[Tealeaf]

My apologies, Gordon in getting you to do this simple mathematical exercise. The problem was that I read the original exert and made the assumption that because the coffin would have been bashed around as it's granite mausoleum was destroyed it would no longer have been waterproof; in fact, I have made the assumption throughout that no coffin is 100% waterproof whatever the circumstances.

I accept that a partially lead lined coffin may well be capable of floating in the short term (depending upon volume displacement) but there is also a secondary problem arising from the effect of seawater salinity on lead - but anyway, I won't go into that now.

I really don't know 'owt about the techniques and procedures in lining a coffin with lead; I assume the objective is to slow the decomposition of the body, in which case it makes far more sense to wrap the corpse itself in lead sheeting rather than line the coffin itself and then solder the surrounds.

I’ve attached a little sketch comprising 2 end views, feet up from a body in a coffin, one with the body wrapped in lead sheet and the second one with the coffin lined with lead, soldered and with a lead lid as well – I just can’t see how the coffin can be waterproof and as such will, after time, invariably sink.