7 FEBRUARY 1998, Page 27

Confusion reigns

Sir: Yesterday I saw the Titanic film. Twice during the Titanic's approach to the loom- ing iceberg, ship's officers refer to steering `starboard', yet the helm is turned to port. The ship undeniably turns to port, and the iceberg scrapes the ship's right side.

What's going on here?

Norm Cleland

Motoazabu Garden 403, 1-2-13 Motoazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan