Page 84 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 19 - 22

bring out every compartment separate to the top, and you could not work that very well with passengers. 21185. And I suppose you could not keep your passengers underneath, in fact you could not keep any of them underneath the continuous watertight deck? - No, there would be practical difficulties. 21186. Therefore there would not be very much room to carry people? - That is so. Mr. Scanlan: I do not know whether your Lordship would think it would be useful to ask this witness with regard to the boats. That is the only point. The Commissioner: Are you asking me? Mr. Scanlan: Yes, my Lord. The Commissioner: Very well, then I should advise you not to ask him. I have heard nearly enough about boats I think. Mr. Scanlan: I agree, my Lord. The Commissioner: Very well, I am delighted to hear that. Examined by Sir ROBERT FINLAY. 21187. Did you design these vessels, the “Mauretania” and the “Lusitania”? - I had a great deal to do with it. The design was spread over a large number, but I was responsible. 21188. You were in the office? - Yes, I am the naval architect for the company. 21189. Very well. Now are there any other British ships afloat on the plan of the “Mauretania” and “Lusitania”? - No, not that I am aware of other than warships. 21190. I am speaking, of course, of merchant vessels. Those are the only two of the type? - The only two of the type, yes, that I am aware of. The Commissioner: I daresay you are going to ask him how that arises that those are the only two of the kind. 21191. (Sir Robert Finlay.) Yes. (To the Witness.) Were the “Mauretania” and “Lusitania” built in order that they might be auxiliary cruisers in case of war? - That is so. 21192. And that is how they came to be built of this type? - No. 21193. Well, partly? - Well, partly that; but the Admiralty did not press that that should be so. 21194. But still that was regarded as a recommendation? - As a recommendation, yes; but they did not put it forward as an absolute law that it should be so. 21195. Surely if a vessel is to be used for the purposes of a war vessel it is a great advantage that she should have this protection at each side against shot and shell? - That is so, yes. 21196. For a vessel that is to be a cruiser it is a very great advantage? - Yes. 21197. Was not that one reason for adopting this plan? - One of the reasons. 21198. Are there any foreign vessels afloat that you know of which are built like the “Mauretania” and “Lusitania”? - None that I know of. The Commissioner: I did not hear that. 21199. (Sir Robert Finlay.) I asked him whether there were any foreign vessels - my first question was as to British vessels - and he says there are none afloat that he knows of? - Other than the “Imperator,” which was launched the other day. 21200. She is afloat in a sense, but she is not completed? - Not completed, no. The Commissioner: Are the steamers of the Norddeutscher Lloyd and the Hamburg-Amerika built so that they may be utilised in time of war? 21201. (Sir Robert Finlay - To the Witness.) What do you say to that? - I could not answer that question, my Lord. I think their principal mail boats are built with that intention. 21202. Now with regard to counteracting the list which might arise from the longitudinal watertight compartments; you propose to do that by a system of counteracting flooding on the