MR. ANDREWS: I do not know his name, sir; he was a master­at­arms.
SENATOR BOURNE: How many were passengers in the boat besides the six men manning the boat?
MR. ANDREWS: I should think about 50, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: Was it one of the lifeboats or one of the collapsibles?
MR. ANDREWS: A lifeboat.
SENATOR BOURNE: Now, will you go on?
MR. ANDREWS: After they were all in the boat the officer looked around at me and asked me if I could take an oar, and I said I could, sir. At that he told me to get into the boat. After I got in the boat I assisted by putting the rowlocks in. We lowered the boat to the water and rowed away from the ship. On our way out we came in contact with another boat, and stood by.
SENATOR BOURNE: That is, rested on your oars?
MR. ANDREWS: Yes, sir; we had to rest because we came across another boat, sir, filled up with ladies. The remark was passed by some one in the boat to go back, but as the two boats were full we stood at a distance away.
SENATOR BOURNE: Who passed the remark to go back?
MR. ANDREWS: One of the passengers, sir. The boats were full, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: It was in the boat you were in, No. 16, that one of the passengers passed this remark to go back?
MR. ANDREWS: Yes, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: What attention did the officer in charge of the boat pay to the remark, if any?
MR. ANDREWS: I never heard nothing else, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: Did the passenger who made the remark express any reason?
MR. ANDREWS: No, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: He did not say why he wanted to go back?
MR. ANDREWS: No, sir. When daylight came we saw a light, which was on the Carpathia, and we proceeded to her.
SENATOR BOURNE: Did you see any light at the time of the accident, immediately preceding or following, from any ship, or any light of any kind or description other than what was on the Titanic itself?
MR. ANDREWS: Well, sir, we saw a light that seemed over the Titanic, back of the Titanic.
SENATOR BOURNE: Did you think it was on the Titanic or beyond the Titanic?
MR. ANDREWS: No, sir. The coxswain of the boat, the master­at­arms thought it was another ship coming up to give assistance; but after a while the light disappeared.
SENATOR BOURNE: How long was that after you left the Titanic?
MR. ANDREWS: About an hour.
SENATOR BOURNE: That you saw this light over and beyond the Titanic?
MR. ANDREWS: Yes, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: Believing it to be a rescue ship?
MR. ANDREWS: Yes, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: You left the Titanic at what time ­ about what time ­ according to your recollection?
MR. ANDREWS: I should think it was about half past 12, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: What time did the accident take place?
MR. ANDREWS: Well, sir, to my recollection about 20 minutes past 11, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: You were in your bunk at the time?
MR. ANDREWS: I was, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: Are you absolutely sure as to the time of the accident or is that an impression?
MR. ANDREWS: Well, that is, so far as I know, sir, because I was in my bunk. There was no clock about. I think I was lying down about 20 minutes.
SENATOR BOURNE: You were dozing at the time of the accident, and so you idea of the exact time of the accident would be rather hazy, a mere guess. More of a guess than anything specific?
MR. ANDREWS: Yes.
SENATOR BOURNE: Will you kindly go on?
MR. ANDREWS: We transferred one of our men to the other boat.
SENATOR BOURNE: Why?
MR. ANDREWS: To assist to row. They had not very many in the other boat to row, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: Did you transfer any of your passengers?
MR. ANDREWS: No, sir; one of our crew, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: Your boat was lowered past the steerage quarters, on a lower deck, was it not?
MR. ANDREWS: Well, it was the after boat on that side, so far as I know, sir, on the boat deck.
SENATOR BOURNE: In lowering it, it went by the steerage quarters, on the lower deck, did it not?
MR. ANDREWS: Yes, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: Was there any effort on the part of the steerage men to get into your boat?
MR. ANDREWS: No, sir; I was told by the officer to allow nobody in the boat after the last one in it.
SENATOR BOURNE: Was there any effort on the part of anyone to get into it?
MR. ANDREWS: No, sir; everything was quiet, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: When the officer started to fill the boat with the passengers, and the men to man the boat, were there any individuals who tried to get into the boat that he would not permit to get in?
MR. ANDREWS: No, sir
SENATOR BOURNE: Was there any confusion or panic in loading the boat?
MR. ANDREWS: No, sir; none whatsoever.
SENATOR BOURNE: Kindly proceed.
MR. ANDREWS: On the way to the Carpathia we saw some of our boats also proceeding. When we arrived there, there were one or two boats set adrift.
SENATOR BOURNE: Who set them adrift, and why?
MR. ANDREWS: That I do not know, sir. I think they were damaged boats, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: Well, of your own knowledge, after they were filled and loaded, had any of their occupants been drowned or injured?
MR. ANDREWS: Not that I know of, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: Your boat was as full as it would hold with safety, was it?
MR. ANDREWS: Yes, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: You were up to the limit of your capacity?
MR. ANDREWS: I should think so, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: Did you hear any cries?
MR. ANDREWS: Yes, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: At the time that the ship sank?
MR. ANDREWS: Yes, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: Immediately preceding or just following?
MR. ANDREWS: Well, sir, we had just stood by the other boat when we heard the cries.
SENATOR BOURNE: How far were you from the Titanic at the time?
MR. ANDREWS: I should say about half a mile, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: Did you see the Titanic sink?
MR. ANDREWS: Well, sir, she must have been halfway sinking when I saw her.
SENATOR BOURNE: Did you hear any explosion or noise?
MR. ANDREWS: I heard just a small sound, sir; it was not very loud, but just a small sound.
SENATOR BOURNE: Did it create any discussion in the boat?
MR. ANDREWS: No, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: What was the impression it made on your mind?
MR. ANDREWS: I thought perhaps it was one of the boilers that had just gone, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: Did you think that the ship broke in two?
MR. ANDREWS: That I do not know, sir. When we got away in the boat at the last everything seemed to go to a black mist. All the lights seemed to go out and everything went black.
SENATOR BOURNE: Did the lights go out altogether on the whole ship, or go out in part, and the remainder go out?
MR. ANDREWS: They seemed to go out altogether, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: You are familiar with the different decks of the ship? You know the E deck?
MR. ANDREWS: No, sir; I do not know them. I do not know anything about the decks, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: E deck being the deck on which those quarters were located, was there any water on that deck , do you know?
MR. ANDREWS: Not as I know of, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: That is all. We are very much obliged to you.
Witness excused.
TESTIMONY OF JOHN COLLINS.
[Testimony taken separately before Senator Bourne on behalf of the subcommittee.]
The witness was sworn by Senator Bourne.
SENATOR BOURNE: State you residence?
MR. COLLINS: No. 65 Bally Carry Street, Belfast.
SENATOR BOURNE: How old are you?
MR. COLLINS: I will be 18 next November.
SENATOR BOURNE: What is your occupation?
MR. COLLINS: Assistant cook, first­class galley.
SENATOR BOURNE: How long have you followed the sea?
MR. COLLINS: This was my first voyage, on the Titanic.
SENATOR BOURNE: When did you ship?
MR. COLLINS: I signed on Thursday, and we sailed on Wednesday next. I signed on the 4th and we sailed on the 10th.
SENATOR BOURNE: Your first voyage, then, was the Titanic?
MR. COLLINS: Yes.
SENATOR BOURNE: You were on it at the time of the accident?
MR. COLLINS: I was, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: I wish you would tell the committee just what you were doing immediately prior to, and what you did after, the time that the catastrophe on the Titanic took place, in your own language?
MR. COLLINS: I stopped work at 9 o'clock in Sunday night, and I came up again and walked up and down the alleyway. I went into my bunk and fell asleep. That was about 10 o'clock ­ about a quarter to 10. I fell asleep, and was sound asleep, and exactly at a quarter past 11 I was wakened up. I had a clock by me, by my bed, and my clock was five minutes fast, and it was exactly a quarter past 11 when the ship struck the iceberg, and it wakened me. I put on my trousers, got out of bed, and they were letting off steam in the stoke hole. I asked what was the matter, and it seemed she struck an iceberg. The word came down the alleyway that there was no harm, and everyone returned to their bunks.
SENATOR BOURNE: How long was that after the ship struck, which you say according to your clock was­­
MR. COLLINS: About 10 or 15 minutes, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: You are certain from your clock you saw at the time of the accident took place at exactly 20 minutes past 11, not according to that clock, but allowing for the five minutes that the clock was slow?
MR. COLLINS: No; the clock was fast, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: I thought you said the clock showed 11:15, and the accident took place at 11:20?
MR. COLLINS: No, sir; the clock was 20 minutes past 11, and the accident took place at a quarter past 11, if my clock was right. I could not exactly say. I put on my trousers and went up on to the deck, up forward, and I saw the deck almost packed with ice on the starboard side.
SENATOR BOURNE: What deck was this?
MR. COLLINS: I could not say what deck it was; it was on the same deck we slept on. Coming from the funnels it would be C deck, I think. I am not exactly sure. I was not too well acquainted with the decks.
SENATOR BOURNE: You say the deck was packed with ice?
MR. COLLINS: Yes; on the starboard side.
SENATOR BOURNE: How far aft from the bow?
MR. COLLINS: Well, it was justI could not say exactly how far, but the deck came up like this [indicating] and then came down like this [indicating] to No. 1 alley. It was all along. I could not exactly explain right to tell you how far it was from the back.
SENATOR BOURNE: Now, go on with your description.
MR. COLLINS: I went back into the bedroom and was told to lie down, and I got up again. I did not take off any of my clothes, and I came out again and saw the stewards in their white jackets in the passageway; the passengers were running forward, the stewards were steering them, and they made a joke of it, and we all turned in then and the word came in that we were to get out of our beds and get the life belts on and get up to the upper deck.
SENATOR BOURNE: At what time was it that this word came? How long after the ship struck?
MR. COLLINS: Well, it was exactly ­ I am sure ­ half an hour, sir. Quite half an hour, it was.
SENATOR BOURNE: Go on.
MR. COLLINS: We went up to the deck when the word came. Then I met a companion of mine, a steward, and I asked him what number my boat was, and he said No. 16; so I went up to No. 16 boat, and I seen both firemen and sailors with their bags ready for No. 16 boat. I said to myself, "There is no chance there," and I ran back to the deck, ran to the port side on the saloon deck with another steward and a woman and two children, and the steward had one of the children in his arms and the woman was crying. I took the child off of the woman and made for one of the boats. Then the word came around from the starboard side there was a collapsible boat getting launched on the starboard side and that all women and children were to make for it. So me and another steward and the two children and the woman came around on that side, the starboard side, and when we got around there we saw then that it was forward. We saw the collapsible boat taken off of the saloon deck, and then the sailors and the firemen that were forward seen the ship's bow in the water and seen that she was intending to sink her bow, and they shouted out for all they were worth that we were to go aft, and word came there was a boat getting launched, so we were to go aft, and we were just turning around and making for the stern end when the wave washed us off the deck ­ washed us clear of it ­ and the child was washed out of my arms; and the wreckage and the people that was around me, they kept me down for at least two or three minutes under the water.
SENATOR BOURNE: Two or three minutes?
MR. COLLINS: Yes, I am sure.
SENATOR BOURNE: Were you unconscious?
MR. COLLINS: No; not at all. It did not affect me much, the salt water.
SENATOR BOURNE: But you were under the water. You can not stay under the water two or three minutes, can you?
MR. COLLINS: Well, it seemed that to me. I could not exactly state how long, but it seemed that to me. When I came to the surface I saw this boat that had been taken off. I saw a man on it. They had been working on it taking it off of the saloon deck, and when the waves washed it off the deck they clung to that; then I made for it when I came to the surface and saw it, and I swam over to it.
SENATOR BOURNE: Did you have a life belt on?
MR. COLLINS: I had, sir. I was only about 4 oar 5 yards off of it, and I swam over to it and I got on to it.
SENATOR BOURNE: How many were there on the collapsible boat?
MR. COLLINS: Well, sir, I could not exactly say; but I am sure there was more than 15 or 16.
SENATOR BOURNE: Did those who were on help you get on?
MR. COLLINS: No, sir; they were all watching the ship. I had not much to do. All I had to do was to give a spring and I got onto it; and we were drifting about for two hours on the water.
SENATOR BOURNE: When you had the child in your arms and went to this collapsible boat that you understood was being launched, why did you not get into it?
MR. COLLINS: Sir, we had not time, sir; they had not got if off the deck until we were washed off the deck.
SENATOR BOURNE: After the ship struck did you see any lights over the water anywhere before any of your boats were lowered?
MR. COLLINS: No, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: After the boats were lowered did you see any lights that you believed was a ship coming to your relief?
MR. COLLINS: Yes, sir; there was three boats lowered.
SENATOR BOURNE: I do not mean of your own boats, but I mean any lights away from your own boats or your own ship. Did you see any light in the distance?
MR. COLLINS: I had the child in my arms, and I looked back at her stern end and I saw a green light.
SENATOR BOURNE: What did you think it was, one of your own boats?
MR. COLLINS: No, sir; I did not really think of what it was until the firemen and sailors came up and said that it was a boat.
SENATOR BOURNE: That is, a ship?
MR. COLLINS: Yes, sir.
SENATOR BOURNE: What became of it?
MR. COLLINS: Sir, it disappeared.
SENATOR BOURNE: How long was it visible?
MR. COLLINS: About 20 minutes or half an hour, I am sure it was.
