OK, here is the display from SHOWCLKS:

SHOWCLKS/XL  A.10.00
DEBUG/iX C.16.01

HPDEBUG Intrinsic at: 8fc.00007258 PROGRAM+$198
PRIV=$3 := $0

  *************************************************************
  ***                                                       ***
  ***   Greenwich Mean Time : WED, NOV 17, 1999, 10:12 AM   ***
  ***   GMT/MPE offset      : +0:00:00                      ***
  ***   MPE System Time     : WED, NOV 17, 1999, 10:12 AM   ***
  ***                                                       ***
  *************************************************************

                 **** C Library Information ****

        Current value of Time Zone(TZ) variable : CST6CDT
        CTIME function return :  Wed Nov 17 04:12:16 1999

My question is :

I am in the central timezone and, as you can see above, the timezone offset
for this machine was never set.

What is the best way for me to correct the offset without making a mess of
my system?

Should I just enter the setclock command as :

setclock timezone=w6    (I believe w6 is the correct setting?)

Will this cause a sudden jump in my system time, will it introduce a gradual
change that I can head off by issuing a cancel or will it not change my
system time at all?

I am assuming that this will fix the difference between my system time and
the return of the ctime function as shown above.

Or am I just totally confused on this?