New-York tribune., 1912-04-20
BELIEVE T|TAM|C'S
BULKHEADS TOO LOW
Naval Constructors Say Those
Forward Were One Deck
Beneath Those Aft.
URGE USE OF INNER HUllS
Officers Point Out That This
Feature of Warships Would
Make Ocean Liners
Much Safer.
fErom m. Tribune Bureau

From The Tribune Bureau
washinKton. April 19-Naval officers have
taken the keenest interest In the stories OF
tbe survivors Of the wreck of the Iltahic'
nartieuiarly with the view of learning the
affect of the collision on the ship. As yet
there has been nothing revealed which tuiiS
satisfies the naval constructors as 10 the
real cause Of the sinking Of the ship orn-
GERS on duty here have examined the plans
y, tb. Titanic and have formed the opinion
,h.t ths ship might have been saved had u
rot been for what they regard as oe-
6ciency in bulkhead construction.
These officers have observed that IN
ths forward part Of the ship the bulk
..ads extended only to a deck which
was one dock lower than the ne'ent o.
the after bulkheads. There was onn't'eo
from, the ship a reinforced buikheao,
which. they say, should have EXTENDED
.bove the others and which would nave
s.rvsd to prevent the thrush OF wster
v,h.n the vessel settled by tho Dow'
h,;noino the water line above the Tor
ward buIkhsads. In this way, " 10 Dc
iisved. il was possible for the water 70
,w..p aft and enter tho remaining COM
partmsnts. s,oou
Accounts OF the sinking of the ship diner
g. detail, but, taking all the conditlohs iii
consideration, IL is surmised by the ha'ei
constructors that the immediate cause VI
,he sinking OF the ship was this arrange
ment of bulkheads
II is nointed out, also that there was no
,,rer bur such as is installed on warshlps'
a,d which in the case of the Titanic the
nHcers saw. might have kept her anoa'
mill the arrival Of the Carpathia at least
~ rot long enough TO limp into some haroor
ar N some beach. The Titanic did nave
,he double bottom which is a feature OF
msn-of-war construction
Tho naval constructors believe 'nere-
to,.. that il would be advantageous 10
add to the weight carried by transa'-
,antie liners by additional bulkhead con-
.truotion and an inner hull, to say MOTH
lno Of ADEQUATE iifesavins apparatus, and
70 do away with some OF the 'uxur'ss
which are used largely for advertising
surposes and to satisfy the demands OF
tho weaithier travellers.
Think. Speed Minor Factor.
onc NJ the naval officers who has taken
- ,r,arast IN the discussion arising
,yoro the loss OF the Titanic is Rear Ao-
mia, Pbu,p Andrews, formerly naval aid
,o IN. secretary OF the Navy and now
chief Of the bureau of navigation. who SAID
to-day;
There is, naturally enough. good deSl
of discussion concerning alleged excessive
speed In the transatlantic liner, but II seems
N me that that is not the factor in oceanic
navigation which may properly be regaroeu
n a peril calling for protective measures
q ,s only natural that there should be
every effort made 10 reduce the time re-
ouired in transatlantic trips. That Is some
thing which the public demands. and 1t is
by no means certain that the chance OF
disaster would be materially lessened by
reduction OF speed from. say, twenty-one
10 eighteen knots. which would be great
sacrifice in a commercial way
what is OF real necessity. however. Is
Me establishment OF safe lanes OF travel
With an avoidance of TIE obstructlons
which navigators come to dread and
against which they are repeatedly warned
nv our naval photographic Office III the
establishment OF these ocean lanes OF safety
a. augmented by an increase in the facili-
ties Of the photographic Office and the en-
ploymcnt OF a patrol vessel TO investigate
tce conditions and other menaces TO navi-
pation. and TO give warning and informa-
non TO navigators. II seems 10 me that the
situation will be met in a more adequate
way, so far as there is protection TO life
and property on the sea. than by requiring
ocean steamers TO reduce their speed. ex-
cept. OF course. at a time when II is obvi-
ously necessary to proceed with caution,
as In a fog. II does not require naval
expert 10 know that there are times when
no vessel could jeopsrdize the lives Of pas
sengers by disregarding the rules of eau
nous navigation.
''One OF the important demonstrations by
the loss of the Titanic is the need Of the
successful international regulation of wire
less communication, concerning which futile
efforts have been made by the naval au-
rhorities for several years. The legislation
which has been recommended has for some
reason encountered obstruction. At all
events, nothing has been done in the direc-
don IN which action Is urgently needed
Suggests Abandon Ship" Drill
ut would be well, also. 10 establish rules
on board ship so that passengers and crew
might regularly be stationed at the boats
and drilled at abandon ship There would
then be familiarity with the means Of meet
ing an emergency and lessening the chance
u panic and disorder. Another beneficial