Berthon Boat

Berthon boats have double linings of canvas, sectioned in two watertight envelopes that assist buoyancy and give protection from the possibility that the outer canvas could be accidentally torn.

Increased popularity

The safer design of Berthon Boats, two of which aided in the rescue of Titanic passengers [ [http://gaslight.mtroyal.ab.ca/titnch16.htm The sinking of the Titanic, ch. 16: Carpathia to the rescue (1912) by Jay Henry Mowbray ] ] , led to an increased popularity of the boatsFact|date=February 2007. An additional factor increasing the popularity of the Berthon boat is the fact that the deck can double as a liferaft due to its support by four long air tanks.

After the sinking of the "Titanic" in 1912, the first time a large passenger ship had been sunk by an iceberg, the White Star Line's owner, Bruce Ismay , required that every passenger boat under his control would thereafter be fitted with sufficient lifeboats for all passengers. In his speech at the close of the "Titanic" inquiry the Attorney General called for more life saving devices at sea, including lifeboats, and regulations that would ‘apply to the vessels of all countries’ to enforce this request.

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