Booth can prove them (handing the same to the Commissioner).
The Commissioner:
Is there anything you want to call my attention to, Sir Edward, in the manifest?
The Attorney-General:
There are, as your Lordship will see if you look down the manifest, certain cases of ammunition and some empty shells, but no question has been asked hitherto as to them on that matter.
The Commissioner:
Not shells to be utilized?
The Attorney-General:
No, nor ammunition to be utilised. The ammunition was in cases, as you will see; that is the only thing which can have any materiality, but no suggestion has been made or asked as to this having had anything to do with the calamity.
WITNESS.
Thomas Quinn - Able Bodied Seaman - ss " Lusitania "
Testimony
The Attorney-General:
As your Lordship has asked some questions about speed and there may be some misapprehension about it, I propose to call Commander Anderson and ask him a few questions.
WITNESSES.
Commander Anderson - Commander - Royal Navy
Testimony
Leslie N. Morton - Able Bodied Seaman - ss " Lusitania "
Testimony
Hugh Robert Johnston - Quartermaster - ss " Lusitania "
Testimony
George Little - Third Engineer - ss " Lusitania "
Testimony
Andrew Cockburn - Senior Second Engineer - ss " Lusitania "
Testimony
(After a short adjournment.)
WITNESSES.
Robert Leath - Wireless Telegraphist - ss " Lusitania "
Testimony
Arthur Rowland Jones - First Officer - ss " Lusitania "
Testimony
Mabel Kate Leigh Royd - Passenger - ss " Lusitania "
Testimony
Reverend Clark - Passenger - ss " Lusitania "
Testimony
Frederick E. O. Tootal - First Class Passenger - ss " Lusitania "
Testimony
John Freeman - Second Class Passenger - ss " Lusitania "
Testimony
Theodore Diamandis - Third Class Passenger - ss " Lusitania "
Testimony
The Solicitor-General:
My Lord, with regard to the other passengers, the Board of Trade has a large number of statements made by passengers both of the first, second and third classes. I have read I think all those statement or all that I have at present before me, and I am bound to tell your Lordship that they involve, in my judgment, a very great deal of repetition, and they do not develop specific complaints so far as my recollection of them goes, except in relation to the suggested inadequacy of speed on the part of the vessel at the critical time, or to the fact that no destroyers were present to protect them, or to the fact of the alleged circumstance that there were no officers at the boats, and so far as I have read these proofs, the complaints which they make go to one or other of these points, and of course the Board of Trade is merely here to assist the Court in arriving at the facts and I find myself in some little doubt as to how far I can usefully assist the Court.
The Commissioner:
You must exercise your own judgment of course, Mr. Solicitor. but as to the first two points, the speed and the absence of destroyers, we have, it seems to me, all the evidence that we are likely to get.
The Solicitor-General:
I think so.
The Commissioner:
There is the third point, namely, the alleged absence of officers at the boats. My experience tells me that it is not of much importance, but you must use your own discretion with regard to that matter.
The Solicitor-General:
Quite. I think, perhaps, the most convenient course would be if your Lordship would give me an opportunity before tomorrow morning of discussing the whole of the remaining balance of this evidence with the Attorney-General.
The Commissioner:
Does that mean that you want us to rise now.
The Solicitor-General:
It is 10 minutes to 4 my Lord.
The Commissioner:
Then it does mean that you want to rise.
The Solicitor-General:
No, my Lord. There is nothing that I should like better than to go on taking evidence if it will amuse your Lordship to hear passengers called.
The Commissioner:
Then we will rise now till half-past ten tomorrow morning.
(Adjourned to tomorrow at 10.30 o'clock )