Page 76 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 19 - 22

The Commissioner: I have got 14 now. Mr. Raymond Asquith: Yes, I think that is so, counting the small one. The Commissioner: I thought you said there were 13. Mr. Raymond Asquith: So I understood. The Commissioner: Now that you have introduced that small thing in the forepart of the ship and given it the number 1A, I have 14. Mr. Raymond Asquith: That is so. The Commissioner - To the Witness: Will you come round here and explain the plan? (The Witness explained the plan to his Lordship.) The Commissioner: I think I understand it now. 21061. (Mr. Raymond Asquith - To the Witness.) Now, will you go to the longitudinal divisions and explain what those are. They begin, I think, at the forward end of the engine room? - They begin at the afterend of the engine room and extend to the fore end of the No. 1 boiler room. The Commissioner: Will you begin at the forward part? 21062. (Mr. Raymond Asquith.) Begin at No. 1 boiler room; that is where they begin forward, is it not? - Yes. 21063. And they run down each side of the ship to the afterpart of the engine room? - That is so. 21064. Between those longitudinal bulkheads and the skin of the ship are the bunkers? - Yes. 21065. Are there also small transverse bulkheads running between the skin of the ship and the longitudinal bulkheads dividing off the bunkers? - Those are also watertight. 21066. Those wing bulkheads are the ones which are marked on the top section in dotted perpendicular lines? - That is so. 21067. What is the space between each of those transverse wing bulkheads? - Not more than 40 feet in any case. 21068. (The Commissioner.) Who built these ships? - Messrs. Swan and Hunter built the “Mauretania”; Messrs. John Brown and Company, Clydebank, built the “Lusitania.” 21069. Were they built to tender or were they built as the White Star boats are built, upon the cost of material and labour, with an added percentage for profit? - That is so. 21070. Which way were these built? - On the same principle. 21071. (Mr. Raymond Asquith.) Then, if you go aft to the engine room, I see there is another longitudinal division in the part of the ship devoted to auxiliary machinery? - That is so. 21072. In addition to those longitudinal and transverse bulkheads, are there also some watertight decks? - Yes, there are watertight decks immediately above. 21073. Beginning again on the fore part of the ship, is there a watertight deck over No. 1 hold? - First of all, there is the watertight deck immediately above the trimming tank in the peak. 21074. And another one over No. 1 hold and the chain locker? - Yes. 21075. (The Commissioner.) Which deck was watertight? - In the peak tank it is on E deck; in No. 1 hold it is on F deck. 21076. Which is F deck; is that the Orlop deck? - The Orlop deck. 21077. (Mr. Raymond Asquith.) Going further aft, when do you come to the next watertight deck? - Abaft of the transverse bulkhead No. 3. 21078. Between 3 and 4, is it? - That is so. 21079. Then you go further aft, to bulkhead No. 10? - Yes. 21080. The whole of that part of the ship from bulkhead No. 10 back to the stern is enclosed on the level of E deck with a watertight deck? - That is so. The Commissioner: Where is that indicated on the plan? Mr. Raymond Asquith: It is indicated by a black line drawn over the three aftermost compartments of the vessel in the profile plan, beginning at the transverse bulkhead No. 10 and