Loss Of The Steamship 'Titanic' Part 3

Third-cla.s.s pa.s.sengers at the fore end of the vessel could pa.s.s by the staircases to C deck in the forward well and by ladders on the port and starboard sides at the forward end of the deck houses, thence direct to the boat deck outside the officers' accommodation. They might also pa.s.s along the working pa.s.sage on E deck and through the emergency door to the forward first-cla.s.s main stairway, or through the door on the same deck at the forward end of the first-cla.s.s alleyway and up the first-cla.s.s stairway direct to the boat deck.

The third-cla.s.s pa.s.sengers at the after end of the ship pa.s.sed up their stairway to E deck and into the working pa.s.sage and through the emergency doors to the two second-cla.s.s stairways and so to the boat deck, like second-cla.s.s pa.s.sengers. Or, alternatively, they could continue up their own stairs and entrance to C deck, thence by the two ladders at the after end of the bridge onto the B deck and thence by the forward second-cla.s.s stairway direct to the boat deck.

_Crew._--From each boiler room an escape or emergency ladder was provided direct to the boat deck by the fidleys, in the boiler casings, and also into the working pa.s.sage on E deck, and thence by the stair immediately forward of the reciprocating-engine casing, direct to the boat deck.

From both the engine rooms ladders and gratings gave direct access to the boat deck.

From the electric engine room, the after tunnels, and the forward pipe tunnels escapes were provided direct to the working pa.s.sage on E deck and thence by one of the several routes already detailed from that s.p.a.ce.

From the crew's quarters they could go forward by their own staircases into the forward well and thence, like the third-cla.s.s pa.s.sengers, to the boat deck.

The stewards' accommodation being all connected to the working pa.s.sage or the forward main first-cla.s.s stairway, they could use one of the routes from thence.

The engineers' accommodation also communicated with the working pa.s.sage, but as it was possible for them to be shut between two water-tight bulkheads, they had also a direct route by the gratings in the engine-room casing to the boat deck.

On all the princ.i.p.al accommodation decks the alleyways and stairways provided a ready means of access to the boat deck, and there were clear deck s.p.a.ces in way of all first, second, and third cla.s.s main entrances and stairways on boat deck and all decks below.

STRUCTURE.

The vessel was built throughout of steel and had a cellular double bottom of the usual type, with a floor at every frame, its depth at the center line being 63 inches, except in way of the reciprocating machinery, where it was 78 inches. For about half of the length of the vessel this double bottom extended up the ship's side to a height of 7 feet above the keel. Forward and aft of the machinery s.p.a.ce the protection of the inner bottom extended to a less height above the keel.

It was so divided that there were four separate water-tight compartments in the breadth of the vessel. Before and abaft the machinery s.p.a.ce there was a water-tight division at the center line only, except in the foremost and aftermost tanks. Above the double bottom the vessel was constructed of the usual transverse frame system, reenforced by web frames, which extended to the highest decks.

At the forward end the framing and plating was strengthened with a view to preventing panting and damage when meeting thin harbor ice.

Beams were fitted on every frame at all decks from the boat deck downward. An external bilge keel about 300 feet long and 25 inches deep was fitted along the bilge amidships.

The heavy ship's plating was carried right up to the boat deck, and between the C and B decks was doubled. The stringer or edge plate of the B deck was also doubled. This double plating was hydraulic riveted.

All decks were steel plated throughout.

The transverse strength of the ship was in part dependent on the 15 transverse water-tight bulkheads, which were specially stiffened and strengthened to enable them to stand the necessary pressure in the event of accident, and they were connected by double angles to decks, inner bottom, and sh.e.l.l plating.

The two decks above the B deck were of comparatively light scantling, but strong enough to insure their proving satisfactory in these positions in rough weather.

_Water-tight subdivision._--In the preparation of the design of this vessel it was arranged that the bulkheads and divisions should be so placed that the ship would remain afloat in the event of any two adjoining compartments being flooded and that they should be so built and strengthened that the ship would remain afloat under this condition.

The minimum freeboard that the vessel would have in the event of any two compartments being flooded was between 2 feet 6 inches and 3 feet from the deck adjoining the top of the water-tight bulkheads. With this object in view, 15 water-tight bulkheads were arranged in the vessel.

The lower part of C bulkhead was doubled and was in the form of a cofferdam. So far as possible the bulkheads were carried up in one plane to their upper sides, but in cases where they had for any reason to be stepped forward or aft, the deck, in way of the step, was made into a water-tight flat, thus completing the water-tightness of the compartment. In addition to this, G deck in the after peak was made a water-tight flat. The orlop deck between bulkheads which formed the top of the tunnel was also water-tight. The orlop deck in the forepeak tank was also a water-tight flat. The electric-machinery compartment was further protected by a structure some distance in from the ship's side, forming six separate water-tight compartments, which were used for the storage of fresh water.

Where openings were required for the working of the ship in these water-tight bulkheads they were closed by water-tight sliding doors which could be worked from a position above the top of the water-tight bulkhead, and those doors immediately above the inner bottom were of a special automatic closing pattern, as described below. By this subdivision there were in all 73 compartments, 29 of these being above the inner bottom.

_Water-tight doors._--The doors (12 in number) immediately above the inner bottom were in the engine and boiler room s.p.a.ces. They were of Messrs. Harland & Wolff's latest type, working vertically. The doorplate was of cast iron of heavy section, strongly ribbed. It closed by gravity, and was held in the open position by a clutch which could be released by means of a powerful electromagnet controlled from the captain's bridge. In the event of accident, or at any time when it might be considered desirable, the captain or officer on duty could, by simply moving an electric switch, immediately close all these doors. The time required for the doors to close was between 25 and 30 seconds. Each door could also be closed from below by operating a hand lever fitted alongside the door. As a further precaution floats were provided beneath the floor level, which, in the event of water accidentally entering any of the compartments, automatically lifted and thus released the clutches, thereby permitting the doors in that particular compartment to close if they had not already been dropped by any other means. These doors were fitted with cataracts, which controlled the speed of closing.

Due notice of closing from the bridge was given by a warning bell.

A ladder or escape was provided in each boiler room, engine room, and similar water-tight compartment, in order that the closing of the doors at any time should not imprison the men working therein.

The water-tight doors on E deck were of horizontal pattern, with wrought-steel doorplates. Those on F deck and the one aft on the Orlop deck were of similar type, but had cast-iron doorplates of heavy section, strongly ribbed. Each of the between-deck doors, and each of the vertical doors on the tank top level could be operated by the ordinary hand gear from the deck above the top of the water-tight bulkhead, and from a position on the next deck above, almost directly above the door. To facilitate the quick closing of the doors, plates were affixed in suitable positions on the sides of the alleyways, indicating the positions of the deck plates, and a box spanner was provided for each door, hanging in suitable clips alongside the deck plate.

_Ship's side doors._--Large side doors were provided through the side plating, giving access to pa.s.sengers' or crew's accommodation as follows:

On the saloon (D) deck on the starboard side in the forward third-cla.s.s open s.p.a.ce, one baggage door.

In way of the forward first-cla.s.s entrance, two doors close together on each side.

On the upper (E) deck, one door each side at the forward end of the working pa.s.sage.

On the port side abreast the engine room, one door leading into the working pa.s.sage. One door each side on the port and starboard sides aft into the forward second-cla.s.s entrance.

All the doors on the upper deck were secured by lever handles, and were made water-tight by means of rubber strips. Those on the saloon deck were closed by lever handles, but had no rubber.

_Accommodation ladder._--One teak accommodation ladder was provided, and could be worked on either side of the ship in the gangway door opposite the second-cla.s.s entrance on the upper deck (E). It had a folding platform and portable stanchions, hand rope, etc. The ladder extended to within 3 feet 6 inches of the vessel's light draft, and was stowed overhead in the entrance abreast the forward second-cla.s.s main staircase. Its lower end was arranged so as to be raised and lowered from a davit immediately above.

_Masts and rigging._--The vessel was rigged with two masts and fore and aft sails. The two pole masts were constructed of steel, and stiffened with angle irons. The poles at the top of the mast were made of teak.

A lookout cage, constructed of steel, was fitted on the foremast at a height of about 95 feet above the water line. Access to the cage was obtained by an iron vertical ladder inside of the foremast, with an opening at C deck and one at the lookout cage. An iron ladder was fitted on the foremast from the hounds to the masthead light.

LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES.

_Life buoys._--Forty-eight, with beckets, were supplied, of pattern approved by the board of trade. They were placed about the ship.

_Life belts._--Three thousand five hundred and sixty life belts, of the latest improved overhead pattern, approved by the board of trade, were supplied and placed on board the vessel and there inspected by the board of trade. These were distributed throughout all the sleeping accommodation.

_Lifeboats._--Twenty boats in all were fitted on the vessel, and were of the following dimensions and capacities:

Fourteen wood lifeboats, each 30 feet long by 9 feet 1 inch broad by 4 feet deep, with a cubic capacity of 655.2 cubic feet, constructed to carry 65 persons each.

Emergency boats:

One wood cutter, 25 feet 2 inches long by 7 feet 2 inches broad by 3 feet deep, with a cubic capacity of 326.6 cubic feet, constructed to carry 40 persons.

One wood cutter, 25 feet 2 inches long by 7 feet 1 inch broad by 3 feet deep, with a cubic capacity of 322.1 cubic feet, constructed to carry 40 persons.

Four Engelhardt collapsible boats, 27 feet 5 inches long by 8 feet broad by 3 feet deep, with a cubic capacity of 376.6 cubic feet, constructed to carry 47 persons each.

Or a total of 11,327.9 cubic feet for 1,178 persons.

The lifeboats and cutters were constructed as follows:

The keels were of elm. The stems and stern posts were of oak. They were all clinker built of yellow pine, double fastened with copper nails, clinched over rooves. The timbers were of elm, s.p.a.ced about 9 inches apart, and the seats pitch pine, secured with galvanized-iron double knees. The buoyancy tanks in the lifeboats were of 18 ounce copper, and of capacity to meet the board of trade requirements.

The lifeboats were fitted with Murray's disengaging gear, with arrangements for simultaneously freeing both ends if required. The gear was fastened at a suitable distance from the forward and after ends of the boats, to suit the davits. Life lines were fitted round the gunwales of the lifeboats. The davit blocks were treble for the lifeboats and double for the cutters. They were of elm, with lignum vitae roller sheaves, and were bound inside with iron, and had swivel eyes. There were manila rope falls of sufficient length for lowering the boats to the vessel's light draft, and when the boats were lowered, to be able to reach the boat winches on the boat deck.

The lifeboats were stowed on hinged wood chocks on the boat deck, by groups of three at the forward and four at the after ends. On each side of the boat deck the cutters were arranged forward of the group of three and fitted to lash outboard as emergency boats. They were immediately abaft the navigating bridge.

The Engelhardt collapsible lifeboats were stowed abreast of the cutters, one on each side of the ship, and the remaining two on top of the officers' house, immediately abaft the navigating bridge.

The boat equipment was in accordance with the board of trade requirements. Sails for each lifeboat and cutter were supplied and stowed in painted bags. Covers were supplied for the lifeboats and cutters, and a sea anchor for each boat. Every lifeboat was furnished with a special spirit boat compa.s.s and fitting for holding it; these compa.s.ses were carried in a locker on the boat deck. A provision tank and water beaker were supplied to each boat.