Senator NEWLANDS.
You go through a strict drill?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes.
Senator NEWLANDS.
How often?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Every Saturday afternoon.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Did you have any drill on Saturday afternoon on the Titanic?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Do you know why?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Is it always the case that they have drill on Saturday afternoon on other ships?
Mr. TAYLOR.
On a majority of other ships, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Do the firemen take part in that drill?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Oh, yes.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Does every man in a ship's crew have a place?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
In reference to what?
Mr. TAYLOR.
With reference to manning a boat, I suppose to take charge of the boat and pull the boat away, if necessary.
Senator NEWLANDS.
There were about 800 of this crew, were there not?
Mr. TAYLOR.
I suppose so, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
And there were about 20 boats?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Twenty boats.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Do you think that every man in that crew was assigned to a particular boat?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Every man was ordered to a boat.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Was ordered to a boat; but did each man in that crew, throughout the whole 800, know where his place in a boat was?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes; because there is a boat list that goes up.
Senator NEWLANDS.
What was the nature of that order that night with reference to the boats?
Mr. TAYLOR.
All the orders we had was to get our lifebelts on and go up on the boat deck.
Senator NEWLANDS.
And then were you expected, each of you, to go to a boat?
Mr. TAYLOR.
We were supposed to go to the boat that our name was down for on the ship.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Were there very many of the crew there when you went up?
Mr. TAYLOR.
We were all going up, what there was of us.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Would both dining-room stewards and bedroom stewards be assigned to these boats?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
And all the enginemen?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
And the carpenters?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Every man had his place?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Every man had the number of his boat that he was to go to.
Senator NEWLANDS.
On the port side they put in, on an average, in each boat only about two men of the crew, and sometimes less. How do you account for the fact that there were so few?
Mr. TAYLOR.
I could not tell you, sir. I never went on that side of the ship.
Senator NEWLANDS.
On the other side were there a larger number of the ship's crew?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, there were stewards, and all.
Senator NEWLANDS.
And they were waiting there to be assigned to their places, were they? They were waiting, expecting to be put into the boats?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
But no man could get into a boat before he was ordered in?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Who selected the men to go in the boats?
Mr. TAYLOR.
The officer, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
You say you found water up to No. 1 hatch?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
What is No. 1 hatch?
Mr. TAYLOR.
It is in the bow end of the ship, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
How far down?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Right down to the bottom, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Is there a compartment there?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes.
Senator NEWLANDS.
A very large one?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Is that the term applied to the first compartment?
Mr. TAYLOR.
That is the first hold in the ship. That is the first cargo space in the ship.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Does that hatch cover more than one compartment? You know what a compartment is, do you not?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Do you remember whether in that hatch there was only one compartment or whether two or three?
Mr. TAYLOR.
I could not tell you that, sir, because I never saw down there.
Senator NEWLANDS.
How did you know there was water in No. 1 hatch?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Because we saw it come bursting up through the hatches.
Senator NEWLANDS.
You were there all the time, were you?
Mr. TAYLOR.
I was in my bunk asleep at the time, and then when we got called up again the water was still coming up through the hatches.
Senator NEWLANDS.
What is a hatch?
Mr. TAYLOR.
A grate that covers over the hold to save anybody; to keep anybody from getting down.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Were you in the water?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Did it reach you?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, afterwards. It went into our room afterwards.
Senator NEWLANDS.
How long was it in getting in there?
Mr. TAYLOR.
About three-quarters of an hour, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
How far was your room from the bottom of the ship?
Mr. TAYLOR.
I could not exactly tell you the distance.
Senator NEWLANDS.
What deck was your room on?
Mr. TAYLOR.
On the third deck.
Senator NEWLANDS.
From below?
Mr. TAYLOR.
From the top, counting from the top.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Where did that stand with reference to decks A, B, and C?
Mr. TAYLOR.
I could not tell you, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
It was below them, was it?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Our deck was lower than those decks, because you came off of those decks down to the well deck.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Did you have a hammock or a bed, or what did you have?
Mr. TAYLOR.
I had a bunk.
Senator NEWLANDS.
What deck was that on?
Mr. TAYLOR.
On the third deck down.
Senator NEWLANDS.
How far did you say that was from the bottom of the ship?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Twenty or thirty feet, I should say, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Did your boat make any effort to go back and save the lives of the people struggling in the water?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Why not?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Because a majority of them said "Pull on," because of the suction.
Senator NEWLANDS.
You heard the cries of the people who were in the water?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes.
Senator NEWLANDS.
How long did they last?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Do you not think that people floating in that water, with lifebelts on, would survive longer than a quarter of an hour?
Mr. TAYLOR.
They may have survived longer, sir. I am only just judging the time.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Was the water very cold?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, it was cold.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Your boat did not pick up anybody from the water?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Did you see any other boat pick up anybody?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Did you see any firemen or any of the crew jump from the ship itself into the water?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Do you know whether any did so jump, prior to your leaving the ship?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
What was the feeling among the crew as to whether the ship would sink or not?
Mr. TAYLOR.
A majority of them did not realize that she would sink.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Was that ship regarded by the crew as an unsinkable ship?
Mr. TAYLOR.
So they thought.
Senator NEWLANDS.
That was the feeling among the seamen?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir; that is so.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Regarding these great iron ships, with watertight compartments, that is the general feeling among the seamen, is it?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
They feel safe on them?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Even although there are not enough boats to accommodate all the crew and passengers?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Did you ever hear that matter discussed among them?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Then how do you know that that is the feeling?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Because they were all skylarking and joking about it.
Senator NEWLANDS.
After the accident were they joking about it?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
If they had realized that there was serious danger, there would have been a terrible scene there, would there not?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir: everybody would have been rushing for their lives.
Senator NEWLANDS.
When you got on to the boat did you feel that it was safer in the boat, or remaining on the ship?
Mr. TAYLOR.
I thought it was safer for us in the boat.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Why did you think so?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Because I saw her then going down by the nose.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Going down by the bow?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
You realize then that she was sinking?
Mr. TAYLOR.
After we got clear of her we could see her going down by the bow.
Senator NEWLANDS.
But you did not realize that at the time you got into the lifeboat?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No, sir; I only thought we were getting in in case there was an emergency.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Did you row all the time that night, until dawn?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Did you row for any particular place?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No; no particular place.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Why did you keep rowing then?
Mr. TAYLOR.
We kept on pulling along to keep up with the other boats, all the small boats being together.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Was there any particular boat leading?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Did you see any other boat save any lives of people who were in the water?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
How far could you see on the water that night; how far off could you see another boat?
Mr. TAYLOR.
About 50 yards.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Could you see the boat itself, or could you just simply determine it by its lights?
Mr. TAYLOR.
We could see the boats.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Did you talk with any of the lookout men?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
What was the feeling amongst the crew as to how that accident occurred?
Mr. TAYLOR.
I could not tell you.
Senator NEWLANDS.
In which direction was that light?
Mr. TAYLOR.
I could not tell you the directions.
Senator NEWLANDS.
But all the boats were rowing for it?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
You were sure there was a light there?
Mr. TAYLOR.
We discerned a light. We saw a light in the distance.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Was that the case with all the boats?
Mr. TAYLOR.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
They could not all have been deceived by it, could they?
Mr. TAYLOR.
I should not think so.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Were they crying out to each other at all, as to where the light was?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No. They only asked one another where they were at the time, that is all. They would just pass the remark whether they were all there.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Were there any women in your boat who had lost their husbands?
Mr. TAYLOR.
I could not tell you.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Was there much distress among the women in your boat?
Mr. TAYLOR.
They were very cool.
Senator NEWLANDS.
Were the women in your boat first class passengers, second class, or third class?
Mr. TAYLOR.
They were third class. I do not know whether there were any second class.
Senator NEWLANDS.
There were no third class passengers?
Mr. TAYLOR.
No.
(Witness excused.)
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}