_Q._—And there being no protection, you gave a certificate to go outside the Heads? _A._—Yes; the grating of the S. S. _Dawn_ is the same. _Q._—Has not the _Dawn_ a very much larger freeboard? _A._—I don’t know. _Q._—Do you know the dimensions of the _Dawn_? _A._—Yes, she is one hundred and fifty-four feet long, twenty-four feet beam, and eighteen feet in depth. She is not the same class of vessel as the _Alert_. _Q._—Then why did you compare the two vessels? _A._—I only referred to the gratings. Re-examined by Mr. Mitchell: The new engines and boilers of the _Alert_ were six or seven tons lighter than the previous ones, but the difference was made up to be nearly equal by additions to the vessel’s hull. _Q._—It was suggested that by the way you slummed this survey, you were responsible for the loss of the men at sea? _A._—The survey was not slummed, and no blame was attached to me at all. _Q._—Your opinion is that the water must have got in through the doors and skylights being neglected? _A._—Yes. HIS HONOUR: _Q._—Assume that before the ship was kept away, and all her gratings, skylights, doors, and pantry window covered and protected, do you think there would be any danger in putting the vessel away on her course for the Heads when she had a south-east sea and a south-west wind? _A._—No; if all openings had been closed, she was comparatively safe. HIS HONOUR: _Q._—A number of the witnesses described the boat as being rather skittish and tender? _A._—Boats like her require to be specially handled; but with everything properly fastened, I would have had no hesitation in going for the Heads, although I think it would have been better to have kept out to sea. She would have weathered it.