BY DEMAND FOR INCREASED SAFETY. 41 



feet condition, yet in the course of service, where they are apt to be left open for long 

 periods, are frequently found when the emergency comes to be unworkable, or if workable 

 far from watertight, owing to distortions that have occurred and have not been corrected. 

 Therefore it has seemed to me that, if feasible, it is a very important point in fitting the 

 transverse bulkheads, which, as has been remarked this morning, are the main subdivisions 

 that appear practicable and to be made without undue expense. But particularly with refer- 

 ence to such transverse subdivisions in the machinery compartment it has been found diffi- 

 cult to preserve such absolute watertightness without any openings fitted with watertight 

 doors. In fact, I was an ardent advocate myself of such methods of construction, and sev- 

 eral of the warships of the Navy were fitted without any watertight doors in the transverse 

 bulkheads in the machinery spaces. But experience has shown that the pressure of daily in- 

 convenience overcomes the remote improvement in safety, and in the course of time I believe 

 every one of those ships had watertight doors fitted into the transverse bulkheads in the 

 machinery spaces. I think any consideration of watertight subdivisions that leaves out of 

 consideration the tendency of the seagoing man to search for immediate convenience at the 

 expense of ultimate safety has to be carefully considered. 



Mr. E. H. Rigg, Member: — I am glad to hear Mr. Robinson suggest that the Society 

 take an active interest in whatever is done in the matter of securing the maximum practicable 

 safety for life and property at sea. 



Our record shows that the Society has always taken this interest, at any rate as indi- 

 viduals ; a glance over the contents of our Transactions will show many papers bearing on 

 this great subject in one or other of its many phases. 



Mr. Donald's paper in 1909 deals with freeboard and scantling regulation; this paper 

 was concurrent with a complete revision of Lloyd's and other registry societies' rules. 



We have several papers on bulkheads; two especially, by Professor Hovgaard, occur to 

 me at the moment. 



The recent activity of the Department of Commerce in getting data together prior- to 

 the International Conference on Safety of Life at Sea, at present sitting in London, is 

 familiar to us all. 



The next year or so promises to be full of unusual interest to us as naval architects, and 

 I take it that Mr. Robinson's idea is that the Society should actively co-operate with the De- 

 partment of Commerce in framing regulations to meet the demand for increased safety, be- 

 cause the members of this Society are well qualified, individually and collectively, to take such 

 active part as may assist in shaping matters to the best interests of all concerned. 



Mr. Robinson: — That is exactly what I believe in. (Applause.) 



Mr. a. p. Lundin, Member (Communicated) : — I have read Mr. Dickie's paper with 

 much interest, and regret that I could not be present and take part in the discussion. 



I admire Mr. Dickie's courage as regards his plan for an unsinkable and fireproof ship. 

 I wish him every success in constructing such a ship and trust that, when it has been com- 

 pleted, it will stand thorough demonstration of the correctness of Mr. Dickie's theories. If 

 actual tests prove them correct, I think that steamship operators and financial interests back- 

 ing the "unsinkable, fireproof ship" enterprise should be willing to show their confidence 

 by taking out no insurance on a ship of this type nor on its cargo. I believe that such a 



