Well, if this was a significant factor, it is surprising there was no scandal about it. The properties of steel at freesing temperatures were known at that time and only incompetence of the first order, or some sort of criminal scam involving suppliers, would account for it.

Once the hole was torn in her, which may or may not have involved sub-specification plates and welds, the key fact in the loss was the design of the thwartship bulwarks which failed to compartment the vessel's sections completely.

A