Page 68 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 23 - 26

The Witness: “And should be the one submitted to the Advisory Committee for their guidance. As it is framed, it is entirely consistent with the demands made on vessels of smaller tonnage which at present work out so that the full boat and raft capacity required by the scale is equal to about 50 percent of the persons carried when full of emigrants and cabin passengers and with the full crew. For instance, the ‘Corsair’ and ‘Zeeland,’ both of just over 11,000 tons gross, are, by the present scale, fitted to carry boat and raft capacity which is equal to a little over 50 percent of the number of persons carried. According to the extended scale, as proposed, the ‘Adriatic,’ of 24,500 tons, the ‘Lusitania,’ of 31,500 tons, and the ‘Olympic,’ of 45,000 tons will also have boat and raft capacity equal to a little over 50 percent of the number of persons carried. We should also suggest the advisability of recommending the revision of Rule 12 in the direction of exempting those vessels which are subdivided in accordance with the Bulkhead Committee’s Report from carrying any of the additional boats and rafts, as in such subdivision there exists far greater safety than increased boat capacity. With regard to what is said in the reports of the Principal Officers in the matter of extending the manning scale of emigrant ships under Section 305 of the Act, as soon as the Advisory Committee have dealt with the boat capacity scale and the Board have decided to adopt a certain amended scale, we can then deal with the re-arrangement and extension of our present manning scale, which should be done on the lines laid down by Captain Parke.” Captain Parke was the Principal Officer for London. This Minute was passed into the hands of the Assistant Secretary of the Marine Department, Sir Walter Howell, who wrote: “We may now send this matter to the Advisory Committee”; and then it is dated March 24th. Sir Hubert Llewellyn Smith signed it on the 28th of the same month, 1911. 23387. (The Attorney-General.) Will you let me have that? - Yes. (Handing same to the Attorney- General.) The Attorney-General: We will have the tables printed in a convenient form, so that they may be on the Notes. 23388. (Mr. Scanlan.) Have you the scale recommended by the Glasgow Officer? - I have not. 23389. You will produce it? - It can be produced certainly. Mr. Scanlan: Perhaps it will be sent for and produced - the scale recommended by the Glasgow Officer. The Attorney-General: I think I have it; I will read it. The Commissioner: This is Glasgow. 23390. (The Attorney-General.) Yes. (To the Witness.) Mr. Harris is Glasgow? - Yes. The Attorney-General: The 45,000 to 50,000 tons is the only one material at the present moment. The minimum number of boats to be placed under davits is eighteen; total minimum cubic contents of boats placed under davits 9,700 feet. Then under davits plus additional boats 16,975 cubic capacity. That is, of course, with the addition of the supplementary three-quarters. The Commissioner: That would be sufficient for about 1,700 lives. The Attorney-General: Yes, about. The Commissioner: This gentleman’s figures make provision for about 1,970 lives? 23391. (Mr. Scanlan.) 1,907? - Yes. The Attorney-General: If you would like it on the Notes - Mr. Scanlan: I think I should like it on the Notes. The Attorney-General: Certainly. The Commissioner: Then, Mr. Scanlan, there is a suggestion that if the bulkhead requirements were complied with, the three-fourths might be given up. Mr. Scanlan: Yes. The Commissioner: And if you give up the three-fourths, then you get the boat accommodation considerably below the boat accommodation that existed in the “Titanic.” Mr. Scanlan: Very considerably, my Lord. The Attorney-General: Eleven thousand three hundred and twenty-five cubic feet capacity was actually