C
Catherine Ehlers
Guest
I'm new to ET and have a question regarding the helm of the ship. I quote from the testimony of helmsman Robert Hitchens, who was at the wheel at the time of the collision. Relating to Senator Smith the events of the evening of the disaster, he states at one point, when telling of the time of the collision: "I am enclosed in the wheelhouse, and I cannot see, only my compass."
This made me pause. Is he saying that he is at the helm, which I gather is in the wheelhouse, the wheel which controls the ship, that the wheelhouse was without windows (which I recall reading somewhere else), and that consequently he could not see where he was going?? Was the wheelhouse on the Titanic a totally enclosed room without windows? Was this a normal arrangement? I also recall reading that there was another, smaller wheel on the bridge itself. Was this not the helm from which the ship was usually controlled? And why the duplication? Was the ship's main helm actually in a room from which the sea itself and its surroundings could not be seen? Was the compass deemed sufficient to guide the ship without visual reference?
I am probably displaying my profound ignorance of naval architecture here, so if any seafarers out there can enlighten me as to what the true arrangement was, I shall be very grateful.
Catherine Ehlers
This made me pause. Is he saying that he is at the helm, which I gather is in the wheelhouse, the wheel which controls the ship, that the wheelhouse was without windows (which I recall reading somewhere else), and that consequently he could not see where he was going?? Was the wheelhouse on the Titanic a totally enclosed room without windows? Was this a normal arrangement? I also recall reading that there was another, smaller wheel on the bridge itself. Was this not the helm from which the ship was usually controlled? And why the duplication? Was the ship's main helm actually in a room from which the sea itself and its surroundings could not be seen? Was the compass deemed sufficient to guide the ship without visual reference?
I am probably displaying my profound ignorance of naval architecture here, so if any seafarers out there can enlighten me as to what the true arrangement was, I shall be very grateful.
Catherine Ehlers