MovieChat Forums > A Night to Remember (1958) Discussion > Some new Titanic news

Some new Titanic news

posted 14 years ago by onenightstandsurferboy
5 replies | jump to latest

I recently came upon this interesting article claiming Lightoller kept a secret for his whole life about the sinking of the ship

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100922/lf_nm_life/us_britain_titanic_book

[–] KatharineFanatic 14 years ago

That is indeed interesting.

Of course, we have only his granddaughter's word for it! I tend to be a bit cynical about stuff like that, particularly told so many years after it actually happened -- plus, she's selling her novel too, so it could just be a publicity stunt.

Or it could be true. I don't know.

[–] TheGuyWithTheFeet 14 years ago

And of course Lightoller wasn't even on the bridge at the time of the accident. So, how he could even have that knowledge is beyond me.

Or it could be true. I don't know.

Actually, it couldn't. It's honestly just not possible. The officer tells you to hard-a-starboard, you turn the wheel right. Unless Hichens was a total maroon, he knew how to turn a wheel.

This is the critical paragraph to pay attention to in the story:

Patten, who made the revelations to coincide with the publication of her new novel "Good as Gold" into which her account of events are woven, said that the conversion from sail ships to steam meant there were two different steering systems.

[–] S.L.Fake 13 years ago

Actually, it couldn't. It's honestly just not possible. The officer tells you to hard-a-starboard, you turn the wheel right. Unless Hichens was a total maroon, he knew how to turn a wheel.

I didn't read the article (expired and can't link to it), but as to calling "Starboard" and turning the wheel to the right...

I read somewhere that TITANIC's rutter linkage made it work similar to older style vessels... where if you want to turn to starbaord (right), you actually turn the wheel to the LEFT... similar to the tiller on a sailing ship... you want to turn the rudder to the right, you actually turn the tiller to the right. (thought I am not sure what the discussion was actually about... again, not being able to read the article and all).

I didn't say Spoiler. The episode already aired! Why are you here if you haven't seen it?

[–] TheGuyWithTheFeet 13 years ago

That's true. But Hichens was a jerk but not incompetent. He had been on the North Atlantic run for several years. He knew which way to turn the wheel.

[–] Diodorino-Rotolo2 14 years ago

To me, this sounds suspiciously like the kind of nonsense that comes up occasionally concerning well-known events (think grassy knoll, white flashes on the Twin Towers, etc.). Third-hand accounts from NOVELISTS don't hold much weight against all the numerous other first-hand eyewitness testimonies. Mr. Lightoller covered his comrades' behinds? Plausibly. Titanic continued sailing, hastening the sinking by hours? Puh-leeese!