_Compasses._--Compasses were supplied as follows:
One Kelvin standard compass, with azimuth mirror on compass platform.
One Kelvin steering compass inside of wheelhouse.
One Kelvin steering compass on captain's bridge.
One light card compass for docking bridge.
Fourteen spirit compasses for lifeboats.
All the ships' compasses were lighted with oil and electric lamps. They were adjusted by Messrs. C. J. Smith, of Southampton, on the passage from Belfast to Southampton and Southampton to Queenstown.
_Charts._--All the necessary charts were supplied.
_Distress signals._--These were supplied of number and pattern approved by Board of Trade--i. e., 36 socket signals in lieu of guns, 12 ordinary rockets, 2 Manwell Holmes deck flares, 12 blue lights, and 6 lifebuoy lights.
PUMPING ARRANGEMENTS.
The general arrangement of piping was designed so that it was possible to pump from any flooded compartment by two independent systems of 10-inch mains having cross connections between them. These were controlled from above by rods and wheels led to the level of the bulkhead deck. By these it was possible to isolate any flooded space, together with any suctions in it. If any of these should happen accidentally to be left open, and consequently out of reach, it could be shut off from the main by the wheel on the bulkhead deck. This arrangement was specially submitted to the Board of Trade and approved by them.
The double bottom of the vessel was divided by 17 transverse water-tight divisions, including those bounding the fore and aft peaks, and again subdivided by a center fore-and-aft bulkhead, and two longitudinal bulkheads, into 46 compartments. Fourteen of these compartments had 8-inch suctions, 23 had 6-inch suctions, and 3 had 5-inch suctions connected to the 10-inch ballast main suction; 6 compartments were used exclusively for fresh water.
The following bilge suctions were provided for dealing with water above the double bottom, viz, in No. 1 hold two 3-1/2-inch suctions, No. 2 hold two 3-1/2-inch and 2 3-inch suctions, bunker hold, two 3-1/2-inch and two 3-inch suctions.
The valves in connection with the forward bilge and ballast suctions were placed in the firemen's passage, the water-tight pipe tunnel extending from No. 6 boiler room to the after end of No. 1 hold. In this tunnel, in addition to two 3-inch bilge suctions, one at each end, there was a special 3-1/2-inch suction with valve rod led up to the lower deck above the load line, so as always to have been accessible should the tunnel be flooded accidentally.
In No. 6 boiler room there were three 3-1/2-inch, one 4-1/2-inch, and two 3-inch suctions.
In No. 5 boiler room there were three 3-1/2-inch, one 5-inch, and two 3-inch suctions.
In No. 4 boiler room there were three 3-1/2-inch, one 4-1/2-inch, and two 3-inch suctions.
In No. 3 boiler room there were three 3-1/2-inch, one 5-inch, and two 3-inch suctions.
In No. 2 boiler room there were three 3-1/2-inch, one 5-inch, and two 3-inch suctions.
In No. 1 boiler room there were two 3-1/2-inch, one 5-inch, and two 3-inch suctions.
In the reciprocating engine room there were two 3-1/2-inch, six 3-inch, two 18-inch, and two 5-inch suctions.
In the turbine engine room there were two 3-1/2-inch, three 3-inch, two 18-inch, two 5-inch, and one 4-inch suctions.
In the electric engine room there were four 3-1/2-inch suctions.
In the storerooms above the electric engine room there was one 3-inch suction.
In the forward tunnel compartment there were two 3-1/2-inch suctions.
In the water-tight flat over the tunnel compartment there were two 3-inch suctions.
In the tunnel after compartment there were two 3-1/2-inch suctions.
In the water-tight flat over the tunnel after compartment there were two 3-inch suctions.
ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION.
_Main generating sets._--There were four engines and dynamos, each having a capacity of 400 kilowatts at 100 volts and consisting of a vertical three-crank compound-forced lubrication inclosed engine of sufficient power to drive the electrical plant.
The engines were direct-coupled to their respective dynamos.
These four main sets were situated in a separate water-tight compartment about 63 feet long by 24 feet high, adjoining the after end of the turbine room at the level of the inner bottom.
Steam to the electric engines was supplied from two separate lengths of steam pipes, connecting on the port side to the five single-ended boilers in compartment No. 1 and two in compartment No. 2, and on the starboard side to the auxiliary steam pipe which derived steam from the five single-ended boilers in No. 1 compartment, two in No. 2, and two in No. 4. By connections at the engine room forward bulkhead steam could be taken from any boiler in the ship.
_Auxiliary generating sets._--In addition to the four main generating sets, there were two 30-kilowatt engines and dynamos situated on a platform in the turbine engine room casing on saloon deck level, 20 feet above the water line. They were the same general type as the main sets.
These auxiliary emergency sets were connected to the boilers by means of a separate steam pipe running along the working passage above E deck, with branches from three boiler rooms, Nos. 2, 3, and 5, so that should the main sets be temporarily out of action the auxiliary sets could provide current for such lights and power appliances as would be required in the event of emergency.
_Electric lighting._--The total number of incandescent lights was 10,000, ranging from 16 to 100 candlepower, the majority being of Tantallum type, except in the cargo spaces and for the portable fittings, where carbon lamps were provided. Special dimming lamps of small amount of light were provided in the first-class rooms.
_Electric heating and power and mechanical ventilation._--Altogether 562 electric heaters and 153 electric motors were installed throughout the vessel, including six 50-hundredweight and two 30-hundredweight cranes, four 3-ton cargo winches, and four 15-hundredweight boat winches.
There were also four electric passenger lifts, three forward of the first-class main entrance and one in the second-class forward entrance, each to carry 12 persons.
_Telephones._--Loud speaking telephones of navy pattern were fitted for communication between the following:
Wheelhouse on the navigating bridge and the forecastle.
Wheelhouse on the navigating bridge and the lookout station on the crow's nest.
Wheelhouse on the navigating bridge and the engine room.
Wheelhouse on the navigating bridge and the poop.
Chief engineer's cabin and the engine room.
Engine room and Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 stokeholds.
These were operated both from the ship's lighting circuit, through a motor generator, and alternatively by a stand-by battery, which by means of an automatic switch could be introduced in the circuit should the main supply fail.
There was also a separate telephone system for intercommunication between a number of the chief officials and service rooms, through a 50-line exchange switchboard.
A number of the pantries and galleys were also in direct telephonic communication.
_Wireless telegraphy._--The wireless telegraphy system was worked by a Marconi 5-kilowatt motor generator. The house for the Marconi instruments was situated on the boat deck close to the bridge. There were four parallel aerial wires extended between the masts, fastened to light booms; from the aerials the connecting wires were led to the instruments in the house. There were two complete sets of apparatus, one for the transmitting and one for receiving messages, the former being placed in a sound-proof chamber in one corner of the wireless house.