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Model could prove theory

When the Titanic hit an iceberg, five of her forward watertight compartments were holed.

As these compartments filled, the weight of water pulled the bow downwards and the water then flowed over the top of the bulkheads into the compartments further aft which had not been holed.

If, once the forward compartments were taking in water, one or more of the compartments furthest aft had been deliberately flooded then perhaps the ship would have remained nearer to the horizontal and the flow of water over the bulkheads would have been delayed or reduced. No doubt the ship would have sunk, but perhaps it would have remained afloat rather longer than it did.

I wonder if there are any naval architects who can respond with certainty to this hypothesis. Perhaps it would be necessary to construct a model and put it to the test.

KEN HAZELL Causeway Bay

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