Interesting development. I too have puzzled over the engine telegraph settings. I assumed that Captain Smith ordered the stricken liner to proceed slowly just to test her seaworthiness after the collision, but I doubt he would have continued that experiment when it became obvious how damaged she was. However, none of the passengers report that the ship was still moving ahead once the initial momentum had been shed. And several reported that there was a deafening roar as the boilers, which had been stoked for “full steam ahead,” were vented when the ship went to full stop.
As to the rudder/steering issue, I would have to know much more about the helmsman’s background and the maritime engineering behind ship’s steering mechanics before I could speak to that.
I’m skeptical of these claims, especially by author with such a vested interest in raising new assertions about the incident. But I will say there is some minimal evidence to lend them credence.
The question the tiller/rudder issue brings to mind would require knowledge I don’t have to answer - basically how fast could the ship be turned and is it reasonable to expect that to be too slow to miss an iceberg at the expected visibility distance in the conditions that night.
I wonder if background on the person said to have made the error even exists now.
I don’t doubt at all that the inquiry was to protect white star, and furthermore I suspect that since only ismay lightoller and maybe 1 other person alive would have known of any tiller/rudder nav. error, it would have been pretty easy to hide.
Also since she is lightollers grandaughter and knew her grandmother, it is very likely that she was told *something* about the titanic. issues are credibility and distortion over time/memory.