However, in view of the fact that ninety-five passenger ships out of every hundred are built with the single skin, low bulkheads, and non-watertight decks, which characterised the _Titanic_, it is certain that the cry: "A lifeboat seat for every passenger" is fully justified. The problem of housing the large number that would be required presents no insuperable difficulties, and there are several alternative plans on which the boats might be disposed. On page 45 will be found a proposed arrangement, reproduced by the courtesy of the "Scientific American," which shows in white the twenty boats actually carried by the _Titanic_, and in black the additional boats which would be necessary to increase the total accommodation to about 3,100 people. This plan would necessitate the sacrifice of some of the deck-house structures. Between each pair of smoke-stacks two lines of four boats each are stowed athwartships. The boat chocks are provided with gunmetal wheels, which run in transverse tracks sunk in the deck. Along each side of the boat-deck there is a continuous line of boats. [Illustration: Courtesy of _Scientific American_ THE ELABORATE INSTALLATION OF TELEGRAPHS, TELEPHONES, VOICE-TUBES, ETC., ON THE BRIDGE OF AN OCEAN LINER] Another plan would be to take advantage of the full capacity of the Welin davit with which the _Titanic_ was equipped, which is capable of handling two or even three boats stowed abreast. Three lines of boats carried on each side of the long boat-deck of a modern liner would provide ample accommodation for every person on board. But we repeat--and the point cannot be too strongly urged--that however complete the lifeboat accommodation may be, it is at the best a makeshift. The demand that every ship that is launched in the future shall be so far unsinkable as to serve as its own lifeboat in case of serious disaster is perfectly reasonable; for there are certain first-class transatlantic liners in service to-day--notably in certain leading English and German lines--which fulfil this condition. Considerations both of humanity and self-interest should lead to the adoption of similar principles of construction by every passenger steamship company. It is possible that the time will come, and it may indeed be very close at hand, when the most attractive page in the illustrated steamship pamphlet will be one containing plans of the ships, in which the safeguards against sinking--such as side bunkers, high bulkheads, and watertight decks--are clearly delineated. CHAPTER IV SAFETY LIES IN SUBDIVISION