Page 145 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 23 - 26

bulkhead first of all. The plans of the “Titanic” and the “Olympic” were identical? - Yes, so far as bulkheads were concerned. th 24437. On the 30 April, 1910, you write: “Steamship ‘Olympic.’ Sir, the Surveyor’s report requesting instructions regarding the collision bulkhead of this vessel is forwarded. The Board’s regulation Circular 1401 requires that the collision bulkhead is in all cases to extend to the upper deck, but there is a provision that in vessels of the shelter deck type the deck next below the shelter deck may be regarded as the upper deck, subject to the sheer being sufficient. The shelter deck stem deck, page 44 of Freeboard Table, may for this purpose be defined as one having a greater freeboard measured from the second deck than required by Table C, and having all openings in the second deck battened down as on a weather deck. The Surveyor reports that the freeboard of this vessel, measured from the so-called upper deck, will be about 10 feet 9 inches, but the freeboard required by Table C is about 11 feet 2 inches, as shown in detail on the attached sheet. The sheer will also be somewhat less than the standard, and there will be a large number of openings in the upper deck. As the deck marked ‘upper’ will be nearer the water than the main or second deck, with an awning deck vessel, it cannot be regarded as the upper deck within the meaning of the Circular. The Surveyor should, I think, be instructed to inform the builder that the collision bulkhead must be carried up to the deck marked ‘saloon deck,’ and that no part of the bulkhead below this deck should be nearer the stem than one-twentieth of the vessel’s length, as required by the Circular referred to. It may be observed that in the event of the upper part of the bulkhead where marked in red being damaged by collision, there would be some danger of water entering the space above the upper deck, unless the weather conditions were unusually favourable, when it would pass below down the open stairway.” So that clearly it was in your view at that time that the collision bulkhead was not being taken as high as your regulations required? - Pardon me, it was not a question of the height of the bulkhead. The height of the drawing then submitted to me was the same as it stands there in that drawing, that is to D deck. 24438. (The Attorney-General.) That is the saloon deck? - Yes, but the upper portion of it, that is the portion above the F deck, was crashed forward; it was too near the stem of the vessel. 24439. (Mr. Edwards.) You say that that had nothing to do with the height of the particular deck? - The bulkhead was quite high enough, but it did not go up in a straight line. The Attorney-General: It was carried up to D deck; it was stepped forward and stepped aft. 24440. (Mr. Edwards.) That is so; it did not go far up. The Witness: No. The Commissioner: It did not go straight up? The Attorney-General: That is so. 24441. (Mr. Edwards - To the Witness.) Now, did you on the 28th May, 1910, report this to your Department: “I do not think that the increased sheer now reported materially affects the question. As there will be open stairways in the upper deck, the collision bulkhead should, I think, extend to the saloon deck”? - That is right. 24442. “No report has been received as to the height to which the remaining bulkheads extend”? - Yes. 24443. “The Surveyor should note that as the intended freeboard measured from the upper deck appears to be less than given in Table C by Clause 16 of the Regulations re passenger steamers and Circular 1,401, the engine room and stokehold bulkheads at least should extend to the saloon deck”? - Yes, that is right. 24444. As a matter of fact, in the “Titanic” they did not extend to the saloon deck, did they? - No. 24445. The stokehold bulkheads did not extend? - No. 24446. Why did you permit a departure from this view? That is to say, on the 28th May your view was that the stokehold bulkhead should come right up to the saloon deck. When the ship