During the height of the RMS Titanic disaster investigation, a widespread controversial story arose. It was believed that the story accounted the true reason for the iceberg collision. The controversy starts on the lowest section of the vessel in the engine room. The liner?s engine is designed with two reversible countering steam engines powering the two outward propellers. However, the central propeller in front of the rudder is powered by a non-reversible steam turbine ? a trend in the Titanic that time.
The second part of the controversy takes place minutes before impact. In the account of Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall who was on the bridge, First Officer Murdoch switched all the engine room instruction telegraph to a full-reverse. The two engines powering the outward propellers could be overturned but the problem focused on the central propeller which by design could not be reversed and was simply stopped during the manoeuvre. This significantly decreased the rudder?s effectiveness to steer the huge vessel away from the iceberg. According to many expert sailors, if Murdoch allowed the Titanic to move forward and simply turned to avoid collision, the ship could have narrowly escaped without being hit.