Page 155 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 27 - 31

next below the shelter deck may be regarded as the upper deck, subject to the sheer being sufficient. A shelter deck steamer (page 44 of freeboard tables) 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 of an awning deck vessel, it cannot be regarded as the 'upper' deck within the meaning of the circular. The surveyors should, I think, be instructed to inform the builders 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 stern than 1/20 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, whence it would pass below down the open stairways." Just below that you will see a table which gives the particulars. There is the draft of 34 feet 9 inches and freeboard to upper deck 10 feet 9 inches, making a total of 45 feet 6 inches. But the moulded depth is only 45 feet, because you take off 6 inches for the thickness of the deck, from which you measure, and also for the keel. Then you come to the moulded depth of 'upper' deck, 45 feet; then you assume a coefficient of 74 freeboard, Table A. = 13 feet, from which you deduct 3 feet 2 inches - I will show you why that is in a moment, my Lord - giving a total of 9 feet 10 inches with a length correction of 2 feet 1 inch, or a total of freeboard by Table C of 11 feet 11 inches for winter. You knock off 9 inches for summer. Summer, as your Lordship knows, extends from April to September, and as this ship was not sailing until April, it was summer. I am giving the freeboard required for summer of 11 feet 2 inches. The Surveyor reports that at the draft 34 feet 9 inches, the freeboard to upper deck will be 10 feet 9 inches, so that the freeboard to upper deck, less than Table C, is 5 inches. That is how the matter stood, my Lord. Then what happened was - The Commissioner: You have not finished, you know. Is the remainder immaterial? Mr. Edwards: No. You will see, if you look just below, that there was some difference in the measurements of the sheer, and Mr. Archer says that it is not material. It is not at all events material for the point which I now desire to make to your Lordship. Your Lordship will have to look at the whole of the correspondence directly. Now may I ask your Lordship to jump the correspondence and go to, I think it is, the letter of the 20th June, on page 5? The Commissioner: To whom is it addressed? Mr. Edwards: It is from Harland and Wolff, and apparently it is addressed to the Assistant Secretary, Marine Department. The Commissioner: Of what - the Board of Trade? Mr. Edwards: Yes, my Lord. The Commissioner: I wish the Minutes said to whom it is addressed. Mr. Edwards: It was apparently sent to Mr. Carruthers. The Commissioner: It begins "Dear Sirs" - in the plural. Mr. Edwards: Yes, but that was the usual form of addressing the Board of Trade Surveyors at Belfast. If you look at the top of that page you will see another letter addressed, "Messrs. The Board of Trade Surveyors, Belfast." The Commissioner: Is this to the Board of Trade surveyors at Belfast?