"Were there any drills or any inspection before the Titanic
sailed?" he was asked.
"Both," said the witness. "The men were mustered and
the life-boats lowered in the presence of the inspectors from
the Board of Trade."
"How many boats were lowered?"
"Just two, sir."
"One on each side of the ship?"
"No, sir. They were both on the same side. We were
lying in dock."
The witness said he did not know whether the lowering
tackle ran free or not on that occasion.
"In lowering the life-boats at the test, did the gear work
satisfactorily?"
"So far as I know."
In lowering a life-boat, he said, first the boat has to be
cleared, chocks knocked down and the boat hangs free.
Then the davits are screwed out to the ship's side and the
boat lowered.
At the time of the tests all officers of the Titanic were
present.
Boxhall said that under the weather conditions experienced
at the time of the collision the life-boats were supposed
to carry sixty-five persons. Under the regulations of the
British Board of Trade, in addition to the oars, there were
in the boats water breakers, water dippers, bread, bailers,
mast and sail and lights and a supply of oil. All of these
supplies, said Boxhall, were in the boats when the Titanic
left Belfast.
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