70 STABILITY OF VESSELS AS AFFECTED 



If this vessel has an initial metacentric height of say 2 feet, and is subdivided 

 in accordance with the rules of the International Convention, and when at the 

 draught allowed by those rules is injured in a collision, with the consequent flood- 

 ing of the machinery space or of an adjacent hold, the danger of overturning would 

 seem to be eliminated, provided the sea is smooth. But if the permeabilities estab- 

 lished by the conference represent average practice, the freeboard to the top of the 

 bulkheads will be only about 12 inches. It would appear that, if the cut in the side 

 is of any size, a very moderate sea would serve to send the water forward and aft 

 of the damaged compartment, over the tops of the bulkheads. 



The results of this investigation would seem to show two things : — 



First, for a coastwise passenger and freight vessel of the hurricane deck type,, 

 subdivided in accordance with the rules of the International Convention as a Class 

 B vessel, and having a machinery space or holds of about one-fifth the length of 

 the vessel, an initial metacentric height of not less than 18 inches should be an im- 

 portant element of the design. 



Second, greater safety would be obtained by extending the bulkheads to the 

 hurricane deck, or by otherwise preventing the flow of water fore and aft on the 

 main deck. 



DISCUSSION. 



The Chairman : — This interesting paper is now before you for discussion. 



Naval Constructor Joseph H. Linnard, Member of Council: — My personal im- 

 pression, from reading the various proceedings and published papers with respect to the 

 action of the Committee in London, was that these matters had been taken into consideration 

 to the extent that it was deemed feasible. In establishing general rules it is, of course,, 

 impossible to figure out detailed cases; such detailed cases are to be dealt with by the re- 

 spective governments in the way they deem proper to produce the results. I think it has 

 been remarked that, as a matter of fact, although there are a great many vessels with very- 

 small initial metacentric height, yet it is rare that merchant ships when damaged turn tur- 

 tle before they go down. I do not have in mind any such case in these disasters that have 

 been recently noted in the press. Perhaps Admiral Capps, having been on the Commission,^ 

 will be able to tell us more in detail the considerations that governed the Commission in; 

 these matters. 



Mr. John Reid, Member: — It is many years now since this question of stability came 

 to be considered one of the most important in the design of any ship, but it is certainly 

 curious to find that there are so many ships now sailing, and some even building, in which 

 the stability is so far at fault. If it were not invidious to mention names, I could give you in 

 my experience the names of three or four large Atlantic liners, very popular ships, very- 



