Forward Hold Question

[R. A. Williams]

Hello Titanic enthusiasts.

I have a question regarding the flooding of the forward holds that I have been unable to find answers to doing my own research. If anyone happens to have an idea I would be ever so grateful.

1.) At what time did the holds under hatch 1 & hatch 2 on the Orlop Deck/Tank Top flood out completely?
2.) How were these holds accessed during the voyage, if at all?

Your thought greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,

Richard

 

[Jim Currie]

I think it would be hard to determine a fair answer to your question since the rate of flooding in each compartment would differ and the level in each compartment would be effected by the trim of the ship by the head.
The following evidence was given by Harland & Wolff naval Architect Edward Wilding:

"20370. (Mr. Rowlatt.) Now, what does this plan show?
- This plan shows the condition of things shortly after, as far as I can make out, or about the time that Dillon was driven out of No. 4 boiler room and shortly after Barrett was driven out of No. 5. You will see the forepeak, No. 1 hold, No. 2 hold, and No. 3 hold, and No. 6 boiler room are completely flooded; that there is a considerable amount of water in No. 5, that corresponding to the fact that there was a rush of water, according to Barrett's evidence, through the pass".

Here is the relevant part of the evidence of Trimmer Dillon:

"810. Can you give us any idea of how long it was after the ship had struck that you got the order to go on deck?
- Yes.
3811. About how long was it?
- An hour and 40 minutes.
3812. That would make it about 1 o'clock?
- No.
3813. After that - a quarter-past one?
- Yes.

 

[Rob Lawes]

May I recommend this article as a starting point. I think it should answer your questions regarding flooding times:

http://www.paullee.com/titanic/belowdecks.php

 

[Aaron_2016]

Trouble is, when survivors witness a room or corridor flooding, it does not mean the rooms adjacent to that corridor or room are also going to flood at the same rate, or at all, and these rooms could become air pockets. The ship had a list to starboard and at some point this list changed to port and became rather heavy, but it is difficult to say how much water left the flooded or partially flooded rooms on the starboard side and rushed over to the port side.


Mr. Ray said -
"I went to the rail and looked over and saw the first boat leaving the ship on the starboard side. By that time I was feeling rather cold, so I went down below again, to my bedroom, the same way that I came up.....I went along E deck and forward, and the forward part of E deck was under water. I could just manage to get through the doorway into the main stairway. I went across to the other side of the ship where the passengers' cabins were; saw nobody there. I looked to see where the water was and it was corresponding on that side of the ship to the port side."

He believed the ship the water was already concentrating on the port side of E-deck after the first lifeboat had left the starboard side. The water likely came up the staircase on the starboard side and poured down the staircases on the port side, causing the ship to list to port.

Charles Joughin was in his cabin 1 hour later around 1:30am and he noticed the water had travelled up Scotland Road on the port side and reached his cabin all the way aft near the Engine room. This gives us an idea of how the ship was flooding.

He then noticed that the water had moved over to the port side of the corridor. E-deck was in theory supposed to be the deck that caused the water to spill over into the next compartment below, but it was going aft.

Joughin left his cabin sometime after 1.30am and noticed the water had flooded the port side of his cabin all the way aft. He noticed the sea had left the corridor almost entirely and he noticed two men trying to close the watertight door outside his room. Perhaps the water was no longer rising up the starboard staircase and had flooded the deck below and was now flooding from the port side, causing the ship to list dangerously over to port.

It should be noted that the Titanic was a vast maze of decks and rooms. Where and when each room and deck flooded would not necessarily follow a predetermined path. e.g. Who knows how many gangway doors and portholes were left open. This alone would greatly affect how the ship flooded.


.

 

[Ioannis Georgiou]

Trouble is, when survivors witness a room or corridor flooding, it does not mean the rooms adjacent to that corridor or room are also going to flood at the same rate, or at all, and these rooms could become air pockets.

There is mention of flooded cabins. Also they have wooden doors ( a porthole might have been also open) so how did they became air pockets?

Mr. Ray said -
"I went to the rail and looked over and saw the first boat leaving the ship on the starboard side. By that time I was feeling rather cold, so I went down below again, to my bedroom, the same way that I came up.....I went along E deck and forward, and the forward part of E deck was under water. I could just manage to get through the doorway into the main stairway. I went across to the other side of the ship where the passengers' cabins were; saw nobody there. I looked to see where the water was and it was corresponding on that side of the ship to the port side."

He believed the ship the water was already concentrating on the port side of E-deck after the first lifeboat had left the starboard side. The water likely came up the staircase on the starboard side and poured down the staircases on the port side, causing the ship to list to port.

Sorry, but that is your interpretation, not what he said.

Mr. Ray: I looked to see where the water was and it was corresponding on that side of the ship to the port side.

The squash racquet court (one deck below on F Deck & G Deck) was flooding rapidly, so water would have already come also up from the port side staircase.

 

[Samuel Halpern]

Your location for what Ray saw is incorrect Aaron.

Mr. RAY: I got my overcoat on. I went along E deck. There was nobody in No. 3 when I left.
Senator SMITH. No. 3 room?
Mr. RAY: No. 3 room, where I slept. I went along E deck and forward, and the forward part of E deck was under water. I could just manage to get through the doorway into the main stairway. I went across to the other side of the ship where the passengers' cabins were; saw nobody there. I looked to see where the water was and it was corresponding on that side of the ship to the port side. I walked leisurely up to the main stairway, passed two or three people on the way, saw the two pursers in the purser's office and the clerks busy at the safe taking things out and putting them in bags, and just then Mr. Rothschild left his stateroom and I waited for him-

The 1st class stewards' room was on port side of E deck between No. 1&2 and No.3&4 boiler casings, just aft of the wide staircase leading down to the 3rd class dinning room. He had gone down from the boat deck by way of the staircase just aft of boiler casing No. 1&2 that was almost exclusively used by the stewards and other victualing staff. From his room he went forward along E deck to a door off of the alleyway that led to where the 1st class stairs were located. He said that the alleyway forward of that point was flooded. You can easily go across from there to the starboard side by that staircase to the port side where 1st class passenger cabins were located (the nearest one being E-28). Looking forward he saw water there too over on the port side that corridor, and then went back and up the stairs to C deck from that point. This was just after the 1st boat left the ship, which places the time a little over an hour after the ship collided. Based on this observation, that water had reached as far back as the first class staircase on E deck by that time, and the observations of steward Wheat shortly before by the same staircase, the vessel had by that time trimmed down about 3° by the head and had taken on a slight list to port.