Page 217 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 19 - 22

all this information? - Mr. Archer. 22717. Is it not a fact that you have regulations and instructions which only require under any circumstances four bulkheads to be put in a ship? - Yes. 22718. And that upon those bulkheads, if they satisfy a particular Surveyor, there may be a declaration of seaworthiness so far as bulkheads are concerned? - I do not think the declaration would go very far. 22719. I did not ask you that, Sir Walter. Do you mind, please, answering my questions in the form in which they are put. Any qualification you like to make you can make afterwards, of course. Is it not a fact that, under your regulations, if there are four bulkheads put in, that then your particular Surveyor may issue a declaration of seaworthiness so far at all events as bulkheads are concerned? - And so far as his personal responsibility is concerned, yes. The Commissioner: Will you refer me to this Rule? Mr. Edwards: Yes, my Lord. The Commissioner: That is the Rule that Mr. Scanlan referred to. Mr. Edwards: It is on page 8, my Lord, Rule 16: “An efficient and watertight engine room and stokehole bulkhead.” The Commissioner: What book are you reading from now. Is it another one. Mr. Aspinall: It is the “Regulations and Suggestions as to the Survey of the Hull, Equipments and Machinery of Steamships Carrying Passengers.” It is the book which your Lordship was referred to yesterday by the Attorney-General when he was examining Sir Walter, especially in the earlier stages of his examination. He was directing your Lordship’s attention to this Clause 16. He was there dealing with the jurisdiction of the Board of Trade in seeing that proper collision bulkheads were put in, and a part of that clause has since been deleted, as appears in the book that the Attorney-General handed up. The Commissioner: What is the book called. Mr. Aspinall: The book is called, “Regulations and Suggestions as to Survey.” The Commissioner: Have I had a copy of it. Mr. Aspinall: I think so, my Lord. My recollection is that the Attorney-General handed it in to your Lordship yesterday afternoon. I may be wrong. It may be that the Attorney-General handed it up in the form in which Mr. Dones is handing it up to your Lordship now. (The document was handed to the Commissioner.) The Commissioner: Is this it, Mr. Edwards, “16. Collision bulkheads, watertight compartment round stern tube, and other bulkheads.” Mr. Edwards: That is it, my Lord. The Commissioner: Let me see what it says. Mr. Edwards: “16. An efficient and watertight engine room and stokehole bulkhead, and an after watertight compartment to enclose the stern tube of each screw shaft, should be fitted in all seagoing steamers, both new and old, and in the absence of any of these the case must be specially referred to the Board of Trade before a declaration is given. As regards other bulkheads, although a thorough subdivision of the ship is desirable, the Surveyors should not for the present refuse to grant a declaration because these are not fitted.” “The distance of the collision bulkhead from the after side of the stern measured at the level of the lower deck should not be less than one twentieth of the vessel’s length measured from the afterpart of the stern to the fore part of the stern post.” The Commissioner: Where is the statement that he is bound to issue a certificate though there may be only four bulkheads? Mr. Edwards: At the end of the clause: “As regards other bulkheads, although a thorough subdivision of the ship is desirable, the Surveyors should not for the present refuse to grant a declaration because these are not fitted.”