Sinking of the RMS Titanic the hull plates. This suggests that the iron rivets along the plate seams snapped off or popped open to create narrow gaps through which water flooded. An engineer from "Titanic"s builders, Harland and Wolff, suggested this scenario at the British Wreck Commissioner's inquiry following the disaster but his view was discounted. "Titanic"s discoverer Robert Ballard has commented that the assumption that the ship had suffered a major breach was "a by-product of the mystique of the "Titanic". No one could believe that the great ship was sunk by a little sliver." Faults in the ship's hull may have been a
Crew of the RMS Titanic was on the "Titanic" for its maiden voyage. The restaurant was self-sufficient with its own cooks, waiters, cleanup crew, and other staff. Most of the employees were French or Italian nationals. Of the entire staff of 66 people, only one male clerk and two female cashiers survived. Several "Titanic" survivors indicated that the restaurant employees were locked in their quarters by the stewards to prevent them from rushing the lifeboats. It has never been confirmed whether this was true or not. The "Titanic"'s five postal clerks—two British, three American—were charged with the supervision and processing of all incoming and outgoing