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Message: [QUOTE="David G. Brown, post: 367004, member: 136775"] Caution: movies are entertainment, not real life. The story is paramount and the facts can't be allowed to distract. Understand history by watching movies is like trying to understand rodents by reading Disney comic books. Before this thread strays too far from its topic – the following selections are taken from the IMM/White Star Line company rule book placed into public record by J. Bruce Ismay during what are known today as the “New York Limitation of Liability Hearings.” This first paragraph applies directly to the fifth and sixth officers. It encompasses the duties of the third and fourth officers as well, however those officer had additional duties described elsewhere in the rules. Notes in brackets [ ] are mine. Junior Officers 371. Duties.– (a) The Junior Officers should exert themselves to afford ever 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. (b) They will attend strictly to the instructions of the Officer in Charge as to superintending holds, gangways, or in keeping watches, and perform any other duties which may be required of them. (c) Junior or Petty Officers must supervise the holds during the loading or discharging to control the stowage, and prevent stealing and the improper use of hooks and crowbars by the stevedores. Opposite Art. 17 – Watches Sea Watches – Regular sea watches must me kept... . The watches are to be equally divided and the ship is never to be left without an Officer in charge of the bridge. ...The three Seniors [chief, 1st and 2nd officers] 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, where 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 [the junior officers] are also to go the rounds every hour during watch on deck, reporting having carried this out to the Senior Officer on watch. ...Junior Officers are not to have charge of a watch at sea except during daylight in fine weather at the discretion of the Commander. 17. Watches – Regular sea watches must be kept from the time the ship leaves the dock at port of departure until she reaches the dock at port of arrival. ...No Officer, Engineer, or other member of the Crew on watch shall go off duty without being properly relieved. 9. Attention to Passengers -- (a) All employees...are to show every attention to the requirements of passengers...but Officers, except the Purser and Surgeon, are not permitted to participate in the amusements of passengers, such as games, concerts, etc., and, while courteously replying to any questions which may be put to them by passengers, will not seek conversation with them. (b) ...Officers...are strictly forbidden to receive passengers in their rooms, and none of them are to accept hospitality from passengers on board. -- David G. Brown [/QUOTE]

Verification: In which year did the Titanic sail?