Page 156 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

of. The Commissioner: Are any of the other big liners such as the Cunarders surveyed by any body except the Board of Trade? Mr. Edwards: My instructions, my Lord, are that they are so surveyed. The Commissioner: By whom? Mr. Edwards: And that they are surveyed by the particular registration society by whom they are classified. The Commissioner: Are the Cunarders classified? Mr. Edwards: My instructions are that they are. The Commissioner: Then are the steamers of the White Star Line the only steamers that are not classified? Mr. Edwards: Of great lines I believe that is so, my Lord. The Commissioner: Is that so, Sir Robert? Sir Robert Finlay: I cannot at the moment tell your Lordship. The Commissioner: (To the Witness.) Is it so? - I could not answer that. The Commissioner: I understood - I may be wrong - that none of the steamers of the very big lines were registered at Lloyd’s. Mr. Edwards: My instructions are that, with the exception of the boats now controlled by this International Company, all the great lines are classified with either one or other of the three great registration societies. The Commissioner: I am told it is not so, but I do not know. Sir Robert Finlay: I understand that Lloyd’s have no rules applicable to vessels of this size, such as the “Titanic.” The Commissioner: I am told that is so. 18802. (Mr. Clement Edwards.) I am coming to the question of Lloyd’s rules in a moment. (To the Witness.) When you were considering the plans of the “Titanic” with your fellow directors, had you any discussion at all as to whether you should be classified? - No. 18803. Have you any knowledge as to the standard laid down by Lloyd’s for the resisting strength of a bulkhead? - Have I any knowledge? 18804. Yes? - No. 18805. Have you any knowledge at all as to the standard laid down by Lloyd’s or either of the other registration societies, as to the method by which watertight doors should be worked? - I have not. 18806. Have you any knowledge as to the standard of either of the registration societies of the relative height of the bulkhead in relation to the several decks? - I have not. The Commissioner: Have you any information on this point, Mr. Edwards? Mr. Edwards: Yes, my Lord. The Commissioner: I wish you would put it to him, and suggest what the provisions in the “Titanic” were as compared with the requirements of Lloyd’s. Mr. Edwards: If this witness has no knowledge as to the relative - The Commissioner: But I want your knowledge. Mr. Edwards: At the right time, my Lord, if evidence has not been forthcoming I shall be in a position to submit - The Commissioner: No, but cannot you tell me now? Mr. Edwards: What counsel says, my Lord, is not evidence. The Commissioner: Never mind that. I want to know: Can you tell me what the actual strength of the bulkheads in this vessel was, and what the requirements of Lloyd’s are? Do you know? Mr. Edwards: I shall be able through the necessary expert witnesses to do that. The Commissioner: No; but can you do that?