MR. PITMAN: You are speaking about the 24 hours previous; you are talking about Saturday night?
SENATOR SMITH: I am.
MR. PITMAN: None that night; no.
SENATOR SMITH: Nor at any other time?
MR. PITMAN: No; because we were not in the ice region.
SENATOR SMITH: Can you indicate what, if any, progress the ship made in speed after the collision?
MR. PITMAN: Any progress she made? I do not follow you.
SENATOR SMITH: I want to know whether the engines were reversed and the ship was permitted to drift, or whether she kept under her power.
MR. PITMAN: Oh, as far as I heard, she went full astern immediately after the collision.
SENATOR SMITH: She reversed her engines?
MR. PITMAN: She reversed her engines and went full astern.
SENATOR SMITH: She reversed her engines, then, and receded from the point of contact?
MR. PITMAN: She was past it then, I think. We brought the ship to a standstill.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you ever see that ship move after it was brought to a standstill, except when it sank in the sea?
MR. PITMAN: I did not, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: To the best of your knowledge, did it move?
MR. PITMAN: She did not move.
SENATOR FLETCHER: She must have gone down right near the iceberg?
MR. PITMAN: No; she must have gone a far distance past it. Her speed would take her some distance.
SENATOR NEWLANDS: Within what distance could the Titanic come to a stop, going at the rate of 21 knots an hour?
MR. PITMAN: It would be very hard to say, because we never tried.
SENATOR NEWLANDS: Judging from the action of ships of that size, or of large ships, within what distance could a ship come to a stop?
MR. PITMAN: I never tried it, sir. That would vary considerably according to the state of the sea and the wind.
SENATOR SMITH: I want to clear up a few things for the record before you step aside. Mr. Boxhall testified that the ship struck in latitude 41-degrees 46-minutes, longitude 50-degrees 14-minutes.
MR. PITMAN: That is the position that he gave to the Carpathia.
SENATOR SMITH: How was that determined?
MR. PITMAN: From the star position, worked from half past 7.
SENATOR SMITH: In any other manner?
MR. PITMAN: No; that was worked out, I understand, from the star position at half past 7.
SENATOR SMITH: What was the ship's course when she struck? I think you testified to it, but I want it right at this place.
MR. PITMAN: I am not sure whether it was south 84-degrees or south 86-degrees west true.
SENATOR SMITH: How long had she been running on that course?
MR. PITMAN: From 5:50 p.m.
SENATOR SMITH: That evening?
MR. PITMAN: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Did this course show that she was approaching ice?
MR. PITMAN: No, sir; there was no ice reported exactly on the track.
SENATOR SMITH: I want to know if this course showed that she was approaching ice.
MR. PITMAN: We should pass the ice northward.
SENATOR SMITH: Do you know in what position, latitude and longitude, the Carpathia found the boats?
MR. PITMAN: Found the boats, sir?
SENATOR SMITH: Yes, sir.
MR. PITMAN: Somewhere near that position that Mr. Boxhall gave you with reference to the ship sinking. That is the position the Carpathia steered for.
SENATOR SMITH: 41-degrees 46-minutes?
MR. PITMAN: 41-degrees 46-minutes.
SENATOR SMITH: And 50-degrees 14-minutes?
MR. PITMAN: 50-degrees 14-minutes. That is the position the Carpathia steered for.
SENATOR SMITH: I wish you would tell the committee whether the steam whistle was used Sunday night during your watch or not.
MR. PITMAN: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Could it have been used to detect the presence of ice by echo?
MR. PITMAN: I should not think so. I should not have any faith in it.
SENATOR SMITH: It was not used?
MR. PITMAN: No; it was not.
SENATOR SMITH: In order to complete the record, the ice reported by the Amerika, by a wireless message, was in latitude 41-degrees 27-minutes longitude 50-degrees 08-minutes?
MR. PITMAN: Yes.
SENATOR SMITH: If the ship was properly located when she struck as being in latitude 41-degrees 46-minutes, must not the course have been steered to the northward, in the direction of the reported iceberg?
MR. PITMAN: No; the position of that iceberg given by Amerika is to the southward of us.
SENATOR SMITH: The course was laid to the southward of ice reported by the Amerika, was it not?
MR. PITMAN: No; that position is 20 miles to the south of the position we were.
SENATOR SMITH: Would you have allowed any time for the ice to drift?
MR. PITMAN: I do not know anything about getting its position from the Amerika.
SENATOR SMITH: You never heard anything at all about their wireless warning and know nothing about the longitude or latitude in which they reported icebergs?
MR. PITMAN: The only one was the one that was put on the chart, and I don't know whom that came from.
SENATOR SMITH: I think that is all for the present, Officer.
SENATOR FLETCHER: If there had been a vessel that night within 5 miles of the Titanic, could not her whistle have heard that distance?
MR. PITMAN: No; but you could have heard her blowing off steam at a far greater distance than you could hear the steam whistle. She was blowing off steam for three­quarters of an hour, I think, and you could hear that much farther than you could hear any steam whistle.
SENATOR FLETCHER: Then it would stand to reason that if there was a ship or vessel of any kind within a distance of 5 miles it ought to have heard the blowing off of the steam?
MR. PITMAN: She could have been heard that 10 miles that night.
SENATOR SMITH: Just one more question. Was the ice that was located on the chart south of your track?
MR. PITMAN: North of our track.
SENATOR SMITH: Now, Witness, I have not gotten entirely through with you. I wish you would hold yourself subject to the desire of the committee. I want to call Mr. Fleet for a few moments.
TESTIMONY OF MR. FREDERICK FLEET
The witness was sworn by the chairman.
SENATOR SMITH: What is your full name?
MR. FLEET: Frederick Fleet.
SENATOR SMITH: Where do you reside?
MR. FLEET: Southampton.
SENATOR SMITH: England?
MR. FLEET: England.
SENATOR SMITH: How old are you?
MR. FLEET: Twenty­five next October.
SENATOR SMITH: What is your business?
MR. FLEET: Sailor; lookout man.
SENATOR SMITH: How much experience have you had in that work?
MR. FLEET: About four years. I was four years on the Oceanic, on the lookout.
SENATOR SMITH: Four years as lookout on the Oceanic, of the White Star Line?
MR. FLEET: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Is that all the experience you have had?
MR. FLEET: Going to sea?
SENATOR SMITH: Yes.
MR. FLEET: Five or six years.
SENATOR SMITH: Besides that?
MR. FLEET: That is all; when I was in the training ship.
SENATOR SMITH: Have you ever been lookout on any other ship?
MR. FLEET: No.
SENATOR SMITH: You were lookout on the Titanic were you not?
MR. FLEET: Yes.
SENATOR SMITH: And sailed with the Titanic from Southampton, or from Belfast.
MR. FLEET: I fetched her around from Belfast, on the lookout.
SENATOR SMITH: And made this voyage from Southampton, to the time of the collisionthe accident?
MR. FLEET: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: I want to get on the record the place where you were stationed in the performance of your duty.
MR. FLEET: I was on the lookout.
SENATOR SMITH: On the lookout?
MR. FLEET: At the time of the collision.
SENATOR SMITH: In the crow's nest?
MR. FLEET: Yes.
SENATOR SMITH: At the time of the collision?
MR. FLEET: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Can you tell how high above the boat deck that is?
MR. FLEET: I have no idea.
SENATOR SMITH: Can you tell how high above the crow's nest the masthead is?
MR. FLEET: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Do you know how far you were above the bridge?
MR. FLEET: I am no hand at guessing.
SENATOR SMITH: I do not want you to guess; but, if you know, I would like to have you tell.
MR. FLEET: I have no idea.
SENATOR FLETCHER: You hardly mean that; you have some idea?
MR. FLEET: No; I do not.
SENATOR FLETCHER: You know whether it was a thousand feet or two hundred?
SENATOR SMITH: Was there any other officer or employee stationed at a higher point on the Titanic than you were?
MR. FLEET: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: You were the lookout?
MR. FLEET: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Where are the eyes of the ship?
MR. FLEET: The eyes of the ship?
SENATOR SMITH: The ship's eyes.
MR. FLEET: Forward.
SENATOR SMITH: At the extreme bow?
MR. FLEET: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And on the same level as the boat deck or below it?
MR. FLEET: Below it.
SENATOR SMITH: How far below it?
MR. FLEET: I do not know, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Mr. Fleet, can you tell who was on the forward part of the Titanic Sunday night when you took your position in the crow's nest?
MR. FLEET: There was nobody.
SENATOR SMITH: Nobody?
MR. FLEET: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Who was on the bridge?
MR. FLEET: When I went up to relieve the others?
SENATOR SMITH: Yes.
MR. FLEET: Mr. Murdock.
SENATOR SMITH: Officer Murdock?
MR. FLEET: First Officer.
SENATOR SMITH: Who else?
MR. FLEET: I think it was the third officer.
SENATOR SMITH: What was his name.
MR. FLEET: The man that was here, Pitman.
SENATOR SMITH: Mr. Pitman, the man who just left the stand?
MR. FLEET: I do not know the officers on the bridge.
SENATOR SMITH: You do not recall any more of them?
MR. FLEET: No; I do not know whether he was there or not.
SENATOR SMITH: I do not want any confusion if I can help it. I want to get this down right. Was the captain on the bridge?
MR. FLEET: I do not know, sir?
SENATOR SMITH: You did not see him?
MR. FLEET: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: What time did you take your watch Sunday night?
MR. FLEET: Ten o'clock.
SENATOR NEWLANDS: Whom do you relieve?
MR. FLEET: Symons and Jewell.
SENATOR SMITH: Who was with you on the watch?
MR. FLEET: Lee.
SENATOR SMITH: What, if anything, did Symons and Jewell, or either one, say to you when you relieved them of the watch?
MR. FLEET: They told us to keep a sharp lookout for small ice.
SENATOR SMITH: What did you say to them?
MR. FLEET: I said, "All right."
SENATOR SMITH: What did Lee say?
MR. FLEET: He said the same.
SENATOR SMITH: And you took your position in the crow's nest?
MR. FLEET: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you keep a sharp lookout for ice?
MR. FLEET: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Tell what you did?
MR. FLEET: Well, I reported an iceberg right ahead, a black mass.
SENATOR SMITH: When did you report that?
MR. FLEET: I could not tell you the time.
SENATOR SMITH: About what time.
MR. FLEET: Just after seven bells.
SENATOR SMITH: How long after you had taken your place in the crow's nest?
MR. FLEET: The watch was nearly over. I had done the best part of the watch up in the nest.
SENATOR SMITH: How long a watch did you have?
MR. FLEET: Two hours; but the time was going to be put back ­ that watch.
SENATOR SMITH: The time was to be set back?
MR. FLEET: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Did that alter your time?
MR. FLEET: We were to get about 2 hours and 20 minutes.
SENATOR SMITH: How long before the collision or accident did you report ice ahead.
MR. FLEET: I have no idea.
SENATOR SMITH: About how long?
MR. FLEET: I could not say, at the rate she was going.
SENATOR SMITH: How fast was she going?
MR. FLEET: I have no idea.
SENATOR SMITH: Would you be willing to say that you reported the presence of this iceberg an hour before the collision?
MR. FLEET: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Forty­five minutes?
MR. FLEET: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: A half hour before?
MR. FLEET: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Fifteen minutes before?
MR. FLEET: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Ten minutes before?
MR. FLEET: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: How far away was this black mass when you first saw it?
MR. FLEET: I have no idea, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Can you not give us some idea? Did it impress you as serious?
MR. FLEET: I reported it as soon as ever I seen it.
SENATOR SMITH: I want a complete record of it, you know. Give me, as nearly as you can, how far away it was when you saw it. You are accustomed to judging distances, are you not, from the crow's nest? You are there to look ahead and sight objects, are you not?
MR. FLEET: We are only up there to report anything we see.
SENATOR SMITH: But you are expected to see and report anything in the path of the ship, are you not?
MR. FLEET: Anything we see ­ a ship, or anything.
SENATOR SMITH: Anything you see?
MR. FLEET: Yes; anything we see.
SENATOR SMITH: Whether it be a field of ice, a "growler," or an iceberg, or any other substance?
MR. FLEET: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Have you trained yourself so that you can see objects as you approach them with fair accuracy?
MR. FLEET: I do not know what you mean, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: If there had been a black object ahead of this ship, or a white one, a mile away, or 5 miles away, 50 feet above the water or 150 feet above the water, would you have been able to see it, from your experience as a seaman?
MR. FLEET: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: When you see these things in the path of the ship, you report them?
MR. FLEET: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: What did you report when you saw this black mass Sunday night?
MR. FLEET: I reported an iceberg right ahead.
SENATOR SMITH: To whom did you report that?
MR. FLEET: I struck three bells first. Then I went straight to the telephone and rang them up on the bridge.
SENATOR SMITH: You struck three bells and went to the telephone and rang them up on the bridge?
MR. FLEET: Yes.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you get anyone on the bridge?
MR. FLEET: I got an answer straight away ­ what did I see, or "What did you see?"
SENATOR SMITH: Did the person who was talking to you tell you who he was?
MR. FLEET: No. He just asked me what did I see. I told him an iceberg right ahead.
SENATOR SMITH: What did he say then?
MR. FLEET: He said: "Thank you."
SENATOR SMITH: Do you know to whom you were talking?
MR. FLEET: No; I do not know who it was.
SENATOR SMITH: What was the object in sending the three bells?
MR. FLEET: That denotes an iceberg right ahead.
SENATOR SMITH: It denotes danger?
MR. FLEET: No. It just tells them on the bridge that there is something about.
SENATOR SMITH: You took both precautions; you gave the three bells, and then you went and telephoned to the bridge?
MR. FLEET: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Where did you have to go to telephone?
MR. FLEET: The telephone is in the nest.
SENATOR SMITH: The telephone is right in the crow's nest?
MR. FLEET: Yes.
SENATOR SMITH: You turned and communicated with the bridge from the nest?
