C deck. ­ The next lowest deck was C deck. This was the highest deck which extended continuously from bow to stern. At the forward end of it, under the forecastle, was placed the machinery required for working the anchors and cables and for the warping of the ship referred to on B deck above. There were also the crew's galley and the seamen's and firemen's mess­room accommodation, where their meals were taken. At the after end of the forecastle, at each side of the ship, were the entrances to the third­class spaces below. On the port side, at the extreme after end and opening onto the deck was the lamp room. The break in B deck between the forecastle and the first­class passenger quarters formed a well about 50 feet in length, which enabled the space under it on C deck to be used as a third­class promenade. This space contained two hatchways, the No. 2 hatch, and the bunker hatch. The latter of these hatchways gave access to the space allotted to the first and second class baggage hold, the mails, specie and parcel room, and to the lower hold, which was used for cargo or coals. Abaft of this well there was a house 450 feet long and extending for the full breadth of the ship. It contained 148 staterooms for first class, besides service rooms of various kinds. On this deck, at the forward first­class entrance, were the purser's office and the inquiry office, where passengers' telegrams were received for sending by the Marconi apparatus. Exit doors through the ship's side were fitted abreast of this entrance. Abaft the after end of this long house was a promenade at the ship's side for second­class passengers, sheltered by bulwarks and bulkheads. In the middle of the promenade stood the second­class library. The two second­class stairways were at the ends of the library, so that from the promenade access was obtained at each end to a second­class main stairway. There was also access by a door from this space into each of the alleyways in the first­class accommodation on each side of the ship and by two doors at the after end into the after well. This after well was about 50 feet in length and contained two hatchways called No. 5 and No. 6 hatches. Abaft this well, under the poop, was the main third­class entrance for the after end of the vessel leading directly down to G deck, with landings and access at each deck. The effective width of this stairway was 16 feet to E deck. From E to F it was 8 feet wide. Aft of this entrance on B deck were the third­class smoke room and the general room. Between these rooms and the stern was the steam steering gear and the machinery for working the after­capstan gear, which was used for warping the after end of the vessel. The steam steering gear had three cylinders. The engines were in duplicate to provide for the possibility of breakdown of one set.
D deck. ­ The general height from D deck to C deck was 10 feet 6 inches, this being reduced to 9 feet at the forward end, and 9 feet 6 inches at the after end, the taper being obtained gradually by increasing the sheer of the D deck. The forward end of this deck provided accommodation for 108 firemen, who were in two separate watches. There was the necessary lavatory accommodation, abaft the firemen's quarters at the sides of the ship. On each side of the middle line immediately abaft the firemen's quarters there was a vertical spiral staircase leading to the forward end of a tunnel, immediately above the tank top, which extended from the foot of the staircase to the forward stokehole, so that the firemen could pass direct to their work without going through any passenger accommodation or over any passenger decks. On D deck abaft of this staircase was the third class promenade space which was covered in by C deck. From this promenade space there were 4 separate ladderways with 2 ladders, 4 feet wide to each. One ladderway on each side forward led to C deck, and one, the starboard, led to E deck and continued to F deck as a double ladder and to G deck as a single ladder. The two ladderways at the after end led to E deck on both sides and to F deck on the port side. Abaft this promenade space came a block of 50 first­class staterooms. This surrounded the forward funnel. The main first­class reception room and dining saloon were aft of these rooms and surrounded the No. 2 funnel. The reception room and staircase occupied 83 feet of the length of the ship. The dining saloon occupied 112 feet, and was between the second and the third funnels. Abaft this came the first­class pantry, which occupied 56 feet of the length of the ship. The reciprocating engine hatch came up through this pantry.
Aft of the first­class pantry, the galley, which provides for both first and second class passengers, occupied 45 feet of the length of the ship. Aft of this were the turbine engine hatch and the emergency dynamos. Abaft of and on the port side of this hatch were the second­class pantry and other spaces used for the saloon service of the passengers. On the starboard side abreast of these there was a series of rooms used for hospitals and their attendants. These spaces occupied about 54 feet of the length. Aft of these was the second­class saloon occupying 70 feet of the length. In the next 88 feet of length there were 38 second­class rooms and the necessary baths and lavatories. From here to the stern was accommodation for third­class passengers and the main third­class lavatories for the passengers in the after end of the ship. The water­tight bulkheads come up to this deck throughout the length from the stern as far forward as the bulkhead dividing the after boiler room from the reciprocating engine room. The water­tight bulkhead of the two compartments abaft the stern was carried up to this deck.
E­deck. ­ The water­tight bulkheads, other than those mentioned as extending to D deck, all stopped at this deck. At the forward end was provided accommodation for three watches of trimmers, in three separate compartments, each holding 24 trimmers. Abaft this, on the port side, was accommodation for 44 seamen. Aft of this, and also on the starboard side of it, were the lavatories for crew and third­class passengers; further aft again came the forward third­class lavatories. Immediately aft of this was a passageway right across the ship communicating directly with the ladderways leading to the decks above and below and gangway doors in the ship's side. This passage was 9 feet wide at the sides and 15 feet at the center of the ship.
From the after end of this cross passage main alleyways on each side of the ship ran right through to the after end of the vessel. That on the port side was about 8 1/2 feet wide. It was the general communication passage for the crew and third­class passengers and was known as the working passage. In this passage at the center line in the middle of the length of the ship direct access was obtained to the third­class dining rooms on the deck below by means of a ladderway 20 feet wide. Between the working passage and the ship's side was the accommodation for the petty officers, most of the stewards, and the engineers' mess room. This accommodation extended for 475 feet. From this passage access was obtained to both engine rooms and the engineers' accommodation, some third­class lavatories and also some third­class accommodation at the after end. There was another cross passage at the end of this accommodation about 9 feet wide, terminating in gangway doors on each side of the ship. The port side of it was for third­class passengers and the starboard for second class. A door divided the parts, but it could be opened for any useful purpose, or for an emergency. The second­class stairway leading to the boat deck was in the cross passageway.
The passage on the starboard side ran through the first and then the second­class accommodation, and the forward main first­class stairway and elevators extended to this deck, whilst both the second­class main stairways were also in communication with this starboard passage. There were 4 first­class, 8 first or second alternatively, and 19 second­class rooms leading off this starboard passage.
The remainder of the deck was appropriated to third­class accommodation. This contained the bulk of the third­class accommodation. At the forward end of it was the accommodation for 53 firemen constituting the third watch. Aft of this in three water­tight compartments there was third­class accommodation extending to 147 feet. In the next water­tight compartment were the swimming bath and linen rooms. In the next water­tight compartments were stewards' accommodation on the port side, and the Turkish baths on the starboard side. The next two water­tight compartments each contained a third class dining room.
The third­class stewards' accommodation, together with the third­class galley and pantries, filled the water­tight compartment. The engineers' accommodation was in the next compartment directly alongside the casing of the reciprocating engine room. The next 3 compartments were allotted to 64 second­class staterooms. These communicated directly with the second­class main stairways. The after compartments contained third­class accommodation. All spaces on this deck had direct ladderway communication with the deck above, so that if it became necessary to close the water­tight doors in the bulkheads an escape was available in all cases. On this deck in the way of the boiler rooms were placed the electrically driven fans which provided ventilation to the stokeholes.
G­deck. ­ The forward end of this deck had accommodation for 15 leading firemen and 30 greasers. The next water­tight compartment contained third­class accommodation in 26 rooms for 106 people. The next water­tight compartment contained the first­class baggage room, the post­office accommodation, a racquet court, and 7 third­class rooms for 34 passengers. From this point to the after end of the boiler room the space was used for the 'tween deck bunkers. Alongside the reciprocating engine room were the engineers' stores and workshop. Abreast of the turbine engine room were some of the ship's stores. In the next water­tight compartment abaft the turbine room were the main body of the stores. The next two compartments were appropriated to 186 third­class passengers in 60 rooms; this deck was the lowest on which any passengers or crew were carried.
Below G deck were two partial decks, the orlop and lower orlop decks, the latter extending only through the fore peak and No. 1 hold; on the former deck, abaft the turbine engine room, were some storerooms containing stores for ship's use.
Below these decks again came the inner bottom, extending fore­and­aft through about nine­tenths of the vessel's length, and on this were placed the boilers, main and auxiliary machinery, and the electric­light machines. In the remaining spaces below G deck were cargo holds or 'tween decks, seven in all, six forward and one aft. The firemen's passage, giving direct access from their accommodation to the forward boiler room by stairs at the forward end, contained the various pipes and valves connected with the pumping arrangements at the forward end of the ship, and also the steam pipes conveying steam to the windlass gear forward and exhaust steam pipes leading from winches and other deck machinery. It was made thoroughly water­tight throughout its length, and at its after end was closed by a water­tight vertical sliding door of the same character as other doors on the inner bottom. Special arrangements were made for pumping this space out, if necessary. The pipes were placed in this tunnel to protect them from possible damage by coal or cargo, and also to facilitate access to them.
On the decks was provided generally, in the manner above described, accommodation for a maximum number of 1,034 first­class passengers, and at the same time 510 second­class passengers and 1,022 third­class passengers. Some of the accommodation was of an alternative character and could be used for either of two classes of passengers. In the statement of figures the higher alternative class has been reckoned. This makes a total accommodation for 2,566 passengers.
Accommodation was provided for the crew as follows: About 75 of the deck department, including officers and doctors, 326 of the engine­room department, including engineers, and 544 of the victualing department, including pursers and leading stewards.
Access of passengers to the boat deck. ­ The following routes led directly from the various parts of the first­class passenger accommodation to the boat deck: From the forward ends of A, B, C, D and E decks by the staircase in the forward first­class entrance direct to the boat deck. The elevators led from the same decks as far as A deck, where further access was obtained by going up the top flight of the main staircase.
The same route was available for first­class passengers forward of midships on B, C, and E decks.
First­class passengers abaft midships on B and C decks could use the staircase in the after main entrance to A deck, and then could pass out onto the deck and by the midships stairs beside the house ascend to the boat deck. They could also use the stewards' staircase between the reciprocating­engine casing and Nos. 1 and 2 boiler casing, which led direct to the boat deck. This last route was also available for passengers on E deck in the same divisions who could use the forward first­class main stairway and elevators.
Second­class passengers on D deck could use their own after stairway to B deck and could then pass up their forward stairway to the boat deck, or else could cross their saloon and use the same stairway throughout.
Of the second­class passengers on E deck, those abreast of the reciprocating engine­casing, unless the water­tight door immediately abaft of them was closed, went aft and joined the other second­class passengers. If, however, the water­tight door at the end of their compartment was closed, they passed through an emergency door into the engine room and directly up to the boat deck by the ladders and gratings in the engine­room casing.
The second­class passengers on E deck in the compartment abreast the turbine casing on the starboard side, and also those on F deck on both sides below could pass through M water­tight bulkhead to the forward second­class main stairway. If this door were closed, they could pass by the stairway up to the serving space at the forward end of the second­class saloon and go into the saloon and thence up the forward second­class stairway.
Passengers between M and N bulkheads on both E and F decks could pass directly up to the forward second­class stairway to the boat deck.
