Chronology – Sinking of S.S. TITANIC : ET Research

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Timekeeping Aboard Titanic

Note: to avoid confusion, the word "watch" in this text refers only to either a four-hour period of duty, or to the men who worked during those four hours. The word "timepiece" refers to pocket watches used by gentlemen.

Timekeeping is based on the assumption that the earth turns exactly one revolution, or 360 degrees every 24 hours. This amounts to 15 degrees of longitude every hour. For the courthouse clock noon today day comes 24 hours after noon yesterday.

Unfortunately, the Earth does not rotate quite so precisely. Some days are longer or shorter by a small amount that can be ignored in daily life. The standard 24 hour day is known as "mean time." Navigators must apply a correction known as "the equation of time" when using the sun for navigation.

Things are not so neat for a ship like Titanic making a westbound passage. The courthouse never moves, but the ship steams some distance west between noon longitudes from day to day. This distance means that today's "high noon" comes a few minutes later than it did yesterday. (The reverse is true for an eastbound voyage. Here we will focus only on westerly trips because Titanic was going west.)

"High noon" on land is known to navigators at sea as "local apparent noon" (LAN). Both terms refer to the instant when the sun crosses the observer's meridian. This means the moment when the sun is at its zenith (highest point) for the day. Titanic used its LAN to establish shipboard time each day. At 22 knots Titanic moved west at the rate of not quite one degree of longitude (at 42º North latitude) every two hours. In 24 hours, it moved roughly 12 degrees which is equal to the rotation of the Earth in 8/10ths of an hour. On Sunday, April 14 the ship's westward movement worked to be 47 minutes. Those extra minutes were part of Sunday, so had to be "tacked on" to the end of the day. This meant the Sunday of Titanic's accident was to be 24 hours and 47 minutes long.

Navigators and astronomers use noon as the marker for the start of their "astronomical day" because the sun is visible in the sky. It was necessary to use noon to because prior to electronic navigation it was impossible to measure midnight. The familiar "civil day" starts at midnight 12 hours before the astronomical day. For example, 2 a.m. January 9 in civil time is the same as 2 p.m. January 8 in astronomical time. It would have been disconcerting to its guests if Titanic had changed day and date using the astronomical day. Passengers commonly used the civil day in their lives ashore, so thought of "midnight" as the start of the new day. In deference to passengers, Titanic adopted the civil day for ship's time.

By definition, "midnight" starts the new civil day. On shore it is no more than the tick of a clock. For Titanic, however, "midnight" was effectively a span of time rather than a single instant. This arose out of the need to set the ship's clocks back each night to match the ship's westward movement. Instead of a single tick, "midnight" was effectively became 47 minutes on the night of the disaster. This elongated "midnight" started at 12 hours after the ship crossed its noon longitude on Sunday, April 14th. It continued for those extra 47 minutes until civil midnight marking the start of Monday, April 15th.

While this may seem confusing, 47 minutes of midnight would not have been a problem for anyone except the ship's navigator if it were not for the need to share those extra minutes among the deck crew. Titanic's crew was divided into two "watches," the port and starboard. Each watch was to share about half of those extra 47 minutes. The starboard watch was to serve its time before and the port watch after the "midnight" change of watch. Second Officer Charles H. Lightoller confirmed this and explained that all clocks aboard Titanic were to be correct for April 15 noon at midnight. His statement meant that both the passenger and crew clocks would have been properly set back prior to civil midnight starting the new day.

It is obvious from Table A-1 why the “midnight” change of watch for the crew had to come 24 minutes after 12:00 o’clock in April 14th time or 23 minutes before 00:00 o'clock in April 15th hours. This required retarding crew clocks in two stages, each equal to the extra time served by its respective Watch. Hence the name “two-stage” for this method of time keeping..

Most sailors did not carry expensive and fragile pocket timepieces in 1912. It would have been extremely confusing if the extra time was added after 8 bells. Men without pocket timepieces would not have been able to gauge 23 minutes while standing duty away from any of the ship's electric clocks.

Time Of Crew Change Of Watch

Time Of Crew Change Of Watch	Starboard Watch Extra Minutes	Port Watch Extra Minutes	Comments
12:00 p.m. April 14 Passenger Midnight	0	47	WRONG: Only Port Watch works extra.
12:24 p.m. April 14 Crew Midnight (Correct Two-Stage Setback)	24	23	RIGHT: Both watches share extra time.
12:47 p.m. April 14 Civil Midnight 0:00 April 15	47	0	WRONG: Only Starboard Watch works extra.

Table A-1

Table A-1 shows why the "midnight" change of watch had to take place midway between April 14th and April 15th civil time. This was the only way to split the 47 extra minutes equally between the port and starboard watches. However, this arrangement brought up the problem of ship's bells. Each watch started at 8 bells of the previous watch. One bell was then struck for every passing half hour. Two bells meant the first hour of the four had been worked. Four bells announced the halfway point. An immutable part of this timekeeping system was that 8 bells always marked the change of watch when the men on duty could go below for a few hours of rest. Table A-2 shows the traditional sequence of bells.

Ship's Bells
Running Time of Watch	Number Of Bells	Ringing Pattern
0:00	0	(8 bells of previous watch)
0:30	1	Ding
1:00	2	Ding-Ding
1:30	3	Ding-Ding..Ding
2:00	4	Ding-Ding..Ding-Ding
2:30	5	Ding-Ding..Ding-Ding..Ding
3:00	6	Ding-Ding..Ding-Ding..Ding-Ding
3:30	7	Ding-Ding..Ding-Ding..Ding-Ding..Ding
4:00	8	Ding-Ding..Ding-Ding..Ding-Ding..Ding-Ding

Table A-2

Note: Dog watches in Titanic followed British naval tradition. The first dog watch (4-6 p.m.) ended at "4 bells." The bell sequence for the second dog watch (6 to 8 p.m.) then re-started so that it also ended at "4 bells." This tradition eliminated "8 bells of the second dog watch," the infamous time of a mutiny during the Napoleonic wars.

However, adding those minutes within the schedule would not have been so confusing because of the way sailors really used their bell system. Hearing six bells did not tell a sailor he had served three out of his four hours on duty. Rather, he would have understood six bells as announcing one hour remained before change of watch.

White Star Line regulations allowed clock adjustments to start at 10 p.m. each night. Although this was late enough not to both passenger activities, the real reason for choosing that hour was convenience of the crew. Note that 10 p.m. is the midpoint of the 8 to 12 p.m. watch. Adding extra time in the middle of a watch would allow sailors to continue using ship's bells to measure their remaining time on duty. At 10 p.m. the crew's bridge clock was turned back to 9:36 p.m. This increased the normal 30 minute duration between four and five bells to 56 minutes. Even so, when 5 bells was struck, the crew knew it had an hour and a half remaining before the midnight change of watch. Table A-3 shows how adding the extra time at 10 p.m. would have allowed the starboard watch to serve its extra time and the ringing of 8 bells to mark the change of watch.

Part 2

Nobody testified as to the method of resetting either the passenger or crew clocks. It is necessary to study the testimonies of survivors for clues as to the two different systems employed. One thing is certain: a “halfway” time reference was absolutely necessary for an orderly change of watch for the crew. The “midnight change” could not have been 12:00 o’clock in April 14th hours because this would not have allowed the Starboard Watch to serve any extra minutes. And, it could not have been at Civil Midnight (12:47 April 14th time) because, conversely, that would have forced the Starboard Watch to serve all of the extra minutes. We know from the testimonies that the extra time was to be split more-or-less equally between the watches.

Ship’s Bells 8-to-12 p.m. Watch
Bells	April 14 Civil Time	Crew Bridge Time
1	8:30	8:30
2	9:00	9:00
3	9:30	9:30
4	10:00	10:00 Becomes 9:36
None (Already Struck)	10:24	Second 10:00
5	10:54	10:30
6	11:24	11:00
7	11:54	11:30
None	12:00 Becomes 11:13	11:36
Accident	00:17 (12:04)	11:40
8	11:37 (12:24)	Midnight Change of Watch To Become 11:37
None	12:00 Becomes 00:00 April 15	Midnight To Become 00:00 April 15
1	00:30
2	01:00
3	01:30
4	02:00
No time changes were made or bells struck after 7 bells due to preoccupation with the iceberg. Times in parentheses are civil hours, April 14.

Table A-3

The best confirmation of the accuracy of Table A-2 comes from Titanic’s surviving crew. None were terribly specific, but all gave the same impression: that the accident happened about 20 minutes before what they considered “midnight” and their change of watch.

Edward Buley (seaman): I was in the watch on deck, the Starboard Watch. At 12 o’clock we [were to be] relieved by the other watch. ( U.S. Inquiry)

Frank Osman (seaman): I was waiting for one bell, which they strike, one bell, just before the quarter of the hour, before the four hours, when you get a call to relieve. ( U.S. Inquiry)

Likewise, the Port Watch expected to be called out about 5 minutes after impact, or 15 minutes before change of watch at Crew Midnight. Although he was not due on deck at midnight, lookout George Symons was roused out by the commotion and began dressing. He timed his arrival on deck by the bell which sounded to warn the Port Watch that it had only fifteen minutes before being on deck to relieve the Starboard Watch. Seaman George Moore corroborated the time when the crew was roused out.

George Symons (lookout): There was an order came to the forecastle door by the boatswain to “stand by, as you may be wanted at any moment.” By the time I got on deck it must have been about one bell, a quarter to twelve. ( U.S. Inquiry)

George Moore (seaman): Sunday night about a quarter to 12 I was on watch below and turned in.... About 10 minutes to 12 the boatswain came and piped all hands on the boat deck, and started to get out boats. ( U.S. Inquiry)

Although he slept through the accident, quartermaster Arthur Bright was quickly awakened by a member of the Starboard Watch as usual about 15 minutes before change of watch. Bright dressed and went aft to his duty station at the docking bridge on the poop.

Arthur Bright (quartermaster): At 8 o’clock I turned in. One of the watch on deck came and called me and told me that the ship had collided. I went out to the after end of the ship to relieve the man I should have relieved at 12 o’clock, a man by the name of Rowe. ( U.S. Inquiry)

Lookout George A. Hogg was also asleep upon impact. The commotion caused him to go on deck for a few minutes. When he returned below, his fellow lookout told him it was time to relieve the men on duty.

George A. Hogg (lookout): I waked up at 20 minutes to 12. I rushed up on deck...and I went below again. I asked the time, then, of my mate Evans, and he said, “It is quarter to 12. We will get dressed and get ready to go on lookout. I dressed myself, and we relieved the lookout at 12 o’clock, me and my mate Evans. ( U.S. Inquiry)

Seaman Frederick Clench was among those awakened by the impact (he claimed to be a very light sleeper). He went on deck to see the commotion, then went down below to smoke a pipe before going on duty.

Frederick Clench (seaman): I went on deck...and saw a lot of ice. I should say about 10 minutes...after I was awake...I went down below and put my Guernsey on, my round hat on, and after that I sat down on a stool having a smoke. Then, after I lighted the pipe, I heard the boatswain’s pipe call all hands out on deck. (U.S. Inquiry)

One of the details after the crew’s midnight change of watch was that the port watch would reset their clock back 23 minutes to April 15th time. “Midnight” for the change of watch thus became 11:37 p.m. for the port watch. If the passenger clocks had been retarded by 47 minutes earlier in the evening (which they were not per Lowe), the crew clocks would now have matched those used by the passengers. Twenty-three minutes later the port watch would have served its extra minutes and all of the ship’s clocks would have showed “midnight” again. Titanic would have begun civil date April 15. The need to reset the crew clocks a second time after the crew’s midnight change of watch was mentioned by boatswain’s mate Albert Haines when he established the time of the accident for the U.S. Senate inquiry.

Albert Haines (boatswain’s mate): I was standing by, down below. It being Sunday night, the men did not work. The men were in the mess room and I was outside. The right time, without putting the clock back, was 20 minutes to 12. (U.S. Inquiry, emphasis added.)

Historians favoring the one-setback system of timekeeping misinterpret Haines’ statement by claiming that no setback of crew clocks had yet occurred. In fact, the first 24 minutes of the crew clocks was for convenience only and was not “the” setback to official April 15th hours. Haines knew the crew clock would also go back again another 23 minutes at the “midnight” change of watch.

Two key members of the Starboard Watch, quartermasters Robert Hichens and George T. Rowe both stated they worked past midnight. Their statements have often been misinterpreted by historians unfamiliar with the time change system in Titanic.

Quartermaster Hichens’ testimony that he was on duty until 12:23 a.m. is widely quoted as proof the accident happened on April 14th time. In fact, his statement proves otherwise. Sailors traditionally come on duty a minute or two before change of watch. It is unacceptable to come on duty late. Normal practice would have seen Hichens relief taking over a minute before crew “midnight.” Hichens was apparently relieved on time at Crew Midnight by his opposite number of the Port Watch. However, because the clocks showing April 14th time were not reset that night, they read 12:23 as the midnight change of watch started to occur. If anything, Hichens’ testimony proves clocks showing April 14 in civil time were not retarded that night. If they had been, Hichens would have noted 11:36 p.m. in April 15th hours.

Comparison Of Hichens/Rowe Times

Event	April 14 PassengerTime	Rowe’s Timepiece (Crew Time)	Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
Impact on Berg	12:04 a.m.	11:40 p.m.	0302 hrs
Hichens Relieved	12:23 a.m.	11:59 p.m.	0321 hrs
Change of Watch	12:24 a.m.	Midnight	0322 hrs
Lifeboat #7	12:49 a.m.	12:25 a.m.	0347 hrs

Table A-4

Rowe stated that he looked at his pocket timepiece to note the time of the accident as “20 minutes to 12.” He then went on to say, “I remained until 25 minutes after 12, when I saw a boat on the starboard beam. Rowe’s relief, quartermaster Bright, said he went on duty at the appointed midnight change of watch. The men then talked for some minutes about the iceberg before noting a lifeboat in the water. No boats were launched at 12:25 a.m. in April 14th hours. The launching of boat #7, the first to go down, took place about 45 to 50 minutes after impact on the iceberg at about 12:49 a.m. in April 14th time. Within reason, that launching would have been about “12:25” on Rowe’s watch. Since Rowe had the times of impact and the launching of the first boat correct, and since Bright relieved at midnight between those two events, it is obvious that Rowe’s timepiece was set to crew time retarded by 24 minutes from the clocks used by the passengers.

Part 3

Some historians mistakenly claim a "one setback" system for timekeeping. Under this erroneous system the starboard watch was to work its regular shift until passenger "midnight," then tack its extra 24 minutes onto the watch after 8 bells. At that point, the Port Watch would have come on duty and all clocks on the ship, passenger and crew, would be set back 47 minutes to 11:27 p.m. in April 15th hours. This single change system is impossible for several reasons. First, none of the crew ever referred to the upcoming change of watch as the “12:24 watch change.” To a man, Titanic’s crew called it the “midnight change of watch.” This universal description means that on crew clocks it should have been “midnight” with both hands of the clock on the numeral “12” when the watch changed.

Another major flaw in the single 47 minute setback of the crew clock lies in its failure to share the extra time between the first and second officers. If the time were set back only at the crew’s “midnight” change of watch, then Second Officer Lightoller would have worked no extra minutes. His relief, First Officer Murdoch, would have been forced to work all 47 minutes of the setback because his shift spanned Civil Midnight. One thing that never happens in a quasi-military structure such as the officers of a merchant ship is for extra duty to fall on senior officers. It may have been that the Second Officer would have been asked to sacrifice his time in this way, but never the First Officer in place of the Second. The two-setback system outlined in this paper shares the extra time equally among the affected officers.

It should be noted that even in a single-setback system the change of watch would have occurred at 12:24 a.m. in April 14th hours. According to the crew, the accident took place 20 minutes prior to their midnight change of watch. This puts it at the same 12:04 a.m. in April 14th hours as this paper shows to be the correct time. That works out to 11:40 in crew time.

The need to keep track of two separate times from 10:00 p.m. until Civil Midnight made it impossible for Titanic to have just one master clock. As would be expected, the ship was fitted with two masters even though the total number of slave clocks, 48, was fewer than could be handled by one master clock alone. According to “The Shipbuilder” magazine (Vol. VI, Midsummer, 1911), the clocks were supplied by the Magneta company:

Magneta Clocks

The clocks, of which there are 48 throughout each vessel, have been supplied by the Magneta Time Co., Ltd., and are all actuated electrically on the Magneta system, which obviates the use of galvanic batteries. They are controlled by two master clocks placed in the chart room, so that they may work in complete unison and each register exactly the same time. One of the master clocks is illustrated in Fig. 134.

Fig. 134--One of the Master Clocks (Illustration not shown.)

As is well known to ocean travelers, the ship's clocks gain over half an hour each day when going westwards and lose a corresponding amount when returning to Europe. To allow for this difference in time the master clocks are set each day at noon by the officer in charge, who puts them backwards or forwards according to the longitude.

Corroboration Titanic carried two master clocks as described by “The Shipbuilder” article can be found on page 30 of the Harland & Wolff notebook kept in the company’s drawing office as a quick reference for the construction of both Olympic and Titanic:

Electric Clocks. 2 master clocks

48 secondary clocks.

No records have thus far surfaced as to why Titanic and its sister ship, Olympic, were equipped with dual master clocks. Lacking any better information, the obvious answer seems to be that two master clocks allowed the ship to be divided into two time “zones.” One zone would have been for the crew and the other for the passengers.

There is some anecdotal evidence that installation of the clock system was hurried. Even today, there is debate over whether or not a clock face was installed in the main grand staircase, or whether its space was filled with a plain mirror. Some mis-wiring of the slave clocks may also have occurred. Testimony from ship's barber Weikman indicated the clock in his shop showed 11:40 o'clock in crew time at impact. Survivors of the first class men's smoking lounge also said the time shown there was about 11:40 even though it should have displayed 12:04 o'clock.

With all those clocks, it is surprising how few specific time references there are in the testimonies from survivors. And what references exist are often contradictory. Vague memories of either the o'clock time or the duration of evens is something forensic investigators of modern traumatic events find common. Human beings are not good at keeping track of time without looking at a clock or personal timepiece. While there are many contradictions contained within the testimonies of survivors, most appear to be either April 14th, crew, or April 15th hours. Table A5 illustrates how the claimed times of events interleave.

Time Change System Used In Titanic

Event	Duration From April 14 Midnight	Time Based On Noon April 14	Crew Clock	Time Based On Noon April 15	Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
Crew Clocks Set Back 24 Minutes	-2:47	10:00	10:00 Becomes 9:36	(Never Used On Titanic) 9:13	0058 hrs
Officers Change of Watch	-2:23	10:24	10:00 Officers Change	9:37	0122 hrs
11:30 p.m. Course Change	-1:17	11:30	11:06	10:25	0228 hrs
April 14th Midnight	0:00	12:00 Passenger Midnight	11:36	11:13	0258 hrs
Iceberg Accident	0:04	12:04	11:40	11:17	0302 hrs
Hichens Relief	0:23	12:23	11:59	11:36	0321 hrs
Crew Midnight	0:24	12:24	12:00 Becomes 11:37	11:37	0322 hrs
Boxhall CQD Time	0:27	12:27	11:40	11:40	0325 hrs
Civil Midnight Apr 15	0:47	12:47 (Disappears As 0:00 April 15th)	0:00	April 15th To Have Begun Here As 0:00 Midnight	0345 hrs

Table A-4

Witness Time Comparisons

NAME	EVENT	TIME CLAIM	APR 14	CREW TIME	APR 15	GMT	COMMENT
Abelseth	Impact	11:45	11:45	11:21	10:58	0214	Uncertain
Bishop, Mrs.	Impact Awakened By Steward	11:45	11:45 12:42	11:21 12:18	10:58 11:55	0214	Uncertain, possibly confused wakeup by stewards with accident.
Collins	Impact	11:15/11:20	12:04	11:40	11:17	0302	He testified it was fast 5 minutes. Clock set to 4/15 time.
Gracie	Impact	Midnight	12:04	11:40	11:17	0302	Possibly slow 0:04 or misread as “midnight.”
Hardy	Impact	11:40 Time Imputed	12:04	11:40	11:17	0302	If he went rounds turning off lights, and then went to bed as he claimed
Hogg, Geo.	Impact	11:40	12:04	11:40	11:17	0302	Woke at quarter to 12; relieved watch at midnight.
Moore, Geo	Impact	11:45	12:04	11:40	11:17	0302	Mentions it was close to when watch below was piped on deck.
Osman	Impact	11:40+	12:04	11:40	11:17	0302	Waiting for one bell struck 15 minutes prior to watch change at midnight.
Peuchen, A.	Impact	Midnight	1204	11:16	11:17	0302	If in April 14 time, leaving smoking room latest time.
Pickard, B.	Impact Awakened By Steward	11:50	11:45 12:42	11:21 12:18	10:58 11:55	0214	No time reference given. Possibly confused wakeup by stewards with accident time.
Ryerson, E.	Impact	12:00	12:04	11:40	11:17	0302	Time she looked out window.
Scarrott	Impact	11:40 Imputed	12:04	11:40	11:17	0302	Based on hearing 3-strikes on bell shortly after 7 bells and about 5 to 8 minutes before impact.
Weikman	Impact	11:40	12:04	11:40	11:17	0302	Bridge Time
Wheelton	Impact	11:40 to 11:45	12:04	11:40	11:17	0302	Based on off duty at 11:45 pm in April 14th hours (11:21 Bridge Time) and using Bridge Time of accident.
Widgery	Impact	11:35	12:04	11:40	11:17	0302	Clock slow 0:05
March	Unk	1:27	2:14	1:50	1:27	0511	Stopped Timepiece. Washed off ship.
Weikman	Wash Off	1:27	2:14	1:50	1:27	0511	Stopped Timepiece. Washed off front of boat deck.
Boxhall	Sinking	2:20	2:20	1:56	0133	0518	Observed
Minahan	Sinking	2:20	2:20	1:56	0133	0518	Overheard
Norman, R	Breakup	3:07	2:20	1:56	1:33	0518	Set ahead 0:47. Effectively 4/13 time.
Gracie	Breakup	2:22	2:22	1:58	1:35	0520	Stopped Timepiece
Thayer	Breakup	2:22	2:22	1:58	1:35	0520	Stopped Timepiece
Strauss	Breakup	2:22	2:22	1:58	1:35	0520	Taken from clock In Room
Partner		2:25	2:25	2:01	1:38	0523	Stopped Timepiece
Robinson, A	Sinking	1:40	2:27	2:03	1:40	0525	Observed on personal timepiece

Table A-5

Part 4

Excerpts From J. Bruce Ismay’s Copy of

International Mercantile Marine Company

Ships’ Rules and Uniform Regulations

Issued July 1st, 1907

Opposite Art. 17 -- Watches

Sea Watches. Regular sea watches must be kept from the time the ship leaves the port of departure until she reaches the port of arrival. The watches are to be equally divided and the ship is never to be left without an Officer in charge of the bridge. When the Officer of the watch believes the ship to be running into danger it is his duty to act at once on his own responsibility, at the same time he is immediately to pass the word for the Commander. The Chief, First and Second Officers are never to give up charge of the bridge during their respective watches unless with the express permission of the Commander. When the watch is relieved the Officer in charge of the watch going off duty is to be responsible that the correct course is passed with the helmsman relieving. This should be done in the presence of the Officer relieving, who is to satisfy himself that it is being steered. The three Seniors are the Bridge Officers, and divide the time into three watches of four hours’ duration, each will have four hours on the bridge in charge of the ship, followed by eight hours below. The Junior Officers, when five or more Officers are borne, will keep watch and watch with the seamen, the Third Officer having charge of the port watch, and the Fourth Officer the starboard watch. under the direction of the Senior Officer on watch. They are also to go the rounds every hour during watch on deck, reporting having carried this out to the Senior Officer on watch.

Senior Officer’s Watches: --

Chief Officer -- 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Second Officer -- 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

First Officer -- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The First officer relieving for Breakfast

The Second Officer relieving for Lunch

No Dinner relief needed.

Junior Officers’ Watches: --

Midnight to 4 a.m. 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

4 a.m. to 8 a.m. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

8 a.m. to Noon 8 p.m. to Midnight

Noon to 4 p.m.

Junior Officers are not to have charge of a watch at sea except during daylight in fine weather at the discretion of the Commander.

116. Time To Be Kept.-- Seventy-fifth meridian time must be used for time of arrival at and departure from Sandy Hook Lightship, Five Fathom Bank Lightship, and other points of arrival and departure in the United States and Canada. Greenwich Mean Time must be used in Abstract Logs after the English or Irish land is made. When passing points and ships at sea, either eastbound or westbound, Greenwich Mean Time, as well as ship’s time, must be used.

Officer Of The Watch

251. Station. -- At sea the station of the Officer of the Watch is on the Bridge which he must on no account leave, either night or day, without being relieved.

(e) He must call the Commander at once if it becomes foggy, hazy, if he does not think he can see a safe distance, or if in doubt about anything.

253. Steering and Compasses.-- He must pay particular attention to the steering and the course the ship makes. He must steady the ship on her course by standard every half-hour, and must compare the compasses every Watch, the comparisons to be entered in the Compass Comparison Book for reference. He will also ascertain the deviation as often as possible.

259. Ship’s Time.-- The Officer of the Watch will see that the ship’s time is changed between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., the clocks to be set for Noon before 6 a.m. The Engine Room Clock must at all times agree with the Clock in the Wheelhouse, and must be corrected accordingly.

First Or Senior Second Officer

302. Charge of Navigating Instruments.-- Unless the Commander otherwise decides, he will take general charge of the navigating instruments of the ship, including chronometers, compasses, charts, clocks, etc.

303. Winding Chronometers.-- Unless the Commander otherwise decides, he will wind and compare chronometers at 8 a.m. each day, and keep a Chronometer Comparison Book. He will also see that the clocks are wound.

Junior Officers

371. Duties.-- (a) The Junior Officers should exert themselves to afford every assistance in the navigation of the ship by perfecting themselves in the practice of solar and stellar observations, both for the correction of the compass and for ascertaining the position of the ship.

Chronology – Sinking of S.S. TITANIC

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Timekeeping Aboard Titanic

Time Of Crew Change Of Watch

Part 2

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Part 4

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