JAMES MCEWEN,
engineer, Empress of Ireland,
Sworn.
By Mr. Aspinall:
3938. Were you an engineer on the Empress of Ireland at the time of this disaster?
- I was.
3939. What position did you hold?
- Junior fourth engineer.
3940. I am afraid you have just come out of the hospital haven’t you, Mr. McEwen?
- I have.
3941. Well just do your best, will you - do you hold a first-class certificate?
- I do.
3942. Were you on duty at the time of the accident?
- I was.
3943. Where were you on duty?
- In the aft section of the boilers.
By Lord Mersey :
3944. That means the aft boiler space, I suppose?
- Yes, my Lord.
3945. Would you like to sit down?
- No, my Lord.
By Mr. Aspinall:
3946. What called your attention to the fact that there was a collision?
- The crash.
3947. There was a crash?
- Yes.
3948. Did you see anything after the crash?
- When I walked through into No. 3 stokehold, I could see nothing for coal dust.
3949. I understand that you did walk through into No. 3 stokehold?
- Yes.
3950. Was that forward of where you were standing or aft?
- Forward.
3951. You walked forward?
- Yes.
3952. And you saw nothing?
- I could see nothing for coal dust.
3953. Did you later on see something?
- I walked over to the starboard side.
3954. Yes?
- There was something blowing pretty bad there.
3955. Something blowing you say?
- Yes, sir.
3956. What do you suggest was blowing, or did you find out?
- Yes, there was steam or feed-water.
3957. In this space?
- Yes.
3958. Did you see anything more?
- I walked over to see if I could see what it was.
3959. Yes?
- And the water poured down out of the bunker.
3960. You saw water pouring down out of the bunker?
- Yes.
3961. Well, what was it coming through, the side of the bunker or through the door in the bunker?
- Through the bunker door.
3962. And was it coming in a large volume through this bunker door?
- It was coming down like a wall of water.
3963. And did you see anything more?
- I didn’t wait to see. I ran for my life, that’s what I did.
3964. Where did you run to?
- I ran to the engine room.
3965. Aft?
- Yes.
3966. And where did you get to?
- Under the engine room platform.
3967. Did you get into the engine-room?
- Yes.
3968. And how did you get into the engine room?
- Through the path between the engine room and . . . .
3969. Is there a sort of covered passage there?
- Yes.
3970. And having got into the engine room you found yourself where?
- On the starting platform.
3971. And what did you do then?
- I informed the senior engineer that the stokeholds were flooded.
3972. And having informed him of that what did you next do?
- By this time the water was pouring in it was coming into the engine room.
3973. Well now I want you tell me where it was coming into the engine room from?
- It was coming from the stokehold.
3974. And through what was it coming into the engine room?
- Through the door.
3975. Where is the door you speak of?
- At the end of the passage leading into the stokehold.
3976. At the end of the passage there is a door between the engine-room space and the boiler-room space?
- Yes.
3977. Is that one of the water-tight doors?
- It is.
3978. Where is that door operated from?
- From the top of the platform in the engine-room.
3979. Well now, when you saw this inrush of water, was there any attempt made, so far as you know, to shut that door?
- Yes.
3980. Now will you tell me what was done with regard to shutting that door?
- As soon as I spoke about the stokehold being flooded the order was given to shut the door.
3981. By whom was that order given?
- By Mr. Brennan or Mr. Liddell, or some engineer on the platform.
3982. And to whom was the order given?
- To the greasers.
3983. What was done after that order had been given and received?
- The door started to come down right away.
3984. Were there two men there, two greasers?
- Two greasers.
3985. Did they obey the order?
- Yes.
3986. And you saw the door coming down?
- I did.
3987. And was it closed?
- It was closed.
3988. And did that prevent the rush of the water into the engine room space?
- It stopped it altogether.
[TIP NOTE: The original transcript skips from 3988 to 3999.]
3999. What did you do next or see?
- I went up the engine room ladder.
4000. Up to where?
- I went up the engine-room ladder with the intention of going around forward to see how the forward section of the boilers - to see how the engineer of the forward section of the boilers was getting along.
4001. Did you get into the forward section?
- No, I met him coming along the alley-way.
4002. You met whom?
- Mr. O’Donovan.
4003. And what did you do after meeting him?
- He told me he was flooded out.
4004. When he told you that, what information did it convey to you - that the forward space was flooded out?
- Yes.
4005. Which part did you think he referred to?
- The two stokeholds forward.
4006. After he gave you that information what did you do then?
- We went down - somebody sang out to shut the water-tight door.
4007. Do you know who that was?
- No.
4008. It was a voice, which you could not identify?
- Yes.
4009. And what did you do after you heard that?
- I went down in the steerage with the intention of shutting -
4010. First of all, in what part of the steerage did you go?
- I went into the steerage dining-room.
4011. Yes, we have heard of that, the third-class or steerage dining-room?
- Yes.
4012. What is there in that steerage dining-room which will enable you to shut water-tight doors?
- The gearing for shutting the door.
4013. The gearing that operates a water-tight door?
- Yes.
4014. And where is the water-tight door which that gearing operates?
- Between the two boiler-rooms.
4015. Did you operate that gear?
- No.
4016. Why was that?
- I couldn’t get down to it.
4017. Why couldn’t you get down?
- The water.
4018. Where was this water you speak of which prevented you getting into the third class dining-room?
- In the passage.
4019. Which passage?
- In the deck below.
4020. In the deck below the floor of the third-class dining-room?
- The same deck, but the doors were below where the working alleyway is.
4021. The same deck as the third-class dining-room?
- Yes.
4022. Was this water forward of this third-class or steerage saloon, or aft of it - this dining-room?
- It was in the alleyway aft of the dining room.
4023. This alley-way is aft?
- Yes.
4024. And that prevented you getting into this third-class saloon?
- Yes.
4025. As far as you know did anybody ever succeed in getting into the third-class saloon to operate this machinery for shutting the doors?
- No.
4026. You think not?
- No.
4027. What did you do after you found you couldn’t get into the third-class dining-room?
- I went down to the engine-room again.
4028. You returned to the engine-room?
- Yes.
4029. What did you find when you got back there?
- I found all the engineers on the platform.
4030. The men were still at their positions?
- Yes.
4031. Were the lights on then or were they out?
- Burning very low.
4032. Did you do anything after you got back to the engine-room?
- No.
4033. Did you remain there?
- Yes.
4034. For how long - it was a matter of a few moments, I suppose?
- Yes.
4035. And then what next happened?
- We were ordered up.
4036. Somebody gave an order to clear out?
- Yes.
4037. Had the ship listed a good deal by this time?
- Yes, a great deal.
4038. The ship had listed a great deal and you were ordered to clear out?
- Yes.
4039. And then did you and the rest of the men leave, the engine-room?
- We did.
4030. Where did you go to?
- I went to my room.
4041. Where is your room -
- On the top of the engine-room.
4042. Did you go to get something there?
- I put on a jacket.
4043. And having got the jacket did you then go out?
- Yes.
4044. Where did you go, to the boat deck?
- Along the alleyway to try and get on deck.
4045. Did you get to the deck?
- After a great deal of trouble. The decks by this time were nearly perpendicular.
4046. And you got up eventually?
- Yes.
4047. And eventually were saved?
- Yes.
4048. Is that all you know about it which will throw any light on the matter?
- I believe so.
By Mr. Haight:
4049. As I understand you, Mr. McEwen, the point of contact was forward of the position where you stood at the time the jar came?
- Yes.
4050. Were you thrown off your feet or seriously thrown off your equilibrium when the jar came?
- I was just shaken a bit.
4051. The steerage dining-room where the gear was connected with one of those water-tight doors, was that above the normal water line of the ship, or below it?
- Above the normal water line.
4052. So that by the time you got on to the level of the steerage dining-room, the steamer had filled so rapidly that the deck of the dining-room was flooded, and there was so much water there you couldn’t get even to the gear?
- One side of it.
4053. Well, is this gear amidships or on the side?
- Amidships.
4054. And the passage from which you would work the gear was amidships?
- Yes.
4055. And in that vessel there was already so much water that you couldn’t get to the gear?
- Yes.
4056. How high is the gear from the floor?
- A few feet.
4057. About three feet, I suppose?
- Yes, a nice height.
4058. So there were more than three feet of water already in that passage by the time you could get there?
- No.
By Lord Mersey:
4059. Well, what height was the water with reference to your body . . . were you standing in water up to there (indicating)?
- No, the deck at this time had a big list.
4060. But this steering gear, as I understand it, was amidships?
- Yes.
Mr. Haight:
The steerage dining-room level was under water, I understand.
Lord Mersey:
I understood you were asking him whether the water prevented him turning this gear?
Mr. Haight:
Yes, my Lord.
Lord Mersey:
And you were asking him how high the water was?
Mr. Haight:
Yes, my Lord.
Lord Mersey:
Well, if he was up against the gear, where there were three or four feet of water, he must have been standing in three or four feet of water.
Mr. Haight:
I supposed he was.
By Lord Mersey:
4061. Were you ever standing in three or four feet of water on that ship?
- I stopped before I could get to the gear.
By Mr. Haight:
4062. I understood you to say that because of the water you couldn’t get to the gear. Perhaps I misunderstood you?
- Yes, because of the water.
4063. Will you please explain how it was that the water kept you from the gear and how much water there was in the vicinity of the gear?
- The deck was at a big list, and walking along a deck with a big list, and with a few inches of water upon it, is almost impossible.
4064. So that the passage where the gear was had not been flooded then?
- There was water in the alleyway.
By Chief Justice McLeod:
4065. That is the alleyway leading to the steerage dining room?
- Yes.
By Lord Mersey:
4066. I wish we could see on a plan where this alleyway is. It is an alleyway, as I understand, on a level with the dining room of the steerage, is that so? Do you follow what I mean . . . . when you walk along this alleyway, do you get on the floor of the dining-room of-the steerage?
- Yes.
4067. Now, another thing I want to know, is this alleyway and is the dining room called the dining room of the steerage, above the top of the water-tight compartments?
- Yes.
4068. Are they above the water-tight compartment bulkheads?
Mr. Aspinall:
Yes, my Lord, I believe so.
Lord Mersey:
Then there was water which had run over the top of the watertight bulkheads. And where would it flow now?
Mr. Aspinall:
My Lord, it is then absolutely at large to flow anywhere, there is nothing to confine it.
Lord Mersey:
But what I mean is this, the moment the water gets above the level of the bulkheads, there is nothing to prevent that ship going to the bottom?
Mr. Aspinall:
No, my Lord, the water then is free to flow wherever it may.
Lord Mersey:
And am I to understand this witness to say that he saw water which must have been above the top of the water-tight bulkheads, and must therefore have been flooding the whole ship?
Mr. Aspinall:
As I understand his evidence, the answer is, yes, on that side of the ship.
By Lord Mersey:
4069. Have you been listening to what I was saying?
- Yes, my Lord.
4070. Now, don’t say so unless you are quite sure, but is what I am saying right?
- I am not quite sure about the steerage dining room being above the water-tight bulkheads.
Lord Mersey:
Well some one can tell us that.
Mr. Hillhouse:
The steerage dining room floor is not above the top of the water-tight bulkheads my Lord.
Lord Mersey:
How far is it below?
Mr. Hillhouse:
Eight feet.
Lord Mersey:
So I am to understand that it is eight feet below the top of the water-tight bulkheads?
Mr. Hillhouse:
Yes, my Lord.
By Lord Mersey:
4071. Have you been following this, Mr. McEwen?
- Yes, my Lord.
4072. Now you say that there was water in the alley way, which I am told is eight feet below the top of the water-tight bulkheads?
- There was.
Lord Mersey:
Well, the alley-way is eight feet below the top of the water-tight bulkheads, that is the floor of the alley-way, and the water was coming in there. Now as soon as it got up eight feet higher, it would go over the top of the bulkheads.
Mr. Hillhouse:
Yes, my Lord.
Lord Mersey:
And the moment the water reached the top of the bulkheads this ship was a lost ship?
Mr. Hillhouse:
Yes, My Lord.
Lord Mersey:
There was no hope for her at all?
Mr. Hillhouse:
No, my Lord.
Lord Mersey:
And this man has just stated that very soon after the impact he found water in the alley-way which was only eight feet below the top of the bulkheads - as soon as the water in the compartment rose another eight feet there was an end of the ship.
Mr. Hillhouse:
Yes, my Lord.
Lord Mersey:
Well, Mr. Haight, have you finished with Mr. McEwen?
Mr. Haight:
I have, my Lord.
Lord Mersey:
We are now on a part of the case which I do not understand very well, and I am relying more, or less upon you, gentlemen.
Mr. Aspinall:
I am relying on Mr. Newcombe for this part of the case. He undertook it yesterday, if your Lordship will remember.
Lord Mersey:
Well, I have one more question to ask the witness.
4073. Can you give us any idea of the list of the steamer? I don’t want you to say so unless you can remember it, but if you can remember it, I wish you would tell us?
- I cannot.