| | Liverpool. Have about 800 passengers | | on board." | | 8 a. m. | | Carpathia to Virginian: "We are leaving | | here with all on board about 800 | | passengers. Please return to your | | northern course." -----------+---------------+-------------------------------------------- 19. (_a_) Was the apparatus for lowering the boats on the _Titanic_ at the time of the casualty in good working order? (_b_) Were the boats swung out, filled, lowered, or otherwise put into the water and got away under proper superintendence? (_c_) Were the boats sent away in seaworthy condition and properly manned, equipped, and provisioned? (_d_) Did the boats, whether those under davits or otherwise, prove to be efficient and serviceable for the purpose of saving life? Answer. (_a_) Yes. (_b_) Yes. (_c_) The 14 lifeboats, 2 emergency boats, and C and D collapsible boats were sent away in a seaworthy condition, but some of them were possibly undermanned. The evidence on this point was unsatisfactory. The total number of crew taken on board the _Carpathia_ exceeded the number which would be required for manning the boats. The collapsible boats A and B appear to have floated off the ship at the time she foundered. The necessary equipment and provisions for the boats were carried in the ship, but some of the boats, nevertheless, left without having their full equipment in them. (_d_) Yes. 20. (_a_) What was the number of (_a_) passengers, (_b_) crew taken away in each boat on leaving the vessel? (_b_) How was this number made up, having regard to (1) sex, (2) class, and (3) rating? (_c_) How many were children and how many adults? (_d_) Did each boat carry its full load and, if not, why not? Answer. (_a_) (_b_) (_c_) It is impossible exactly to say how many persons were carried in each boat or what was their sex, class, and rating, as the totals given in evidence do not correspond with the numbers taken on board the _Carpathia_. The boats eventually contained in all 712 persons, made up as shown in the answer to question 21. (_d_) No. At least 8 boats did not carry their full loads for the following reasons: (1) Many people did not realize the danger or care to leave the ship at first. (2) Some boats were ordered to be lowered with an idea of their coming around to the gangway doors to complete loading. (3) The officers were not certain of the strength and capacity of the boats in all cases (and see p. 39).