The accident had happened on Sunday night,
April 14th.
"I was in bed and asleep," he said. "The ship was not
going at full speed, as has been printed, because full speed
would be from seventy-eight to eighty revolutions, and we were
making only seventy-five. After the impact with the iceberg
I dressed and went on deck. I asked the steward what
the matter was and he told me. Then I went to Captain
Smith and asked him if the ship was in danger and he told
me he thought she was."
Ismay said that he went on the bridge and remained there
for some time and then lent a hand in getting the life-boats
ready. He helped to get the women and children into the
boats.
Ismay said that no other executive officer of the steamship
company was on board, which practically made him the
sole master of the vessel the minute it passed beyond the
control of the captain and his fellow-officers. But Ismay,
seeming to scent the drift of the questions, said that he never
interfered in any way with the handling of the ship.
Ismay was asked to give more particulars about his departure
from the ship. He said:
"The boat was ready to be lowered away and the officer
called out if there were any more women or children to go
or any more passengers on deck, but there was none, and I
got on board.
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