Jim Currie
Member
I personally do not believe that Rowe set his watch. Rowe, as I have pointed out several times, clearly states that he did not adjust nor think about his watch. He also states 11:40 and 12:25 in the same sentence without any mention of time adjustment. Along with that no one has answered my question as far as why would Rowe have only done a partial adjustment on his watch and not the full 47 minutes. Did he plan on starting his next watch 24 minutes late?
Not saying these points answer anything or adds to anything, just my thoughts.I've included a report I had written a long while back, and haven't read until now, and is not edited, but still relates what it needs to.
Hello Brad.
Am reading the article you quote as I write this.
First: In the US Rowe did not say that he "looked at his watch" when he felt the "jar". Keep in mind that before the survivors or any of the participants arrived in the US, there was no suggestion that a hearing would be held there. Titanic was a British ship and subject to British law when in International waters. It follows that there was no time for anyone to concoct a story (with the exception of Ernest Gill , that is). Therefore, the evidence came from fresh memories...some fresher than others.
Anyone who has ever been at "stations" on the poop deck will tell you that the first indication of engines goinf astern while the ship is moving ahead, is like being on a mild "Bouncy castle". Additionally, on looking astern, the surface of the sea starts to look like it is boiling and the wake takes on the shape of a mushroom. In the case of Rowe, this would not have been apparent until the engines actually started turning astern, and we know from trimmer Dillon, that happened about 2 minutes after impact. By then, the iceberg would have been almost 3000 feet astern of Titanic.
Incidentally, that is when he would have attempted to recover the patient Log Line, but not until then. This is because a rating does not do such a thing without an order or, in the absence of such an order, sees that if he does not do so, damage or loss will occur. In fact, Rowe did not say that he pulled-in the Patent Log and read it. he simply said he read it.
If as Rowe said, he was supposed to call the Middle Watch at 11-45 am, then it had to be at 12-09 am on an unaltered watch, 11-45 pm on a partly altered watch or 11-22 am on a fully altered watch.
In the normal course of events, this is how Rowe's Wtch would have gone,
Rowe started work at 8 pm with unaltered time. At 10 pm by that time he read the log and phoned the result to Hichens/Olliver in the wheelhouse.
In the normal course of events, at 12 pm by the same time, he would have retarded his clock by 24 minutes. It would then read 11-36 pm and he would know that when his watch showed about 11-40 pm, he would leave the aft bridge and go and call the QMs of the Middle Watch. At the same time, he would read the Patent Log and pass the reading to the bridge.
The man who was to relieve QM Rowe...QM Bright, said he relieved the man [Rowe] he should have done at 12 o' clock. That was 12 o'clock partly altered time. Rowe was still at his post, 25 minutes after that and Bright had just arrived beside him.