It may assist this discussion if you watch a British Pathé Newsreel clip of the Berengaria being scrapped in 1938.
The clip is highly relevant, as it focusses on the second funnel being brought down. Also, the funnels of the Berengaria can arguably be comparable to Titanic's, as the two liners were built around the same time - Berengaria was built as Imperator, sailing on her maiden voyage in 1913.
The clip is of interest for the following reasons:
As anyone who as done a 'bellyflop' in to a swimming pool will testify; an impact with water (because a fluid cannot be compressed) has the same result as an impact with a solid surface. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that - any of Titanic's funnels that toppled over as the liner sank, would likely have collapsed / largely flattened out upon striking the sea, before disappearing below the surface.
The clip is highly relevant, as it focusses on the second funnel being brought down. Also, the funnels of the Berengaria can arguably be comparable to Titanic's, as the two liners were built around the same time - Berengaria was built as Imperator, sailing on her maiden voyage in 1913.
The clip is of interest for the following reasons:
- The smokestack stays are visible, hanging loose from the staying band on the funnel's side. They have clearly been cut, yet the funnel remains standing. (NB- liner is not listing, out at sea). It only crashes to the deck once its base has been cut by an oxyacetylene torch.
- As the funnel topples, there is a brief glimpse of its internal structure, showing its 'tube within a tube' design (as already demonstrated by Bob Read).
- When the funnel crashes on to the deck, it flattens out (almost completely) upon impact.
As anyone who as done a 'bellyflop' in to a swimming pool will testify; an impact with water (because a fluid cannot be compressed) has the same result as an impact with a solid surface. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that - any of Titanic's funnels that toppled over as the liner sank, would likely have collapsed / largely flattened out upon striking the sea, before disappearing below the surface.
