The Washington herald., 1912-04-23

Mr.. Aurdock. the sixth onlcer. and him
SELF Two lookout men were in the
crows nest In the foremast.
What were you doing at the time OF
the eollisiong'' Senator Smith asked the
witness.
Il was proceeding toward the bridge" /"
said BoxhaIL II heard a loud report.
and felt the impact on the vessel
What did You do then1'' asked Sena-
tor Smith
7 continued on my way to the bridge
the witness replied.
In response to Senator Smiths request,
Boxhall then gave the following account
OF what happened after he reached the
bridge
Iceberg Hard to See.
Il heard the captain say: what have
we struckg" said BoxhaH.
'Mr. Murdock. the first oficer, said
We've struck an iceberg. I ordered
hard a-starboard and engines full
speed astern, but Il was too close. ]
have ordered the ter-tight compart-
ments closed, and they are now closed
tried to port around her, but failed.
I'VE all walked out TO the corner OF
the bridge to look for the iceberg.
am not sure that ! saw II, though Mr..
Murdock said he saw it The captain
was not sure that he saw Il then
either. I thought saw black mass
on the starboard quarter. It was not
high, but very low; perhaps as high
as the ships rail. or about thirty feet
above the water"
prise that BoxhalI had been unable to
see the iceberg when the ship was
practically upon II, but the witness
insisted that he could not swear that
the black mass he thought he saw was
really the iceberg.
What did you do after that?" he
was asked.
Capt. Smith told me to 90 down be-
low and see II could see. what dam
sge had been done, IL any" answered
Boxhal. 7 went below, inside the
ship, but found no evidences OF dam
age. returned to the bridge and re-
ported to the captain had found
nothing. He then ordered me to go
tell the ships carpenter to sound the
ship and see II she was making any
water.
when I got TO the mailing room I
found nearly two feet of water in 1t.
The mail clerks were at work, In spite
Of the water"
What disposition were they making
OF the mail7" Boxhall, was asked.
7 didn't observe just what they were
doing, said Boxhali Il Just noticed
that they were at work in there I
went back TO the bridge and reported
10 the captain what had seen. He said
all right and ordered me to get the boats
ready for leaving the ship.
LifebOats Ready Early.
II went about the boat deck. helping
get the covers on the lifeboats. They
were all under covers. except the sea-
=
10 the chartroom and worked out the po-
sition Of the ship. 1 submitted this to
the captain, and he ordered me TO take
It to the Marconi room.
who did you md there7" asked Sem
ator Smith.
Il found Phillips and Bride in there.
wrote out the ships position for them.
beeGuse there was so much noise from
escaping steam that 'couldp:t make
them hear. 7 didn't Walt to see II they
sent It."
Asked to describe what the people of
the ship were doing on the decks at that
time, BoxhaIl said be was too busy to
remember. He said that most, probably
all, OF the men and women he saw had
on life preservers. Then, as II unaware
that he was contributing absolutely new
evidence, BoxhaH remarked that he was
busy most of the time after the ship
struck in sending distress signals from
the bridge. in the hope Of attracting the
attention Of another ship that lay ahead.
ship Directly Ahead.
where was this shipT' he was
asked.
Almost dead ahead" replied Box
hall. 1-She was not on the same course
as the Titanic. Apparently she was
heading toward the Titanic7"
came the question
NO" replied the witness 'I have
not received any indication of the iden- |
tity of the ship he saw from the bridge
since leaving the Titanic
How. near was this ship?" Senator
Smith asked.
About five miles away, I thought"
replied Boxhall. II thought she was |
near enough so she could read our |
electric Morse signal I told the cap
tain, and he came and stood by me |
most OF the time that / was |
He told me TO send Come |
at once. We are sinking by the |
Morse code"
This signal, BoxhaII explained to the /
committee, was sent by means OF q /
telegraph key and an electric light, /
the words being spelled out in dots
and dashes by flashing the light on
and OF. Rockets were also sent up
Boxhau said
Did you get no answer to these dis.
tress signals?" Senator Smith queried.
''Soms Of those on the bridge said she