Page 191 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

Mr. Laing, said they made it 1,178, and I said, well, I will accept that view, it was not worth discussing, and I think probably they are right; 1,178 was therefore the figure to be substituted. The Commissioner: Yes. 19123. (The Solicitor-General.) Now I want, with your help, Mr. Sanderson, just to compare these figures with the Board of Trade requirements, although of course the detail about them will be put to the Board of Trade witnesses. Have you got before you what the capacity in cubic feet of these boats is? You have mentioned the number of persons they carry, namely, 1,178. What is the total capacity in cubic feet? - 11,325 cubic feet. The Solicitor-General: My Lord, as regards some of the boats the Board of Trade Regulation requires 10 cubic feet for each person. As regards the others, I think it is the four collapsibles - The Witness: The working boats. The Commissioner: The emergency boats. The Solicitor-General: Yes. As regards the emergency boats, they require 8 cubic feet, and working it out, allowing 10 cubic feet in some cases and 8 in others, the total is 11,325 cubic feet. The Commissioner: That includes the collapsibles. The Witness: Yes, that is true. 19124. (The Solicitor-General.) Now I want to see what the Board of Trade Rules would require. For a vessel of this size, 10,000 tons and upwards, the Board of Trade requirement is a minimum 16 boats under davits? - That is true. 19125. And that is the number which you had under davits? - Yes. 19126. And those 16 as minimum cubic contents were to be at least 5,500 cubic feet, according to the schedule at the end of the rules? - Yes. The Solicitor-General: Has your Lordship got the rules before you? The Commissioner: I have them somewhere, but I have not them before me at the moment. The Solicitor-General: I think I can show your Lordship the way through this point. The Witness: I think the Board of Trade requirement is 9,605 cubic feet. The Solicitor-General: I am coming to that. Would your Lordship just follow me for a moment. It needs a little following, and it will be found to work out all right. Would your Lordship first turn to page 6 of your print which, if it is like my copy, is headed “Division (A), Class 1. rules for steamships carrying emigrant passengers subject to all the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act.” That was this class of ship, so it was A1 then. “(A) Ships of Division (A), Class 1, shall carry boats placed under davits, fit and ready for use and having proper appliances for getting them into the water, in number and capacity as prescribed by the table in the appendix to these rules such boats shall be equipped in the manner required by and shall be of the description defined in the general rules appended hereto.” Then if you now turn to page 17 you will find the appendix to these rules. The top line of page 17 shows that a ship with a gross tonnage of 10,000 tons and upwards, the minimum number of boats under davits is to be 16, and the minimum cubical contents is to be 5,500. Now will your Lordship turn back to page 6, (C). (I need not bother about (B)). “Not less than half the number of boats placed on the davits having at least half the cubic capacity required by the tables shall be boats of Section (A.), or Section (B).” That refers to a particular make of boat, regard being had to the extent of its buoyancy, and that has reference to page 13. I do not think your Lordship need turn to it now. “The remaining boats may also be of such description, or may, in the option of the shipowner, conform to Section (C), or Section (D), provided that not more than two boats shall be of Section (D).” Now, it is those two boats of Section (D) which are calculated at the rate of 8 cubic feet per person instead of 10 cubic feet. The Commissioner: The emergency boats. The Solicitor-General: Yes, my Lord. Then, my Lord, “(d) If the boats placed under davits in