Page 257 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

(The Witness explained the plan to the learned Commissioner.) Once you change from the heavier to the lighter construction - does the lighter construction extend right away up without changing? - Substantially. The top tier is very slightly lighter than the lower tier, but not much. 19979. (Mr. Rowlatt.) I was here speaking of the bridge deck and describing it in that way. It is the deck which constituted the strong top deck of the vessel? - The top of the vessel considered as a girder. 19980. As I understand it, the principle of a vessel is that its bottom, its sides and its deck make a girder? - Yes, and with suitable stiffening constitute other decks. 19981. And this is the deck of the ship as a ship - as opposed to upper works, such as ‘A’ deck and so on? - Yes, certainly. Mr. Rowlatt: I do not think we need go into the question of accommodation, because we can follow that on in the Report. Now, I will go to page 10, my Lord. I am not going to ask much about the intervening parts. You say on that page: “Below G deck were two partial decks.” The Commissioner: I cannot find that on page 10. How does the paragraph begin? 19982. (Mr. Rowlatt.) “Below G deck were two partial decks - the Orlop and the lower Orlop decks, the latter extending only through the forepeak and No. 1 hold.” That is the deck which is above the blue peak deck? - That is right. (Showing.) 19983. Which is the lower Orlop? - Here. (Showing.) It extends through No. 1 hold at the same level, then runs through the No. 2 hold, up again, and through No. 3 hold, and then ceases as a deck. (Showing.) 19984. I see at the top of the words “peak tank” above the blue the Orlop deck is marked with a very heavy line. Is that watertight? - It is. That is the watertight top of the peak deck. 19985. I do not know whether your Lordship noticed what he said - that the roof of the peak tank there is watertight, so that the peak tank has a watertight roof as well as a watertight bulkhead abaft it? - That is so as to prevent the water rising into the stores when filled. The Commissioner: It is a watertight box. Mr. Rowlatt: Yes, my Lord, and below that comes the inner bottom. The Commissioner: Are there any of these decks which are watertight, too? 19986. (Mr. Rowlatt.) There is that one and there is another further aft, is there not? - On the same deck. The deck resumes again abaft the machinery space - this deck coming through No. 4 hold, No. 5 hold, and No. 6 hold. (Pointing.) 19987. Where does it begin to be a watertight deck? - At about the turbine engine room. There is a recess in the middle of it here, a watertight recess. (Pointing.) A watertight box is formed. The deck is watertight throughout most of its area. 19988. When you say that, that applies to the space that is labelled “Electrical machinery”? - That space has a watertight roof. 19989. Do I understand you to say that is a watertight box in the same sense as the peak tank? - Yes. 19990. But people go up, you told us? - Yes, but they have to get up to the top of E deck before they can get out of it. 19991. But there is a fan trunk? - The fan trunk, again, is watertight up to this level. 19992. What I am speaking of is this: His Lordship asked whether there was any further watertight deck, a horizontal division? - Yes, this deck (Pointing.). The deck that forms the roof is made watertight. Any recesses in it are carried up watertight - any necessary holes. 19993. You mean that this passage, this funnel, which goes up from it is carried up, and that is watertight in itself? - That is watertight. 19994. Therefore it is a watertight hole going down into a watertight box? - Yes. 19995. (The Commissioner.) So that there can be no escape of water until it had reached the