SENATOR BOURNE: That is, the lights on the ship? Mr. ARCHER: Oh, yes; sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Did the bow lights go out first? Mr. ARCHER: They started to out from forward. SENATOR BOURNE: Did quite a number of the lights in the bow, or forward, go out at the same time? Mr. ARCHER: Yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Or were they gradually going out? Mr. ARCHER: Gradually worked along, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: From bow to stern? Mr. ARCHER: From bow to stern; yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Do you think the ship broke in two? Mr. ARCHER: Well, I could not say that, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: There was nothing that gave you such an impression? Mr. ARCHER: No, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: You were watching the ship all the time? Mr. ARCHER: Watching it settle down all the time; yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: How long a period elapsed from the time the lights began to out forward, and then aft, before all the lights went out? Two or three minutes or seconds? Mr. ARCHER: I should say three quarters of an hour. SENATOR BOURNE: You would? Mr. ARCHER: Yes, sir; from the time they first started to go out. SENATOR BOURNE: You were not familiar with the boiler rooms on the ship? Mr. ARCHER: No, sir; I never was in the boiler rooms at all. SENATOR BOURNE: Did you hear any cries after the lights went out? Mr. ARCHER: Yes, sir; when the ship went down she seemed to come up on end. SENATOR BOURNE: When she came up on end, the stern up in the air, was her keel visible? Did you see that? Mr. ARCHER: I could not say, sir, that I could see her keel. SENATOR BOURNE: Were the lights still visible on the stern? Mr. ARCHER: No, sir; the lights were out. SENATOR BOURNE: How, at that time in the morning, would it be possible for you to see that the stern was in the air and the bow down at a distance of a quarter of a mile? It was just a black object, was it not? Mr. ARCHER: Yes, sir; it was just a black mass. SENATOR BOURNE: What time, about, did you figure this was? Have you any idea? Mr. ARCHER: Well, I should say about 2 o'clock. SENATOR BOURNE: But that would be a guess on your part, would it? Mr. ARCHER: Yes, sir; about 2 o'clock. I had no watch to see any time, so it would be only a rough guess. SENATOR BOURNE: Then what did you do after the ship had sunk? Mr. ARCHER: It was spoken by one of the lady passengers to go back and see if there was anyone in the water we could pick up, but I never heard any more of it after that. SENATOR BOURNE: And the boat was in charge of the master­at­arms? Mr. ARCHER: The master­at­arms had charge of the boat. SENATOR BOURNE: Did this lady request you to go back? Mr. ARCHER: Yes, sir; she requested us to go back. SENATOR BOURNE: What did he say? Mr. ARCHER: I never did hear; I was in the forepart of the boat. SENATOR BOURNE: There were 50 people in the boat? Mr. ARCHER: Yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: And you were rowing? Mr. ARCHER: Yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Did any of the ladies in the boat ask to help to row or take a trick at the oar? Mr. ARCHER: There was one, a stewardess. SENATOR BOURNE: She tried to assist? Mr. ARCHER: She tried to assist. SENATOR BOURNE: And she did? Mr. ARCHER: She did do so. I told her it was not necessary for her to do it, but she said she would like to do it to keep herself warm. SENATOR BOURNE: Your boat was perfectly water­tight? Mr. ARCHER: Oh, yes; no water in it at all, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Then you stood by until the Carpathia rescued you all? Mr. ARCHER: And we fancied we saw a light, sir, and we started to pull toward that light for a time, and then, after we had been pulling for it half an hour, we saw the Carpathia's side lights. SENATOR BOURNE: Was it the Carpathia you thought you saw? Mr. ARCHER: Not in the first place. SENATOR BOURNE: What was that? Mr. ARCHER: We did not what became of that. When we saw the Carpathia, we turned to go back. I knew that was a steamboat of some kind, so we turned and made back towards the Carpathia. Of course, it turned out to be the Carpathia. We did not at the time what ship it was, but I knew it was a steamboat of some kind. SENATOR BOURNE: Were any of your people transferred from your boat after you lowered her, or taken from the water by you? Mr. ARCHER: Yes, sir; one fireman. There was one fireman found in the boat after we got clear. I do not know how he came there. SENATOR BOURNE: Was he taken out of the water? Mr. ARCHER: No, sir; I do not know how he come in the boat. He was transferred from another boat, I think it was No. 9, after we were pulling toward the Carpathia. SENATOR BOURNE: Why was he transferred; to help row the other boat? Mr. ARCHER: Yes, sir; to help row the other. I believe that there was only one other able seaman in it. SENATOR BOURNE: Do you know his name? Mr. ARCHER: The fireman's? SENATOR BOURNE: Yes. Mr. ARCHER: No, sir; I do not. SENATOR BOURNE: What were your duties at sea? Mr. ARCHER: Keeping the ship clean; washing the paint work; scrubbing and keeping the deck clean. SENATOR BOURNE: Thank you, Mr. Archer. Witness excused. TESTIMONY OF MR. W. BRICE. [Testimony taken separately before Senator Bourne on behalf of the subcommittee.] The witness was sworn by Senator Bourne. SENATOR BOURNE: Kindly state your age. Mr. BRICE: Forty­two. SENATOR BOURNE: And your residence? Mr. BRICE: Eleven Lower Canal Walk, Southampton. SENATOR BOURNE: And your occupation? Mr. BRICE: Seaman, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Able­bodied seaman? Mr. BRICE: Able­bodied seaman. SENATOR BOURNE: How long have you been rated as a first­class able­bodied seaman? Mr. BRICE: Twenty­two years, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Have you been on sailing ships or steamships all the time? Mr. BRICE: Sailing and steam ships. SENATOR BOURNE: Both? Mr. BRICE: Yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: How long have you been with the White Star Co.? Mr. BRICE: I have been in three ships. SENATOR BOURNE: What ships? Mr. BRICE: The Majestic ­ twice in her ­ the Oceanic, and the Titanic. SENATOR BOURNE: When did you join the Titanic? Mr. BRICE: On Monday, sir. I signed on Monday and joined her on Wednesday. SENATOR BOURNE: You were on her at the time of the accident? Mr. BRICE: Yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Were you on watch when the accident occurred? Mr. BRICE: I was on watch, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: How long watch did they have on the Titanic? Mr. BRICE: Four hours, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Four on and four off? Mr. BRICE: Four on, sir, and four off, with the exception of double watches. Then you go two on and two off. SENATOR BOURNE: That is customary in all boats? Mr. BRICE: Yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: What time did you go on watch on the day the accident occurred? Mr. BRICE: 8 o'clock. SENATOR BOURNE: You were on until 12? Mr. BRICE: On until 12. SENATOR BOURNE: Where were you at the time of the accident? Mr. BRICE: Outside of the seamen's mess room, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: What was your duty during that watch? Mr. BRICE: We were doing nothing, sir, as it was Sunday night. SENATOR BOURNE: If it had been a week night what would you have been your duty? Mr. BRICE: We would have been washing the deck, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Even though it was between 10 and 12 o'clock at night you would have been washing the deck? Mr. BRICE: Yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: On Sunday nights you do not do that? Mr. BRICE: They excuse us from washing deck Sunday night. SENATOR BOURNE: Will you kindly tell in your own way what occurred, and what impression it made on your mind, a the time of the occurrence of the accident, and what followed afterwards until you left the ship? Mr. BRICE: I went outside of the seamen's mess room when I heard a crash and felt the effect of the crash, as it were­­ SENATOR BOURNE: How severe a motion was it? Did it throw you off of your feet, at all? Mr. BRICE: No, sir. It was like a heavy vibration. It was not a violent shock. SENATOR BOURNE: There was no jar? Mr. BRICE: No, sir; not a bad jar, as you would call it. SENATOR BOURNE: But it made a noise? Mr. BRICE: A rumbling noise, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: That continued how long? Mr. BRICE: About 10 seconds; somewhere about that. SENATOR BOURNE: What did you think it was? Mr. BRICE: I had no idea, sir, at the time, until I went on the forewell deck and saw ice on the deck. SENATOR BOURNE: Which was your boat? Mr. BRICE: No. 11 boat, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: That was your boat to which you were allotted when you joined the ship? Mr. BRICE: Yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: How soon after you joined the ship did you receive notice of your allotment to No. 11? Mr. BRICE: I joined the ship, and the lists were put up about Friday, you might say, sir; I will not be sure. SENATOR BOURNE: Was there any notice posted that any boat drill was to take place? Mr. BRICE: The only boat drill, sir, was on the day of leaving. SENATOR BOURNE: No notice was posted as to drills? Mr. BRICE: There was one notice given for the emergency boat crews. There were men told off. SENATOR BOURNE: What day was the notice posted for the emergency­boat drill? Mr. BRICE: That would be the same day, Thursday morning; they were told off for the emergency­crew in case of accident. They were mustered at the boats every evening at 6 o'clock; mustered by a junior officer, and then dismissed. SENATOR BOURNE: After you went to No. 11 boat, what did you do? Mr. BRICE: The boat was filled from A deck, sir; there was an officer said, "Is there a sailor in the boat?" Which officer it was I could not say, amongst the crowd. There was only one officer that I knew, and that was Mr. Lightoller. There was no answer. I jumped out and went down the fall into the bow of the boat. There was nobody in the stern of the boat. I went aft and shipped the rudder, and in that time the boat had been filled with women and children. SENATOR BOURNE: But before it was lowered? Mr. BRICE: It was lowered to A deck, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: You went down the fall, from where you were, down to A deck? Mr. BRICE: Yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: And shipped the rudder? Mr. BRICE: Shipped the rudder, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Then you helped load the boat with women and children? Mr. BRICE: No, sir; I was in the boat. SENATOR BOURNE: I said you helped load it? Mr. BRICE: No, sir; I was shipping the rudder, sir, during the time the boat was being filled. SENATOR BOURNE: Were you in the boat when it was lowered from the boat deck to A deck? Mr. BRICE: I helped to lower the boat from the boat deck to A deck. SENATOR BOURNE: You helped to lower the boat from the boat deck to A deck? Mr. BRICE: Yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Then you went down the fall. Mr. BRICE: Yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: And you went aft and began shipping the rudder? Mr. BRICE: I went aft and began shipping the rudder, and during the time I was shipping the rudder the boat was being filled. They lowered the boat, sir. We had a bit of difficulty in keeping the boat clear of an outlet, a big body of water coming from the ship's side. The after block got jammed, but I think that must have been on account of the trip not being pushed right down to disconnect the block from the boat. We managed to keep the boat clear from this body of water coming from the ship's side. SENATOR BOURNE: What was this body of water coming from the ship's side? Was it bilge water or what was it? Mr. BRICE: It was the pump discharge. SENATOR BOURNE: When what? Mr. BRICE: When we got the block clear of the boat, we pulled away from the ship. SENATOR BOURNE: Did the officer know that you were in the boat? Mr. BRICE: Well, I do not know which officer it was, sir, because I could not see who it was. SENATOR BOURNE: Did you have your complement in that boat that you were in the stern of? Mr. BRICE: I was in the bow of the boat in the first place, and then I went to the stern, and there I remained. SENATOR BOURNE: When did the man who was in the bow of the boat get in? Did he get in on the A deck? Mr. BRICE: He was not in the boat above the A deck. He must have got in from the A deck. SENATOR BOURNE: There were only two seamen in the boat, then? Mr. BRICE: Two seamen. SENATOR BOURNE: Were there any others besides those and the women and children already in? Mr. BRICE: Only a fireman and about six stewards. SENATOR BOURNE: They were directed by the officer to get in? Mr. BRICE: I could not say, sir. I was busy shipping the rudder during the time the boat was being filled. SENATOR BOURNE: How many passengers did you get into No. 11 boat? Mr. BRICE: About 60, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Sixty? Mr. BRICE: Yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Then you had, besides 60 passengers­­ Mr. BRICE: I mean 60 all told, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Fifty­two passengers, 6 stewards, yourself, and your mate. Mr. BRICE: And one fireman, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Then you had only 51 passengers? Mr. BRICE: Yes. SENATOR BOURNE: Were there any women or children who tried to get into the boat, who were unable to do so? Mr. BRICE: Not that I saw, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Or any other passengers? Mr. BRICE: No, sir; there was no rush, or any panic whatever, that I saw. Everything was done quietly. SENATOR BOURNE: There was perfect order and discipline? Mr. BRICE: Yes, sir SENATOR BOURNE: Were the other boats, or any of the other boats, loaded from the A deck, except your boat, No. 11? Mr. BRICE: No. 9 went out from A deck. I lowered the boat from the boat deck to A deck ­ No. 9. When it was loaded, I lowered it to the water. SENATOR BOURNE: You lowered it; but I say were any of the other boats filled with passengers from the A deck? Mr. BRICE: I think they were all lowered to A deck, as it was easier for passengers to get in from A deck. SENATOR BOURNE: Then the passengers got aboard from A deck? Mr. BRICE: Yes, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: Who had charge of the boat? Mr. BRICE: Mr. Humphreys. SENATOR BOURNE: What was his position? Mr. BRICE: He was an able seaman. SENATOR BOURNE: Who designated him to take charge of the boat, an officer? Mr. BRICE: No, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: He took charge? Mr. BRICE: He took charge himself. SENATOR BOURNE: Why did he take charge in preference to you? Did he rank you? Mr. BRICE: No, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: You were equal in rank? Mr. BRICE: The only difference was that he was on the saloon deck. SENATOR BOURNE: He took charge? Mr. BRICE: He took charge. SENATOR BOURNE: What did you do after you reached the water with the boat? Mr. BRICE: We pulled away from the ship, sir. SENATOR BOURNE: How far? Mr. BRICE: I suppose about a quarter of a mile from the ship. SENATOR BOURNE: Under Mr. Humphreys' direction, or were you directed from the ship? Mr. BRICE: Under our own direction. We had nobody to give us any orders at all. SENATOR BOURNE: You pulled away about a quarter of a mile? Mr. BRICE: Yes, sir.