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Message: [QUOTE="Jim Currie, post: 109341, member: 144215"] I've gone back a bit Sam. First; if the vessel was moving rapidly away from the ice in a curve toward the south why would there have been more damage? She would have been well clear before any turn to starboard would have a beneficial effect. Turning her to starboard would head her back towards possible danger. From experience, the proper course of action would be: hard-to-port (Murdoch's porting round it), full astern together if there was actual contact with an obstruction(double ring straight through 'stop' back to 'full' then back to full astern. No mistaking that one I can tell you. Go to bridge wing, watch for stern wash coming forward. When wash is midship - ring stop. If there is any forward way on the vessel - 'half ahead' for a few minutes then 'stop'. When vessel is stopped dead in the water order immediate sounding of all relevant compartments to determine extent - if any- of damage. Order junior officer to work DR. Inform Chief Engineer and other department heads of situation when it is clearly known. Alert Radio Officer and send out preliminary CQD if their is evidence of damage. As to her finally facing north - I looked at the statements you referred me to. I can't understand why you would believe the evidence of amateurs over that of professional navigators. If, indeed, she was coming round to starboard (which I don't doubt she was) this implies she was slowly rotating as was 'Californian'. If so, why did she stop doing so facing north ? Why did she not continue to turn towards the eastward? If it was the fact that she was sinking - why did she seem to Rowe to be still turning at a fairly constant rate? at some time after 0045 when he was firing rockets? If she started somewhere east of south, she would have swung 180 degrees in less than an hour - is this a fact? Actually, the evidence of Major Peuchin ( the yachtsman) suggests that's what happened. he states his boat moved directly north from the port side - that would make Titanic heading east! However, emergency boat 1 with Boxhall was launched on the port side and came round to the starboard side before moving off to the NE. Boxhall says he moved of to the NE from the starboard side. This would suggest a westerly heading. The lady who corrected Rowe about the Pole Star must have had amazing eyesight or have been a very good amateur astronomer to pick out Polaris in what must have been a myriad of bright stars veiled by The Aurora. Incidentally; was there not doubt cast on the accuracy of 'Californian's' Polaris sight for that very reason? As for Crawford's evidence. At first I dismissed it completely as being from one who would not know the difference between north and the south end of a north bound camel. He was , after all a non-seaman. Then I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. His evidence may in fact have been correct. As I recall , Carpathia did not head directly to pick up the first boat but turned because of a berg. By this time all the other boats would possibly be turning to converge on her position. This would in fact mean that Crawford's boat did approach from the NW and Carpathia would be on the port bow of his lifeboat. Back to Olliver. He says he was at the standard compass when he heard the three bells Was that compass situated abaft the funnel and its intakes? If so he must have had good hearing. He then went to the bridge in time to see Murdoch at the WT doors lever and saw Smith ring 'half ahead' then 'stop'. He also said he heard the reverse helm order. This is probably the missing link in the puzzle. Olliver was correct in what he saw and heard. In fact, this fits neatly with my example above. Smith did not know the extent of his damage but his ship was stopped and turned to the south perhaps even the SSE. She was also making stern way so he ordered the forward movement to bring here to a complete halt - stopping her port-wise swing at the same time. Olliver, being the standy QM was then ordered to contact the Carpenter and sent down to the Chief. He was down in the ER for quite a time so this might explain why he failed to hear the steam blowing off after the final stop order. It would also explain why he was able to confirm the upward movement of the firemen. Talk to you later, Jim. [/QUOTE]

Verification: In which year did the Titanic sail?