MR. ROSTRON: I have not got them with me; no, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Were they men or women?
MR. ROSTRON: Men. There were several ladies in the boats. They were slightly injured about the arms, and things of that kind, of course; although I must say, from the very start, all these people behaved magnificently. As each boat came alongside, everyone was calm, and they kept perfectly still in their boats. They were quiet and orderly, and each person came up the ladder, or was pulled up, in turn as they were told off. There was no confusion whatever among the passengers. They behaved magnificently­­every one of them.
As they came aboard they were, of course, attended to. My instructions had already been given to that effect.
SENATOR SMITH: Captain, how many lifeboats were there?
MR. ROSTRON: We had 15 lifeboats alongside with passengers in them.
SENATOR SMITH: Of both types?
MR. ROSTRON: Wait a moment, please. There were 15 lifeboats alongside. We accounted for those with passengers in them. There was one lifeboat that we saw that was close to the ship, but it had been abandoned, because it had got damaged, and was in a sinking condition. The officer had taken all the people out of that lifeboat, and left it absolutely vacant. There was no one in it. It was empty.
SENATOR SMITH: What type of boat was it?
MR. ROSTRON: That was a lifeboat. It had been damaged. We had two berthen boats.
MR. UHLER: Collapsible boats?
MR. ROSTRON: Hardly collapsible; it is a flat raft boat, with collapsible canvas sides, about two feet deep.
SENATOR SMITH: To hold how many people?
MR. ROSTRON: One of those boats would hold 60 to 75 comfortably.
SENATOR SMITH: How many of those were there?
MR. ROSTRON: We accounted for two. One of these Berthen boats we found amongst the wreckage, capsized. That was three.
SENATOR SMITH: As these boats were emptied, and the occupants taken aboard the Carpathia, what was done with the boats?
MR. ROSTRON: The boats were kept alongside.
SENATOR SMITH: Just in what shape were they left afloat, or were they in some way taken on the decks?
MR. ROSTRON: Yes, sir; I am going to tell you that now. As the people came out, we left the boats alongside. Of course lots of gear had been knocked out of the boats and thrown out of the way of the people as they were getting up; so, while they were holding this service and while I was cruising around, I had had all of my boats swung out, ready for lowering over, and while they were getting all the people aboard from the boats, I got the spare men and some of my officers, and swung my boats inboard again, and landed them on their blocks and secured them, and swung the davits out again, disconnected the falls again, and got up the Titanic's boats. While I was cruising around, I was also getting these boats up. I got seven of the Titanic's boats up in our davits, and six up on the forecastle head with the forward derricks; so that is 13 boats in all.
SENATOR SMITH: What did you do with these boats?
MR. ROSTRON: We pulled them up in the davits.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you bring them into port?
MR. ROSTRON: Yes; and last night, previous to coming into the dock, we got some tenders off and lowered all the boats in the water, and these tenders took them away. Where they took them I do not know. But we had three boats still left on the forecastle head, and they would have been put into the dock during the day.
SENATOR SMITH: Have you examined those boats personally?
MR. ROSTRON: I have only been in one or two of them; looked at them.
SENATOR SMITH: Can you tell from what you saw of them whether they were marked "Titanic"?
MR. ROSTRON: They were all marked "Titanic," as they came up.
SENATOR SMITH: Were they apparently new boats?
MR. ROSTRON: They were all brand new.
SENATOR SMITH: They were all brand new?
MR. ROSTRON: Yes; as far as I could see. They appeared to me to be absolutely new boats.
SENATOR SMITH: All conforming to the regulations of the British Board of Trade?
MR. ROSTRON: Absolutely.
SENATOR SMITH: And as good as you would have had if you were to specify them yourself?
MR. ROSTRON: Quite.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you see any bodies afloat, except as you have described?
MR. ROSTRON: Only one; no more ­ no others.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you have any information as to whether the passengers or crew of the Titanic had made use of their life preservers?
MR. ROSTRON: I had very little opportunity of being amongst the passengers or any of them. To tell you the truth, I have been on the bridge, or about my duties most of the time. I had, however, one or two conversations with the passengers on Tuesday afternoon. That was the only time I had anything to do with the people, and I heard then that all the people on the Titanic, as far as they could see, had life belts on. They had all been supplied with life belts.
SENATOR SMITH: I assume that you kept watch to see whether there was any of these people afloat?
MR. ROSTRON: Precisely. I was cruising all around the vicinity of the disaster.
SENATOR SMITH: How long did you cruise around there?
MR. ROSTRON: In the actual vicinity of the disaster?
SENATOR SMITH: Yes.
MR. ROSTRON: Half an hour.
SENATOR SMITH: During that time was there a swirl or any unnatural condition of the sea?
MR. ROSTRON: Nothing whatever. The wind and sea were then beginning to get up. There was a moderate breeze blowing then, and a little slop of the sea.
SENATOR SMITH: Have you any idea how much depth of water there was about that point?
MR. ROSTRON: Yes; about two thousand and odd fathoms.
SENATOR SMITH: Two thousand and odd fathoms?
MR. ROSTRON: Yes; I looked on the chart.
SENATOR SMITH: Have you concluded that you did not see the ill­fated ship at all?
MR. ROSTRON: Oh, no; we arrived an hour and a half after she went down; after the last of her was seen.
SENATOR SMITH: What was the last message you had from the ship?
MR. ROSTRON: "Engine room nearly full."
SENATOR SMITH: "Engine room nearly full?"
MR. ROSTRON: Yes.
SENATOR SMITH: At what hour was that?
MR. ROSTRON: That would have been about 1 o'clock. That would be 25 minutes after.
SENATOR SMITH: Was that all?
MR. ROSTRON: That was the last message we got. It was either "Engine room nearly full" or "Engine room full," or "Engine room filling." The exact words I could not give you. The impression was quite enough for me, as to the condition the ship was in.
SENATOR SMITH: And you then told them how near you were?
MR. ROSTRON: Yes. From the very first I sent a message to the Titanic telling them, "Coming immediately to your assistance. Expect to arrive half past 4­" No; it was, "Expect to arrive in four hours," because I had not then got up full speed.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you personally know the captain of the Titanic?
MR. ROSTRON: I knew him; yes.
SENATOR SMITH: How long had you known him?
MR. ROSTRON: I had met him 15 years ago. I have only met him about three times altogether.
SENATOR SMITH: In your company, who is the master of a ship at sea?
MR. ROSTRON: The captain.
SENATOR SMITH: In absolute control?
MR. ROSTRON: In absolute control, legal and otherwise. No one can interfere.
SENATOR SMITH: I suppose if this had not been so, you would not have felt it proper to have gone off your course quite so far?
MR. ROSTRON: Quite so.
SENATOR SMITH: Are there prescribed routes at sea that are so definite in their character as to be well understood by mariners?
MR. ROSTRON: They are. I may state this: That the position given me by the Titanic was absolutely correct and she was absolutely on her track, bound for New York.
SENATOR SMITH: What would you call that course, Captain, that the Titanic was taking for New York, as to whether it would be northerly or southerly?
MR. ROSTRON: Oh, she was then ­ I forget the true course now, but she had passed what we call the corner on the great circle. It is some years since I was in the North Atlantic trade. I have been in the Mediterranean trade, and I have forgotten­­
MR. UHLER: He is not speaking of your compass course.
MR. ROSTRON: I am giving the true course.
MR. UHLER: He is asking whether the Titanic was on the northerly course or the southerly route?
MR. ROSTRON: Oh. He was on the southerly route.
SENATOR SMITH: What do you mean by that?
MR. ROSTRON: He makes a great circle on the most southerly route, to avoid all ice, as nearly as possible. That is 42 north and 47 west. That is what we call the first corner. That is the great circle track from Queenstown down to the corner. From that he takes a straight course ­ I forget, now, the actual course.
SENATOR SMITH: Do you regard the route he was taking as entirely practical and appropriate at this time of the year?
MR. ROSTRON: Quite so. This is most exceptional.
SENATOR SMITH: Having the warning that icebergs were in that vicinity, could he, under those circumstances, have changed his course somewhat to avoid them?
MR. ROSTRON: That is impossible for me to tell. All I know is that he was on the track of the western bound steamers, on his proper track, where he ought to have been.
SENATOR SMITH: At this time of year?
MR. ROSTRON: At this time of year.
SENATOR SMITH: Is not that the shortest route from Liverpool to New York?
MR. ROSTRON: No; it is the longest.
SENATOR SMITH: The longest?
MR. ROSTRON: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: What would have been the shortest?
MR. ROSTRON: The shortest route is after August, if I remember right; from September to January. From September to January, I think, is the shortest route.
SENATOR SMITH: But what would that be?
MR. ROSTRON: Oh, well; up north.
SENATOR SMITH: How far north?
MR. ROSTRON: It would be probably a couple of hundred miles north.
SENATOR SMITH: Would you regard the course taken by the Titanic in this trial trip as appropriate and safe and wise at this time of the year?
MR. ROSTRON: Quite so.
SENATOR SMITH: What would be a safe, reasonable speed for a vessel of that size on such a course and in proximity of icebergs?
MR. ROSTRON: Of course I do not know the ship. I know absolutely nothing about her.
SENATOR SMITH: How would you have felt yourself about it? Suppose you had been taking that course with your ship; how fast would you have felt it prudent to go in such a situation?
MR. ROSTRON: I can only tell this, gentlemen, I knew there was ice about­­
SENATOR SMITH: How did you know it?
MR. ROSTRON: From the Titanic.
SENATOR SMITH: From the Titanic's message?
MR. ROSTRON: Precisely. He told me he had struck ice.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you know it any other way?
MR. ROSTRON: No, sir; that was the first intimation I had that there was ice there.
SENATOR SMITH: You did not know it until you saw it yourself?
MR. ROSTRON: I knew the Titanic had struck ice. Therefore, I was prepared to be in the vicinity of ice when I was getting near him, because if he had struck a berg and I was going to his position I knew very well that there must be ice about. I went full speed, all we could­­
SENATOR SMITH: You went full speed?
MR. ROSTRON: I did, and doubled my lookouts, and took extra precautions and exerted extra vigilance. Every possible care was taken. We were all on the qui vive.
SENATOR SMITH: You had a smaller ship, however, and it would respond more readily to a signal?
MR. ROSTRON: No.
SENATOR SMITH: Would it not?
MR. ROSTRON: No, sir; it would not. I do not maintain that, for one moment.
SENATOR SMITH: How many men were on the bridge, on the lookout, so to speak, in that situation, on your ship?
MR. ROSTRON: There were three officers with me: A quartermaster, one man in the crow's nest, and two men in the eyes of the shipt ­ that is, right forward on the deck, nearer to the water than the crow's nest.
SENATOR SMITH: Was that the ordinary complement, or did you put them there because of that danger?
MR. ROSTRON: I put an extra lookout on forward.
SENATOR SMITH: An extra lookout?
MR. ROSTRON: Yes; and the officer came up extra with me. I had another officer with me, extra. He came up voluntarily.
SENATOR SMITH: What would be the ordinary complement?
MR. ROSTRON: The ordinary complement of a night lookout, two men. We keep one in the crow's nest, and one in the eyes ­ that is, right forward.
SENATOR SMITH: Was there any special suffering of the Titanic's passengers after they got aboard the Carpathia?
MR. ROSTRON: I never heard of anything special. I can not give you any medical reports, as I have not received them yet. All I know is that the second day, Tuesday morning, the doctor came to me and said he was pleased to say there was an entirely clean bill of health.
SENATOR SMITH: No damage, so far as you know, was done by one to the other, and there was no trouble or difficulty?
MR. ROSTRON: No, no; none whatever. I never heard of anything of that kind; never.
SENATOR SMITH: How many lifeboats do you carry on the Carpathia?
MR. ROSTRON: We carry 20.
SENATOR SMITH: What is their capacity?
MR. ROSTRON: I am not prepared to say at the present moment. I can not say. I really forget.
SENATOR SMITH: Do you carry 20 in obedience to certain regulations of the British Board of Trade?
MR. ROSTRON: I think it is 20; yes.
SENATOR SMITH: What is your gross tonnage?
MR. ROSTRON: Thirteen thousand six hundred tons.
SENATOR SMITH: That is the total capacity of your ship, the tonnage?
MR. ROSTRON: Thirteen thousand six hundred.
SENATOR SMITH: What is it as to passengers?
MR. ROSTRON: I can not tell you. I have not come here with any data. I have not looked up anything, and was absolutely unprepared for any questions. I have been too busy.
SENATOR SMITH: What did you say was the tonnage of your ship?
MR. ROSTRON: Thirteen thousand six hundred tons.
SENATOR SMITH: What was the tonnage of the Titanic?
MR. UHLER: It was 45,629 tons.
SENATOR SMITH: Are these regulations of the British Board of Trade new regulations or old regulations?
MR. ROSTRON: They are of recent date.
SENATOR SMITH: The fact that, under these regulations, you are obliged to carry 20 lifeboats and the Titanic was only obliged to carry 20, with her additional tonnage, indicates either that these regulations were prescribed long ago­­
