4314. You have never found it so?
- No, sir.
4315. And have never heard these explosions?
- No, sir.
4316. Have you ever thought that the absence of swell or wave motion in a fresh breeze is a sign that there is land or ice on the weather side of the ship?
- No, sir.
4317. Do you regard the presence of seal herds or flocks of birds as in any way indicating the proximity of land?
- Certainly not.
4318. Or icebergs?
- Certainly not. We have them in the southern ocean all the way across, for thousands of miles-flocks of birds.
4319. Do you ever have any ice in the southern ocean?
- Occasionally, sir.
4320. Have you ever seen any there?
- I have, sir.
4320. How large a growler or berg?
- One I saw about 18 months ago, and there were three, as a matter of fact -
4322. Where did you see them?
- Off the Falkland Islands. One was about 700 feet long and 600 feet wide and fully 500 feet high.
4323. Were you surprised to see it?
- Not at all, sir.
4324. You expected to see it?
- What do you mean? Oh, I thought you meant the size of it. No; we did not expect to see ice.
4325. But, as a matter of fact, you found it?
- Yes, sir; in the daylight.
4326. How close were you to this berg you speak of?
- About a mile, sir.
4327. What was the color?
- When the sun was shining on it, it was a perfect white.
4328. What time of the day or night did you see it first?
- In the morning, about 8 o'clock.
4329. Did you see it in the night at all?
- I did not, sir; when the sun was not shining on it, it looked like a perfectly black berg, like a huge island, and that is where I proved that the temperature of the water is absolutely no indication of icebergs.
4330. How about the temperature of the air?
- No; it was not affected at all.
4331. Do you mean to say that it never is affected by the prevalence of field ice or icebergs?
- No; I would say that it would not be, after my experience with ice.
4332. Is it not a fact that the temperature of the air falls as ice approaches?
- It may do so.
4333. What about this iceberg that you saw in southern waters?
- It did not affect the temperature in the slightest.
4334. Which side of the ship would be apt to realize that fall of temperature first?
- The weather side.
4335. The leeward?
- No; the weather side; the windward side.
4336. I ask you whether the fall of the temperature of the sea water is not sometimes a sign of the proximity of an iceberg?
- I should never put any reliance in it myself, sir.
4337. Do you know of your own knowledge that water was taken from the sea every two hours during the journey from Southampton to the place of the accident?
- That is so, sir.
4338. What was it taken for?
- Well, it is a custom in the ships.
4339. It is not a mere custom, is it; it must have some meaning?
- And it is for meteorological observation.
4340. Do you know of your own knowledge whether any tests of the temperature of that water were made on board the Titanic?
- They are made every two hours, sir.
4341. I mean the temperature, the water taken and then the temperature tested?
- Every two hours, sir.
4342. Do you know that that was done?
- Yes; the quartermaster does that every two hours.
4343. Did you personally see it done on this voyage?
- I did not, sir. I have seen the men going to do it.
4344. How did they do it; by lowering a bucket into the water or lowering a bottle?
- We usually have a canvas bucket which they lower into the water.
4345. Did this boat have a canvas bucket on it?
- It did not. We did not have time to make one. They were using a tin.
4346. What was it attached to?
- A piece of rope long enough to reach the water.
4347. Did you see the rope?
- I did not, sir.
4348. And you did not see this temporary bucket put into the water?
- No, sir.
4349. You stated a few moments ago that the second officer [Lightoller], I believe, reported ice Saturday night?
- No; I said the fourth officer.
4350. Mr. Lowe?
- Mr. Boxhall.
4351. You said Mr. Boxhall reported ice Saturday night, and that it was marked on the chart with a cross. Was this mark on the chart on or near the ship's course?
- As far as I can recollect, it was to the northward of the course; to the north of our track.
4352. How far?
- I did not measure it, sir; and I have not the slightest idea of the position of it.
4353. Was the ship on its proper course?
- Yes, sir.
4354. If I am correctly advised, the course of ships now sailing from port to port in the sea is recognized as standard so far as the customary routes of travel are concerned. Am I right?
- Certain firms.
4355. Did this apply to the White Star Line?
- Yes, sir; a majority of the big passenger lines stick to this particular track.
4356. It has been said that this particular ship was on the northerly course. Now, then, will you tell the committee the distinction between what is commonly regarded as the northerly course and the southerly course?
- Well, they are two different tracks. One is followed from the 14th of August to the 14th of January, and the other is followed from the 14th of January to the 14th of August. The latter is the southern track.
4357. One is followed by ships bound east and the other by ships bound west?
- That is right, sir. It would be much easier to explain it on a chart.
4358. Like a double-track railroad?
- Exactly.
4359. These two tracks, if I understand correctly, were the recognized and customary tracks for ships to take at that time of the year, the principal steamship lines?
- Yes, sir; the principal lines that run to America.
4360. Just preceding the sinking of the Titanic, was she on the course commonly taken by ships sailing from Southampton to New York, or was she on the course commonly taken by ships sailing from New York to Southampton?
- She was on the course followed by ships coming from the English Channel to New York.
4361. Do you make that statement because of the position of the ship at the time of the collision?
- I do not quite understand you.
4362. You know the latitude and longitude of this ship when she struck the iceberg?
- Yes, sir.
4363. Did that indicate to you that she was on the true course?
- Exactly. She was right on the line.
4364. Then, when the course was put on the chart, which you saw, indicating the prevalence of ice, did that indicate that it was on the course your ship was taking?
- Oh, no. It was way to the north.
4365. How far to the north?
- I did not measure the distance, and so I can not say.
4366. Well, as a matter of fact, did you see any ice there Sunday?
- I saw none, sir, up to Monday morning.
4367. Did you see it Monday morning?
- At the break of day; yes.
4368. Where were you when you saw it?
- In a boat.
4369. In a lifeboat?
- Yes, sir.
4370. Where were you going - from the Titanic to the Carpathia?
- At that time; yes, sir.
4371. How much ice did you see then?
- There were numerous bergs around me, maybe half a dozen; but I was not sufficiently interested to count them.
4372. Were these bergs high above the water?
- Some were.
4373. How high?
- Some may have been 100 feet or 150 feet.
4374. That high above the water?
- That high above the water; yes, sir.
4375. How high was the Titanic, about 70 feet from the water's edge?
- Well, the boat deck was.
4376. The upper deck was about 70 feet from the water's edge?
- Yes, sir.
4377. These icebergs that you saw at daybreak Monday morning after the accident were, some of them, as high as 150 feet high?
- I should think so, sir.
4378. How many of the larger ones of that kind were there?
- I did not count them, sir. I was more interested in the people in my boat.
4379. Well, one or two?
- I really could not say, sir.
4380. Where were you on Sunday evening immediately preceding the collision?
- In my bunk; in bed.
4381. What were the hours of your watch that night?
- I was on the bridge from 6 to 8 o'clock p. m.
4382. Whom did you see on the bridge, if anyone, that night between 6 and 8 o'clock?
- The commander and the second officer.
4383. The captain?
- Yes, sir.
4384. You call him the commander in that event?
- Some do.
4385. I just wanted to be sure that you referred to the captain. What time was he on the bridge; all the time that you were on watch?
- No; I could not say that, sir, because I was inside, working out observations.
4386. Whenever you went to the bridge, from 6 to 8 o'clock, do you recall having seen the captain?
- I saw him once, sir.
4387. Do you recall the hour?
- Previous to 7 o'clock.
4388. You did not see him after 7 o'clock on the bridge?
- I did not, sir, no; because I did not go on the bridge myself.
4389. Who was on the bridge?
- The second officer, sir.
4390. Mr. Lightoller?
- Mr. Lightoller.
4391. Did you talk with Mr. Lightoller between 6 and 8 o'clock that night?
- I did not, sir.
4392. Did you learn from him that the Californian had warned the Titanic that she was in the vicinity of icebergs?
- I did not, sir. We had no conversation whatever.
4393. Did you hear anything about the wireless from the Californian on the direction of icebergs?
- I did not, sir.
4394. No one mentioned that to you?
- No, sir.
4395. Did you have any conversation with the captain on Sunday?
- None whatever, sir. I never had any.
4396. You never spoke to him?
- I never spoke to him; no, sir.
4397. Did he say any thing to you?
- Not on Sunday, he did not.
4398. But you had spoken to him before, on the voyage?
- Oh, yes, sir; in reference to work.
4399. But on Sunday you did not?
- No, sir.
4400. If I recollect what you have said, you saw the icebergs, or evidence of ice, when you were on the watch from 6 to 8 o'clock Sunday evening?
- I saw none whatever, sir, until I was in the boat, and that was about half-past 3 Monday morning. That was the first ice I saw.
4401. Did you look for it?
- We were keeping a special lookout for ice.
4402. Who was?
- The officer of the watch from 10 o'clock on.
4403. Who was the officer of the watch from 10 o'clock on?
- Mr. Murdoch.
4404. How do you know he was keeping a special lookout?
- Because he was warned.
4405. Who warned him?
- Well, I know that Mr. Lightoller passed the word along to him.
4406. How do you know that? I merely want to get at the fact. I am not pressing you for unnecessary detail.
- Because I had heard some one mention it.
4407. Mention it before the collision or since?
- Oh, since.
4408. Exactly. What did you do after you left the watch at 8 o'clock on Sunday evening?
- I went to bed, sir.
4409. Immediately?
- Within a very few minutes.
4410. What time did you dine that evening?
- At 6 o'clock.
4411. Just before going on watch?
- Yes. Well, no; just after I went on the bridge and left the bridge, then I had my dinner.
4412. You had your dinner where?
- On the boat deck.
4413. Is there a dining room up there, or anything of that kind?
- Yes.
4414. For the officers?
- Our own mess.
4415. After 8 o'clock you retired?
- Exactly, sir.
4416. Between 6 and 8 o'clock did you take any observations?
- Of what?
4417. Astronomical observations?
- Yes; we took stellar observations and also observations for compass deviation.
4418. You took them yourself?
- I took them myself. No, sir; I did not take the stellar observations myself. I took the time for them, and Mr. Lightoller himself took the observations of the body.
4419. How many times during that watch, do you recollect?
- How many times did we take observations?
4420. During that watch, yes; how many observations were taken?
- We just took a set of them at sunset, or just as it was getting dusk, when the stars were visible. It was about 6 or 8 o'clock that we took them.
4421. Do you know how these observations located the ship?
- Do I know what?
4422. Do you know how these observations located the ship?
- Yes; right on the track.
4423. And that is where you got your necessary facts to determine the location of the ship?
- Exactly.
4424. Am I right?
- Yes, sir.
4425. Can you give the location of the ship at 8 o'clock that night?
- No, sir.
4426. Or at any time between 6 and 8 o'clock?
- No, sir; I have forgotten.
4427. Can you tell what speed the ship was making at the time of these observations?
- About 21 1/2.
4428. Twenty-one and a half what?
- Knots.
4429. Twenty-one and one-half knots per hour?
- Yes, sir.
4430. In miles what would that be?
- There are 6,080 feet in a nautical mile and there are 5,280 in the geographical mile.
4431. At just what time between 6 and 8 o'clock did you take these observations?
- Oh, yes.
4432. I say, at just what time. You did not take them while you were at your dinner?
- Oh, no, sir; about half-past 7. Between half-past 7 and 20 minutes to 8.
4433. You and Mr. Lightoller?
- Yes; we took a set of sights.
4434. The second officer took a set of -
- (interrupting). Stellar observations.
4435. And at that time the speed of the ship was about 21+ knots per hour?
- Yes, sir.
4436. Did you regard that as pretty good speed?
- No; nothing to what we expected her to do.
4437. Did you expect her to do pretty well?
- We thought it quite possible that she could reach 24.
4438. Were you trying to reach 24 knots?
- No; we had to study the coal. We had not the coal to do it.
4439. You had not the coal?
- No, sir.
4440. Do you know how many boilers were working at that time?
- No, sir.
4441. As I understood you, you made no special observations for icebergs?
- I did not, sir; no, sir.
4442. These were stellar observations that you have referred to?
- Yes; to determine the position of the ship.
4443. And did you personally direct your attention to the question of icebergs?
- No, sir.
4444. I believe you said Mr. Murdoch had given some attention to that?
- No; I understand that Mr. Lightoller warned him.
4445. That you understand since the accident?
- Oh, no. We had mentioned it before. We spoke of it amongst ourselves.
4446. When? On Sunday?
- Sunday. It might have been about 8 o'clock. I do not remember the time.
4447. Eight o'clock on Sunday?
- It may have been. I can not remember it exactly.
4448. But you are sure you talked it over with your fellow officers?
- Yes, sir.
4449. You did not talk it over with the captain?
- Oh, no, sir.
4450. During this conversation to which you refer, what was said and by whom, if you can recollect?
- We were just remarking that we should be in the vicinity of ice in Mr. Murdoch’s watch.
4451. And Mr. Murdoch’s watch began at 10 o'clock?
- Yes, sir.
4452. And you expected ice at that time?
- Well, we might see it.
4453. You might see it at that time?
- Yes, sir.
4454. Were you all in accord on that?
- I had nothing to say in the matter. I was not interested in it.
4455. Who was present during this conversation? Did it occur at dinner, or when did it occur?
- Oh, I can not remember now, sir, when it occurred, and I have not now the slightest idea who was there.
4456. But, so far as you are concerned, the matter ended there?
- Yes. I just heard the remark passed; that was all.
4457. Tell me, if you can, upon what ground you base your report of 21 1/2 knots speed?
- By the log and the revolutions.
4458. How many revolutions was the boat making at that time?
- I think about 75.
4459. And 75 revolutions would indicate that she was going about 21 1/2 knots?
- Approximately, yes, sir.
4460. Do you know whether she went any faster than that on that trip?
- No; I do not think so. She never exceeded 76 revolutions at any part of the trip.
4461. Did you not hear one of the officers say that she had made 80 revolutions per minute?
- No; she never made 80 revolutions.
Senator Smith: I may be in error about it, but my recollection is that either Mr. -
Mr. Kirlin:
That was a passenger, sir.
Mr. Burlingham:
That was Mr. Toppin, a passenger.
4462. (Senator Smith.) Were you going straight away on a straight course when you took these observations?
- Yes, sir; exactly.
4463. Or did you have a course of speed that took you in a curved direction?
- No; we were proceeding on the track laid down for the company.
4464. Did you talk over the question of the speed of the ship that night with your fellow officers, during dinner or any other time?
- We did not, sir.
4465. Did you hear anyone else say how fast she was going?
- No, sir.
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