Page 104 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 23 - 26

Assistant Secretary as a right provision. 23904. Would the Assistant Secretary in your view decide whether it was the right provision? - No, Mr. Archer would decide it. 23905. Then what would be the purpose of submitting it to the Assistant Secretary? - I cannot tell you that; I have nothing to do with that. 23906. Was there anything else submitted to London? - There was a question of the side scuttles and a question as to the height the bulkheads might be carried. These were all practically involved in this first thing. 23907. Were those bulkheads other than the collision bulkhead? - Yes. 23908. Did you submit sketches of these other bulkheads to London? - I got drawing from Harland and Wolff’s and they were forwarded to London. 23909. In those drawings which you got from Harland and Wolff’s for the intermediate bulkhead to which deck was it proposed that should be carried? - To E deck as far aft as the forward engine room bulkhead and to the D deck abaft that. 23910. Did you make any recommendations with regard to the height of those bulkheads? - No, this was settled automatically by a rearrangement of the freeboard. 23911. Automatically, in what way? - If they took table C freeboard they could stop at the bulkhead measured from the upper deck - they could by the Rules stop them at E deck. 23912. What Rules are you referring to? - The freeboard tables and Clause 16 in the instructions. 23913. Clause 16 in your instructions says this: “An efficient and watertight engine room stokehold bulkhead, as well as a collision watertight bulkhead, and an after-watertight compartment, to enclose the stern tube of each screw shaft, should be fitted in all sea-going 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.” Will you refer me to the Rules by which you are guided in the case of other bulkheads than those specifically mentioned in that Rule? - The circular 1401, which overrides this Clause 16, which you have read. 23914. It says, “In all sea-going steamers coming under survey for passenger certificate for the first time the following requirements regarding the height of the bulkheads should be complied with. The collision bulkhead is in all cases to extend to the upper deck. If an iron or steel watertight deck or flat is fitted below the upper deck at the afterend of the vessel and forms the top of the after watertight compartment, the aftermost bulkhead may terminate at the said watertight deck or flat, but if no such watertight deck or flat is fitted, the aftermost bulkhead should extend to the upper deck. When the loadline disc of the vessel is placed at least as low as is required by Table C of the Freeboard Tables for awning deck vessels” this is not an awning deck vessel, is it? - You will find a little further on it says this is a shelter deck vessel. We look upon the top deck as the shelter deck, and the next deck below is called the upper deck. 23915. It is only to get clear as we go on. This is not an awning deck vessel? - No; I would not call it an awning deck. 23916. (Sir Robert Finlay.) May I ask which you call the shelter deck and which the upper deck on this model? - The top deck is the shelter deck. 23917. Will you point to it, please? - Yes, (Pointing on the model.) this deck; the next deck next below it is the upper deck. 23918. That is C and D? - C and D. 23919. (Mr. Edwards.) “When the loadline disc of the vessel is placed at least as low as is required by Table C of the Freeboard Tables for awning deck vessels the remaining bulkheads may terminate at the deck next below the upper deck.” That would be in this case? - D deck.