<P> Murdoch, with an "ordinary master's certificate" and a reputation as a "canny and dependable man", had climbed through the ranks of the White Star Line to become one of its foremost senior officers . He was selected to be the Titanic's Chief Officer, with 16 years of maritime experience now behind him . </P> <P> Murdoch had originally been assigned as the ship's Chief Officer, though when the Titanic's skipper, Edward J. Smith, brought Henry Wilde, his Chief from his previous command, Murdoch was temporarily reduced to First while First Officer Charles Lightoller was in turn reduced to Second . The original Second, David Blair, would sit out the voyage altogether while the rest of the ship's complement of officers remained unchanged . </P> <P> Murdoch was the officer in charge at the bridge when at approximately 11.40 pm on 14 April 1912 a large iceberg directly in the Titanic's path was sighted . Quartermaster Robert Hichens, who was at the helm, and Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall, who may or may not have been on the bridge during the collision, both stated that Murdoch gave the order "Hard - a-starboard", a tiller command which would turn the ship to port (left) by moving the tiller to starboard (right). </P> <P> At the time steering instructions on British ships generally followed the way tillers on sailing vessels are operated, with turns in the opposite direction from the commands . As Walter Lord noted in The Night Lives On, this did not fully change to the "steering wheel" system of commands in the same directions as turns until 1924 . It has been alleged that Murdoch's orders were misinterpreted by the helmsman, resulting in a turn the wrong way . </P>

Who was at the helm when the titanic sank