Voices from the Titanic (66 page)

George Frederick Stewart, the Chief Officer of the
Californian
, was the next witness. Asked why there was no reference to the distress signals in the log, Stewart was understood to reply that it might have been forgotten.

‘Do you think a careful man is likely to forget distress signals?' – ‘No, my Lord.'

Lord Mersey: ‘Then don't talk to me about forgetfulness.'

The Chief Officer added that he never questioned the Second Officer about the absence of any reference to the distress signals in the log. Stewart was questioned about the unknown steamer seen in the morning. He said it had four masts and one funnel. He had been unable to find out her name.

Cyril Evans, the Marconi operator on the
Californian
, said that on the Sunday evening he told the captain that the
Titanic
was near. The captain told him to let the
Titanic
know that the
Californian
was stopped and surrounded by ice.

About 11 o'clock he called up the
Titanic
, but, as the
Titanic
operator was sending private messages to Cape Race, he was told to ‘keep out'. The
Californian
's signals, Evans explained, would obliterate those from Cape Race.

Evans said he turned in about 11.30. He remembered Mr Groves visiting the Marconi room after midnight. Evans said he would have sent a call at any time during the night had he been asked.

(
Daily Sketch
, 16 May 1912)

Third-class steward
John Hart
, a thirty-one-year-old Londoner, was responsible for the welfare of around fifty-eight steerage passengers on E deck. Thinking the collision to be a trivial affair, he went to sleep, only to be stirred by the chief third-class steward, Mr Kiernan.

‘He said, “Get your people roused up and get lifebelts placed upon them.” '

‘Did you knock them all up?' – ‘Yes.'

‘Were most of them up or were they asleep?' – ‘The majority were up. They had been aroused before I got there.'

‘And what did you do about the lifebelts?' – ‘I saw the lifebelts placed on them that were willing to have them put on.'

‘Some would not put them on?' – ‘Some refused to put them on. They said they saw no occasion for putting them on; they did not believe the ship was hurt in any way. After that there was a large number of men coming from the forward part of the ship with their baggage – those that were berthed third-class up forward. When I saw that my own people had the required number of lifebelts – or those who were willing to have them – I placed the remainder of the lifebelts in one of the alleyways beside which these people would have to pass, in case any came through without lifebelts from the forward part of the boat. I waited about there with my own people, trying to show them that the vessel was not hurt to any extent to my knowledge, and waited for further orders. After some little while the word came down, “Pass your women up on the boat deck.” Those that were willing to go to the boat deck were shown the way. Some were not willing, and stayed behind. Some of them went to the boat deck and found it rather cold, and saw the boats being lowered away, and thought themselves more secure on the ship, and consequently returned to their cabin. I heard two or three say they preferred to remain on the ship than be tossed about on the water like a cockle shell.'

‘This would be about 12.30?' – ‘Yes.'

‘How did you take them?' – ‘I took them along to the next deck, the C deck, the first saloon deck. I took them along to the first-class main companion from there.'

‘At that time, when you took up your people by that route, was there any barrier that had to be opened?' – ‘There were barriers that at ordinary times are closed, but they were open.'

‘How many people of your lot did you take up the first time you went up this course to the boat deck?' – ‘Somewhere about thirty, all women and children of the third-class. I took them to boat No. 8, which at that time was being lowered. I left them there and went back again, but on the way of my getting back other passengers were coming along, third-class passengers. They were also being shown the way to the boats. Amongst them were females – the husbands and fathers were with them.'

‘Did you bring up any more?' – ‘I had some little trouble in getting back owing to the males wanting to get to the boat deck. After the word was passed around for women and children, I was delayed a little time in getting a little band together that were willing to go to the boats.'

‘A band of women and children?' – ‘Yes.'

‘How many did you gather?' – ‘Somewhere about twenty-five.'

‘Were those all people from the rooms you were responsible for?' – ‘No, also from other sections.'

‘Were they all third-class passengers?' – ‘Yes. I took them to the only boat that was left then on the starboard side of the ship, boat No. 15. They got in from the boat deck. Mr Murdoch said: “What are you?” I said: “One of the crew. I have just brought these people up.” He said: “Go ahead; get into the boat with them.” The boat was then lowered to A deck. We there took in about five women, three children, and one man. He had a baby in his arms.'

‘When you left the third-class part of the ship the second time, the last time, were there any more third-class passengers down there?' – ‘Yes, there were some that would not come to the deck. They would not leave their apartments.'

‘By that time you at any rate had realized that this was a very serious accident?' – ‘Yes, but they would not be convinced.'

‘Did you do your best to convince them?' – ‘Everybody did their best.'

‘On this second journey of yours, the last journey, did you see other stewards engaged in getting people?' – ‘Yes, I met several on the deck directing them the way to the boat deck. There was one man at the foot of the companion leading from the sleeping accommodation to the after-well deck; there was one man at the end of the companion leading from the well-deck to the E deck; and there were others along the saloon and second cabin deck showing them the way to the boat deck. So there was no difficulty for anybody who wanted to get to the boats to find their way there.'

Mr Harbinson (for the third-class passengers): ‘I should like to know what are the means employed to prevent the third-class passengers during the voyage from straying into the first and second-class decks and quarters of the ship. First, are there two collapsible gates?' – ‘Yes, gates that can be removed. Dividing the third-class deck there is a companion; dividing the second-class deck and the first-class deck there is a barrier.'

‘Are those kept fastened during the course of a voyage – the barrier and the companion?' – ‘No.'

‘Are they open?' – ‘Well, the barrier that lifts over and the gate that fixes in you can just take it out with your hand. It is never locked.'

‘So that at any time a third-class passenger, by pushing the gate or raising the barrier, can go to the second-class deck or the first-class deck. Is that right?' – ‘That is correct. That is, of course, if there is nobody there on watch. There is usually a quartermaster standing by there or a seaman.'

‘Have you ever seen those gates locked?' – ‘No.'

‘Do I gather rightly from you that it was a considerable time after the chief third-class steward had told you to rouse up your people that you went about reassuring these people and telling them that the vessel was not hurt?' – ‘No. Right from the very first we were trying to convince the people that she was not hurt.'

‘Why did you, upon your own authority, go round and tell them that the vessel was not hurt?' – ‘It was not on my own authority at all.'

‘Who told you to do that?' – ‘The chief third-class steward told me to get my people about, as quietly as possible.'

‘Why did he tell you to get them up?' – ‘I cannot answer why he did; I take it, on account of the collision. He must have had word that there had been an accident.'

‘And, knowing from him that there must have been an accident, and that he considered the accident was of such a character that these people should be roused, you went round among them, and tried to assure them that the vessel was not hurt?' – ‘In the first place.'

‘Why did you do that?' – ‘Because it was my instructions to.'

‘I put it to you that as a result of these assurances given to the people, they refused to leave their berths?' – ‘I do not think so.'

‘It is a considerable distance, is it not, from the aft part of the ship to the boat deck?' – ‘Yes.'

‘You have told us that you saw a number of stewards placed at various portions to direct the third-class passengers how they were to go?' – ‘Yes. I passed about five or six on the starboard side.'

‘Who else besides you were bringing the people from their berths?' – ‘Almost eight. A portion of the third-class stewards were room stewards, of whom I am the only survivor.'

‘You told us about a rush of men from the front part of the ship coming aft?' – ‘Yes.'

‘Why do you think they were coming aft?' – ‘Because the forward section had already taken water.'

‘And that was the only way they could escape?' – ‘Not necessarily, no. They could escape from the fore part of the ship.'

‘Up the companion ladder would have been the nearest way for them, would it not?' – ‘Yes.'

‘But they did not do that; they chose the other way. That is rather curious, is it not?' – ‘No.'

‘That is to say, they go the whole length of the ship and come up from the well deck at the back rather than go up the companion ladder leading from the fore deck to the boat deck?' – ‘Perhaps the people did not stop to think where they were going to.'

‘If there had been anybody to show them, they would not have had occasion to think?' – ‘That may be so.'

‘According to you, all the women and children from the aft part of the boat who were taken up and who wanted to escape could have done so?' – ‘I do not doubt that for a moment.'

‘Can you explain, that being so, how it was that 55 per cent of the women of the third-class were drowned?' – ‘I cannot account for it. No, sir.'

(British Inquiry, 16 May 1912)

Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon
defended his conduct on the night of the sinking.

Sir Cosmo said he was asleep at the time of the collision.

‘What were your wife and Miss Francatelli [her secretary] doing when the boats were being manned?' – ‘Standing on the deck. They refused to go. My wife refused to leave me.'

‘Did anyone attempt to place your wife into one of the lifeboats?' – ‘Yes. Some men got hold of her and tried to pull her away, but she would not go. Later my wife said to me, “Ought we not to do something?” I said, “No. We have got to wait for orders.” '

‘Then did you hear any orders given with reference to No. 1 boat?' – ‘Yes. One of the officers said, “Man the emergency boat,” and then he told a number of the crew to get in. I then spoke to him and said, “May we get in that boat?” And he said, “Yes, I wish you would,” or “Very glad if you would,” or some expression like that. There were no other passengers at all. I think he then told two or three other firemen that they might just as well get in.'

‘When the boat was lowered did you think the
Titanic
was in danger?' – ‘I thought it was in a very grave condition.'

‘When the
Titanic
went down did you hear a cry?' – ‘I heard a wail, one confused sound.'

‘They were the cries of persons drowning. There is no doubt about that?' – ‘Yes, I think so.'

‘Did it occur to you that there was room in the boat and that if you could get to the people you could save some?' – ‘It is difficult to say what occurred. I was minding my wife, and the conditions were abnormal. It might well have occurred to one that they could have been saved by a boat.'

‘And that there was room in your boat?' – ‘I think it was possible.'

‘Did you hear a suggestion that the boat should go back to where the cries came from?' – ‘No, I did not.'

‘Did not you think about whether or not your boat would be able to save people in the water?' – ‘I do not know. It might have been possible, but it would be very difficult to get back the distance we were away in that darkness.'

‘Did you hear one of the ladies say anything about the danger of being swamped?' – ‘No, I did not.'

‘No thought entered your mind at the time that you ought to go back and try to save some of those people?' – ‘No, I suppose not.'

(
Daily Graphic
, 18 May 1912)