(Testimony taken before Senator Perkins on behalf of the subcommittee.)
(Mr. Symons was sworn by Senator Perkins.)
8989. Where is your home port?
- Weymouth.
8990. Weymouth, England?
- Yes, sir.
8991. Were you a sailor on the steamer Titanic that went down?
- Yes, sir.
8992. How long have you followed the sea?
- Eight and a half years.
8993. As a sailor man?
- Yes, sir.
8994. Tell me, in a general way, what happened when the ship went down, and when she was struck?
- I was on the watch below at the time. I was asleep at the time the Titanic was struck.
8995. It was your watch hour below?
- Yes, sir. I came on deck and I saw the ice, and then I dressed myself and waited.
8996. Which watch were you in on the ship?
- I was on the lookout from the 8 to 10 watch. I came off at 10 o'clock.
8997. Were you one of the six lookout men?
- Yes, sir.
8998. After she struck the iceberg you were in the bunk below?
- Yes, sir.
8999. Was there much vibration to the ship?
- No, sir; nothing to speak of, I thought. It was only a slight jar; a grinding noise.
9000. You state that when you came on deck there was ice on the forecastle of the Titanic?
- Yes, sir; on the starboard side.
9001. Was there any quantity of it?
- Not such a great quantity, sir.
9002. You did not think any serious injury had occurred to the ship?
- No, sir.
9003. After that, what did you do?
- I was ordered up to the boats by the boatswain.
9004. You were ordered up to which boats?
- To the starboard boats. I went to No. 3 first. From there we unstripped the covers right down through.
9005. Who had charge of the boat?
- No. 3?
9006. Yes.
- I could not say.
9007. Was it one of the quartermasters?
- I believe it was, sir. I would not say for certain. I do not know.
9008. Did you stay by the boat and go in her?
- I stayed by the boats. I helped lower No. 3. From there I was sent down to No. 5.
9009. How many were in the boat when she was lowered?
- I could not say for certain.
9010. Approximately, how many? Were there 10 or 20?
- I should say, roughly, about 40, sir.
9011. There were 40 in the boat when she was swinging in the davits?
- Yes, sir; when she was hanging in the davits.
9012. Who handled the falls of the boat?
- I handled the forward fall. I could not say who handled the after fall.
9013. How were those boats detached from your tackle? Did you have a patent hook on your boat?
- We had the patent levers; one in the bow and one in the stern.
9014. Yes. Did they work simultaneously?
- Yes; they worked together.
9015. Were you in your boat?
- No, sir; I just helped lower it.
9016. Then you went to what other boat?
- I was sent to No. 5, and assisted there. I cleared the fall.
9017. Did you get in her?
- No, sir.
9018. What boat did you go from the ship in?
- No. 1.
9019. Who was in command of her?
- I was.
9020. How many passengers did you have on her?
- From 14 to 20.
9021. Were they passengers or crew?
- They were passengers. At first they put in seven of the crew. There were seven men ordered in; two seamen and five firemen. They were ordered in by Mr. Murdoch.
9022. How many did they boat carry?
- I could not say for certain. It was one of the small accident boats.
9023. After she got into the water, would she take any more?
- She would have taken more.
9024. How many did you have, all told?
- I would not say for certain. It was 14 or 20. Then we were ordered away.
9025. You did not return to the ship again?
- Yes; we came back after the ship was gone, and we saw nothing.
9026. Did you rescue anyone that was in the water?
- No, sir; we saw nothing when we came back.
9027. Was there any confusion or excitement among the passengers?
- No, sir; nothing whatever. It was just the same as if it was an everyday affair.
9028. Was there any rush to get into either one of these boats?
- No, sir; I never saw it. I never saw any rush whatsoever.
9029. Did you hear any cries of people in the water?
- Oh, yes, sir; I heard the cries.
9030. Did you say your boat could take more? Did you make any effort to get them?
- Yes; we came back; but when we came back we did not see anybody nor hear anybody.
9031. Then what did you do after that?
- After we rowed around, we rowed around and picked up with another boat, and both stuck together; one boat with a lot of people.
9032. Did you pass a painter from one boat to another?
- No, sir; we went close to her. They did not want any assistance, as the women were pulling. I asked if they wanted any assistance, and they would not take it. They said they could pull through.
9033. Your boat could have accommodated more?
- Yes, sir.
9034. How many more, probably?
- I should saw that she could have accommodated, easily, 10 more.
9035. And you made no effort to fill her; and you were in charge of her?
- Yes, sir; I was. I was ordered away by Mr. Murdoch, the first officer. He ordered the boat to be lowered.
9036. But you did not pull back to the ship again?
- Not until she went down, sir.
9037. Then you went and pulled over to the ship. Where did you go after that?
- After she got down, I went around to one of the other boats, and found she never had a sailor in her, and I accompanied that boat.
9038. How many sailormen did you have in your boat?
- Two.
9039. And no others of the crew; no firemen or stewards?
- No stewards whatever, sir.
9040. And no firemen or coal passers?
- Yes, sir; five firemen. They were put in by Mr. Murdoch.
9041. Before she was lowered from the davits?
- Yes, sir.
9042. When were you on the lookout?
- From 8 to 10, sir.
9043. Did you discover any icebergs?
- No, sir; we had the order at 9.30 from Mr. Lightoller to keep a sharp lookout for ice, and we passed it on at 10 o'clock.
9044. Were you in the crow's nest?
- Yes.
9045. It was a perfectly starlight night, and clear?
- Yes; it was a very clear night.
9046. How was the sea?
- It was calm, sir.
9047. You went from the crow's nest, after you struck the iceberg, and went down and reported to Mr. Murdoch.
- When I came from the crow's nest I went to my bunk and turned in, because it was my watch below from 10 to 2.
9048. Where were you when she struck the iceberg?
- I was asleep, sir.
9049. You came on deck immediately?
- Yes.
9050. Then were you assigned to any particular boat?
- My name was put in for No. 1. I went into No. 1, and from there I went to the other boats.
9051. After the lowering; when you had assisted in lowering the other boats?
- Yes, sir; after I had assisted in lowering the other boats, then I was ordered in my own boat.
9052. You say you made no attempt to save any other people after you were ordered to pull away from the ship by Mr. Murdoch?
- I pulled off, and then came back after the ship had gone down.
9053. And then there were no people there?
- No, sir; I never saw any.
9054. Is there any other incident that you wish to state that would be of interest to the public?
- No, sir; not that I know of.
9055. I would rather you would make the statement without any particular questions. You say there was no confusion, no excitement?
- None whatever, sir; it was just the same as if it was an everyday occurrence.
9056. Where was the captain at this time?
- The last I saw of him he was on the bridge, sir. That was just before I went away in boat No. 1.
9057. Mr. Murdoch was the first officer?
- Yes; he was in charge of the lowering of the boat.
9058. The captain was on the bridge?
- The last I saw of him; yes, sir.
(Witness Excused.
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