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 space 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 space 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 shell 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 spaces. 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 passengers' or crew's accommodation as
follows:
On the saloon (D) deck on the starboard side in the forward third-class
open space, one baggage door.
In way of the forward first-class entrance, two doors close together on
each side.
On the upper (E) deck, one door each side at the forward end of the
working passage.
On the port side abreast the engine room, one door leading into the
working passage. One door each side on the port and starboard sides aft
into the forward second-class 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-class 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-class 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.