1468. Where they have exploded?
- I was sucked down, and I was blown out with something pretty powerful when the ship went down.
1469. After the ship went down?
- Yes.
1470. Just describe that a little more fully. You were sucked down?
- I was sucked against the blower first of all. As I say, I was on top of the officers' quarters, and there was nothing more to be done. The ship then took a dive, and I turned face forward and also took a dive.
1471. From which side?
- From on top, practically midships; a little to the starboard side, where I had got to; and I was driven back against a blower - which is a large thing that shape (indicating) which faces forward to the wind and which then goes down to the stokehole. But there is a grating there, and it was against this grating that I was sucked by the water and held there.
1472. Was your head above water?
- No, sir.
1473. You were under water?
- Yes, sir. And then this explosion, or whatever it was, took place. Certainly, I think it was the boilers exploded. There was a terrific blast of air and water, and I was blown out clear.
1474. Was there any debris that was blown above the surface?
- That I could not say.
1475. At least you took your head out of the water?
- I came up above the water; yes.
1476. And how far from the sinking ship did it throw you?
- Barely threw me away at all; barely threw me away at all, because I went down again against these fiddley gratings immediately abreast of the funnel over the stokehole.
1477. Was anybody else sucked down at the time?
- Col. Gracie, I believe, was sucked down in identically the same manner. He was sucked down on the fiddley gratings.
1478. There must have been considerable suction?
- That was the water rushing down below as she was going down.
1479. Going down into the ship?
- Exactly.
1480. How did you get released from that?
- Oh, I don't know, sir. I think it was the boilers again, but I do not distinctly remember. I do not know.
1481. Where did you next find yourself?
- Alongside of that raft.
1482. Where?
- Alongside of that upturned boathat had been launched on the other side.
1483. Where had you gone at that time? Had you gone around the ship?
- No, sir; the boat had come around.
1484. Was there anyone on it?
- I don't think so. I think they were around it.
1485. Your position had not changed, but the boat's position had?
- Yes, sir.
1486. Were there any watertight compartments in that ship?
- Yes, sir.
1487. How many?
- I could not tell you offhand, sir: 40 or 50.
1488. Nearly 50?
- I say 40 or 50; I can not tell you offhand
1489. How were they constructed?
- They were divisional bulkheads; watertight doors, operated by electricity or mechanically.
1490. Were those watertight compartments known to the passengers or crew?
- They must have been.
1491. How would they know it?
- By the plans distributed about the ship.
1492. Were they advised at any time that there were watertight compartments - about how many?
- Forty or fifty.
1493. Were they advised that there were 40 or 50 watertight compartments?
- I could not say, sir.
1494. You heard nothing of that kind and gave no such warning yourself?
- No, sir.
1495. Are you able to say whether any of the crew or passengers took to these upper watertight compartments as a final, last resort; I mean as a place to die?
- I am quite unable to say, sir.
1496. Is that at all likely?
- No, sir; very unlikely.
1497. As for yourself, you preferred to take your chance in the open sea?
- Undoubtedly.
1498. Where were those compartments with reference to the boat deck?
- Below the boat deck, sir.
1499. How far below?
- They extend from the bottom of the ship about four decks up.
1500. Would they extend up as high as 50 feet?
- About that.
1501. Above the water?
- Oh, they are above the water line; they extend above the water line.
1502. Are they all above the water line?
- No, sir; from the bottom of the ship up to above the water line.
1503. Have you been in any of the watertight compartments of the Titanic?
- I have been in all of them.
1504. What are these doors made of?
- As far as I understand, of metal for that purpose.
1505. And how are they fastened? Are they locked by bar, or bolt, or key?
- The lower section of the watertight doors fore and aft the ship are operated by electricity and they automatically lock themselves, and can not be touched whilst the current is on.
1506. How can they be opened?
- By switching the current off and opening them by hand down below.
1507. If there were no current how could they be opened?
- By hand.
1508. In what manner?
- By ratchet and screw, lever and cogwheel.
1509. A person would have to be rather familiar with that construction in order to open them?
- No, sir; the handle is right alongside every door, and the manner for opening them is obvious.
1510. But when the doors are closed and the current is on?
- I am only speaking of those at the bottom of the ship.
1511. Let us go up a little higher, and tell me about the doors, and the construction there.
- They are operated by hand, closed by lever. They can be closed from the deck above, or from the deck you are on. There is a specially constructed key that fits into the deck above. When you turn it around, the door closes. One man can close or open it.
1512. You must first have a key?
- Yes; keys are kept alongside of the doors. When the door is closed it so engages a system or series of wedges that it is watertight.
1513. What are those watertight compartments for?
- To shut out the water, retaining the water in one compartment, to prevent its going fore and aft the ship.
1514. How much of the ship had gone down when you left it?
- I went under water on top of the officers' quarters, immediately at the fore part of the forward funnel; so she was under water at the fore part of the forward funnel.
1515. (Senator Newlands.) You say that after you came up you attached yourself to this raft the funnel fell upon those who were upon one side of the raft?
- I say the funnel fell down, and if anybody was on that side of the raft it fell on them.
1516. Then by that time the entire ship was not submerged?
- Oh, dear, no; not by considerable.
1517. What portion of the ship was out of water at that time?
- The stern of the ship was completely out of the water.
Senator Smith:
It was out of water, at an angle?
Senator Newlands:
Yes, I see.
1518. (Senator Smith.) What other officers besides yourself survived?
- The third, fourth, and fifth, sir.
1519. Will you kindly give their names?
- Mr. Pitman, third officer; Mr. Boxhall, fourth officer; and Mr. Lowe, fifth officer.
1520. You had better give their initials.
- Mr. H. J. Pitman, third officer; Mr. J. G. Boxhall, fourth officer; and Mr. G. Lowe, fifth officer.
){kind=link}
){kind=link}