Saturday, November 8, 2014

Unsinkable page 13

Unsinkable page 13 by ric Gustafson


While the ship was being loaded with coal, Captain Maurice H Clarke of the Board of Trade was doing mandatory surveys on board. Distress rockets, flares were examined and approved. Lifeboats and floats were tested and charts and instruments were inspected.
The Board of Trade had a formula for determining the lifeboat requirements for British registered vessels. Any ship over 10,000 tons had to carry at least sixteen lifeboats with a capacity for 550 people. The huge liner went over that requirement when she added four Englehardt collapsibles which gave the ship room for 1,178 people. The ship had new Welin davits fitted to handle three lifeboats.
The ship's chief bosun Alfred Nichols checked hatches, winches, derricks and fenders knowing that the passengers were soon arriving. Shortly after, the boat train arrived.


research help: ' Unsinkable' by Daniel Allen Butler


Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

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