I've read a lot of posts on another Titanic forum and the subject sparks some interest to the validity of his story of being in the freezing water for a hour or two. We all watched Titanic the movie and watched Chief Baker Joughin climb up the poop deck and hang on the rail drinking from his flask beside Rose & Jack. But in real life I find his personal account just a little far fetched. Many claim a tumbler half-full of liqueur Joughin drank contributed to his amazing ability to withstand the freezing cold water for hours because the belief the alcohol metabolized to sugar and provided that extra energy to avoid freezing to death. After reading his testimony at http://www.titanicinquiry.org/BOTInq/BOT01.html
I know find more questions than answers. I'm a firm believer in modern medical science and the effects of alcohol and freezing water. In no case history can I find where any person survived emerged in freezing water. This site gives a good working knowlage of hypotherma.
http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/safety/hypocold.shtml

I personally feel the effects of the rapid consumption of alcohol, the trama of the event and the freezing water. I am puzzled by Joughin's recollecton of the stern "sliding" into the water.


Examined by the SOLICITOR-GENERAL.
6253. It has been stated that she turned practically perpendicular. I want to ask your opinion about that, because I think it is very important. Did you see the propellers come out of the water at all? - She was not far out of the water at any stage that I saw.

6254. So that to say that she stood up like that - (Showing.) - would be wrong? - It would be absolutely wrong.

6255. She simply glided away? - She went down that fashion (Showing.) It was a glide. There was no great shock, or anything.

6256-66. She simply glided away? - She simply glided away. [6256-66 were all given to this one question.]

This is in direct controdition of 100's of other surviviors account. If he could be so wrong on this account can't we surmize that his assumption of time he was in the water could be questioned also?
Here is more of his testimony: I only included the portion of the testimonies dealing with the finial sinking to keep this on topic: See any of the discrepancies?

Examined by the SOLICITOR-GENERAL.
6070. Did you find anybody else holding that rail there on, the poop? - No.

6071. You were the only one? - I did not see anybody else.

6072. Were you holding the rail so that you were inside the ship, or were you holding the rail so that you were on the outside of the ship? - On the outside.

6073. So that the rail was between you and the deck? - Yes.

6074. Then what happened? - Well, I was just wondering what next to do. I had tightened my belt and I had transferred some things out of this pocket into my stern pocket. I was just wondering what next to do when she went.

6075. And did you find yourself in the water? - Yes.

6076. Did you feel that you were dragged under or did you keep on the top of the water? - I do not believe my head went under the water at all. It may have been wetted, but no more.

6077. Are you a good swimmer? - Yes.

6078. How long do you think you were in the water before you got anything to hold on to? - I did not attempt to get anything to hold on to until I reached a collapsible, but that was daylight.

6079. Daylight, was it? - I do not know what time it was.

6080. Then you were in the water for a long, long time? - I should say over two, hours, Sir.

6081. Were you trying to make progress in the water, to swim, or just keeping where you were? - I was just paddling and treading water.

6082. And then daylight broke? - Yes.

6083. Did you see any icebergs about you? - No, Sir, I could not see anything.

6084. Did it keep calm till daylight, or did the wind rise at all? - It was just like a pond.

6085. Then you spoke of a collapsible boat. Tell us shortly about it? - Just as it was breaking daylight I saw what I thought was some wreckage, and I started to swim towards it slowly. When I got near enough, I found it was a collapsible not properly upturned but on its side, with an Officer and I should say about twenty or twenty-five men standing on the top of it.

6086. (The Commissioner.) With an Officer and what? - I should say roughly about twenty-five men standing on the top - well, on the side, not on the top.

6087. (The Solicitor-General.) Do you know which Officer it was? - Yes, Mr. Lightoller.

6088. Mr. Lightoller and you think about twenty or twenty-five people? - Yes.

The Commissioner: "Men," he said.

6089. (The Solicitor-General.) Yes, men, my Lord? - Yes, all men.

6090. You said something about its being turned on its side? - Yes.

6091. I wish you would explain what you mean? - It was like as if one of those lifeboats was on its side, floating on its side. (Pointing to model.)

6092. Then they were not in the boat, were they? - No.

6093. They were - ? - Standing on the side, holding one another's shoulders.

6094. Did you swim towards it? - Yes.

6095. Was there any room for you? - No, Sir.

6096. You agree, do you, that there really was not room for you? - There was not room.

6097. And so they could not take you in? - There was no room for any more. They were standing on it then.

6098. Did you stay near it? - I tried to get on it, but I was pushed off it, and I what you call hung around it.

6099. How much later on was it that you were picked up? - I eventually got round to the opposite side, and a cook that was on the collapsible recognised me, and held out his hand and held me - a chap named Maynard.

6100. Was he able to pull you out of the water, or was he only just able to help to support you? - No.

6101. He gave you a hand, and you kept treading water? - No. My lifebelt helped me, and I held on the side of the boat.

6102. You had been wearing a lifebelt? - Yes, all the time.

6103. So that your feet would be in the water? - Yes, and my legs.

6104. And you supported yourself by your lifebelt. I do not want to be harrowing about it, but was the water very cold? - I felt colder in the lifeboat - after I got in the lifeboat.

6105. You were picked up, were you, by a lifeboat later on? - We were hanging on to this collapsible, and eventually a lifeboat came in sight.

6106. And they took you aboard? - They got within about 50 yards and they sung out that they could only take 10. So I said to this Maynard, "Let go my hand," and I swam to meet it, so that I would be one of the 10.

6107. Did you swim to it, and were you taken in? - Yes, I was taken in.

6108. You have said you thought it was about two hours before you saw this collapsible, and then you spent some time with the collapsible. How long do you suppose it was after you got to the collapsible that you were taken into the lifeboat? - I should say we were on the collapsible about half-an-hour.

6109. That means that for some two and a half hours you were in the water? - Practically, yes.

6110. We may be able to identify this boat? - I do not know it.

The Attorney-General: We can identify it, I think.

6111. (The Solicitor-General.) This lifeboat that took you aboard - did it also take some men off the collapsible? - Yes.

6112. How many? - I could not tell you, Sir.

6113. You did not notice? - I climbed in and then she went alongside the collapsible afterwards, after I had got in, but I did not notice how many she took.

6114. Do you know an able seaman named Lucas? - No, Sir.

6115. Who has given some evidence here? - No.

6116. Can you tell me this. Did this lifeboat that took you aboard, and also took some others aboard, keep you in it until you got to the "Carpathia," or were any people transferred? - All kept in it till we got to the "Carpathia."

6117. You do not know who was in command of the boat that picked you up? - Mr. Lightoller left the collapsible and then took charge of the boat till we reached the "Carpathia."

6118. And you say the collapsible kept company with the lifeboat, did it? - I do not know what became of that afterwards, Sir. It was half under water while we were on it. I do not know whether it righted itself. I do not know what became of it at all.

6119. After you and some of the others were taken on board this lifeboat, did that lifeboat rescue any other people that you know of? - No, Sir; it could not have done.

6120. It was too full? - It was filled right up.

6121. There was just room for Lightoller to get on board and take command? - There was only room for Mr. Lightoller to stand on the forward part. He had to stand on top and give orders.

6122. There was Mr. Lightoller and there was yourself. Do you know whether it took others on board, and how many? - It took a few more off the collapsible, but I did not recognise them.

6123. And this boat into which you got, the boat Lightoller took command of, what were the people who were in it - women, or men or what? - Mostly women. Bride was one that I recognised.

6124. The Marconi operator? - The Marconi boy. He was one that was taken off the same collapsible.

6125. He was on this collapsible, was he? - Yes, Bride and Maynard. Those two I recognised.

6126. Maynard was the cook? - Yes.

Examined by Mr. SCANLAN.

6127. Do you know whether any of the crew assigned to this boat, No. 10, went with her? - I do not know.

6128. You were captain of it? - I was supposed to be the captain of it.

6129. Can you give any explanation of the fact that from the evidence of yourself and most of the Witnesses it does not appear that practically any of the men went with the boats to which they were stationed? - Of course I could not say about other boats, but I know I sung out the names of all the victualling department connected with the boat, and they were every man there.

6130. If there had been a boat drill or a boat muster, would it have helped the members of the crew to know their stations? - They know their stations very well. They knew exactly what to do, because they had been drilled already on the "Olympic."

6131. They had not all been on the "Olympic," I take it? - A great many of them - in fact most of them. It was practically a crew from the "Olympic."

6132. Was there any light in No. 10 when she went off? - I did not see any.

6133. Was there any light in the boat you got on to? - It was daylight.

6134. A crew of two sailors and one steward went with No. 10? - That is all I saw.

6135. Is that all? - That is all I saw.

6136. Was that sufficient for a big lifeboat? - I do not know anything about lifeboats, Sir.

6137. But you were captain of one? - I am not skilled in boats; I am put down as in charge; but, then, I would always give way to a man with nautical knowledge in the boat.

6138. How many men would you expect with you in a boat of which you would have charge? - I should say about seven or eight.

6139. When this boat, No. 10, was being sent off, was there space in the boat to take in a proper crew? - The space was there, but it was filled up with women and children.

6140. Do you know if all the four collapsible boats were sent off from the ship before she sank? - I do not know, Sir.

Examined by Mr. ROCHE.

6141. You were nearly two hours or three hours in the water, so I understand, and you can help us about a matter that has aroused a good deal of interest. How much assistance did you get from your lifebelt? Did it support you without your treading water yourself? - Yes.

6142. It did? - Yes - splendid.

The Commissioner: You cannot say.

Mr. Roche: There have been a good many questions about it - whether that is so or not. That was with regard to a lifebuoy, it is true, but there have been many questions raised about this, and this gentleman is in a better position than practically anyone ever has been to give an opinion about it.

6143. (The Commissioner.) What is this lifebelt made of - is it cork? - Cork.

6144. That you tie round you? - These were a new patent, better than the old ones. You slipped it over your head, and it was like a breastplate and a backplate, and you tied two straps.

The Attorney-General: One can be produced, no doubt.

6145. (Mr. Roche.) It is very important to get it cleared up. This is the idea of the new patent, that instead of keeping it down here they put them on the body? - Mine fitted here. (Showing.)

6146. Did your men know how to get them on? - Everybody knew, it was so simple.

6147. Did you show any of them? - There was no necessity to show.

6148. Did it in fact support you throughout without your treading water? - Oh, no, you had to assist it.

6149. (The Commissioner.) But you would not have sunk if you had not done anything? - No. It is only a case of keeping your head with one of those lifebelts.

6150. (Mr. Roche.) And simply treading water and paddling? - Just paddling and you keep afloat indefinitely, I should say.

6151. Now a few questions about two other matters. You mustered your own staff and got them up? - Yes.

6152. Did you do that of your own accord, or did you get directions to do so? - I did it of my own accord.

6153. You had no directions from anybody else? - There was a, general order; I got no special directions.

6154. What was the general order; that is what I want to know? - All hands out - all hands out of your bunks. There were six of my men working.

6155. In this crowd of several hundreds that you told my Lord about, were you able to distinguish at all who they were, or what they were, whether they were all passengers or sailors or crew? - I could not make out.

6156. You could not make out who they were at all? - They were all mixed up.

Examined by Mr. EDWARDS.
The Commissioner: He told you he had one glass of liqueur.

6249. (Mr. Cotter.) Yes. (To the Witness.) What kind of a glass was it? - It was a tumbler half-full.

6250. A tumbler half-full of liqueur? - Yes.

6251. When you were on the poop did you see anybody attempting to come up on to the poop after you - following you up? - It was an impossibility for them to get on to the poop.

6252. Are there no ladders going on to the poop? - But the ship was like that. (Showing.) The ladders would be astern. The people were all on the port side in one bunch. There was nobody on the starboard side; in fact you could not see.

6253. It has been stated that she turned practically perpendicular. I want to ask your opinion about that, because I think it is very important. Did you see the propellers come out of the water at all? - She was not far out of the water at any stage that I saw.

6254. So that to say that she stood up like that - (Showing.) - would be wrong? - It would be absolutely wrong.

6255. She simply glided away? - She went down that fashion (Showing.) It was a glide. There was no great shock, or anything.

6256-66. She simply glided away? - She simply glided away. [6256-66 were all given to this one question.]

6267. When you got into the water and had swum to the collapsible boat you were pushed off, you say? - Yes.

6268. Who pushed you off? - I do not know.

6269. Did you say anything when you were pushed off? - No.

6270. You made no statement to anyone? - No.

6271. What condition were you in when you got to the "Carpathia"? - I was all right barring my feet, they were swelled.

6272. Were you able to walk up the ladder? - No.

6273. How did you get up? - On my knees.

(After a short Adjournment.)

Examined by Mr. LAING.

6363. Were you holding on to the rail at the time? - No, I was getting towards the rail. It was a quarter-past two then.

6364. And the electric light was burning then? - Yes.

6365. So that there was never a time when you were on that ship when there was not electric light where you were? - Right to the very finish that I saw.

6366. (The Commissioner.) Your opinion is it was burning until the afterpart of the ship went down. Do you mean that? - Yes, I saw it.

(The Witness withdrew.)