Story of the World's Biggest Dry Dock

STORY OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST DRY DOCK
East OregonIan, Daily Evening Edition, January 29, 1906

The following minute description of the government dry dock Dewey, now being towed from Baltimore to Manila, is from the Blue Book, published In Baltimore by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad:

The great steel dry dock named after Admiral Dewey, which was built at Sparrows Point, Baltimore, started on its famous voyage to Manila on Thursday, December 28. This great structure, finished over six months ago, was towed from Baltimore to Solomon's Island in the Chesapeake Bay and there has been awaiting the perfecting of plans for its journey.

This undertaking has no precedent and the big dock will be the subject of deepest concern to the navy department of the United States and other countries as well, until she safely drops her anchors in the quiet waters of Subig Bay.

There has been much doubt expressed as to whether the trip can be made in safety. The floating dock at Havana, Cuba, was towed to that port from Scotland, but that voyage was short in comparison with that which confronts the Dewey; as the perils of the sea were much fewer with many more chances to make safe harbors in case of bad weather and to enable the tugboats to take on coal.

Every precaution known to expert naval men will be taken on the journey. The size of the dock and its unwieldiness can be appreciated when it is known that the mere work of raising her anchors required two full days. The anchor equipment is very intricate; regularly she uses eight 4,000-pound anchors at either end, these will be used when she reaches Olongapo. On the voyage she will use her specially made 9,000-pound emergency anchors, two at each end.

The expedition will comprise, beside the big dock, the powerful colliers Caesar and Brutus, both of which have undergone special preparations for their strenuous undertaking, to do the pulling, and the naval tug Potomac, and refrigerator and supply ship Glacier, to be attached to either side of the dock to hold her straight under her voyage. This arrangement will follow in channels where there is not ample sea room.

It is estimated that the tow, when stretched out, will reach for a mile and a quarter so it will be seen plainly of sea room will be needed [sic]. The commander of the expedition is of the opinion that it will be necessary to place one of the steamers behind the dock in certain weather conditions in order to make her follow straight. While in fair weather the big dock will draw only about seven feet, when a blow comes on it will be submerged to about 18 feet.

On account of the shape of the dock it is estimated that the wind pressure in a blow will be something like 350 tons. Against this the combined strength of the tow can just about hold steady against wind and sea. Left to itself in a gale, the big dock would he much the same as a full rigged ship with all sails set, and would be speedily driven from its course.

The matter of speed of the tow is altogether conjecture. The only basis for calculation is the tow of the big dry dock Algiers some years ago from the Capes to the mouth of the Mississippi river. This dock was 100 feet shorter than the Dewey, and even then many troubles were encountered, and the average speed equaled only 100 miles a day.

Enough water will be admitted into her compartments to bring her draft down to 12 feet, to give her stability, and the sections of the dock nave been so strongly braced and keyed together that it is believed by constructors that there is no danger of the structure collapsing or "hogging" when it rides two or three big Atlantic rollers. It is calculated in case of severe storms and high winds to throw off the tow lines and submerge the dock 30 or 40 feet below the surface of the sea, leaving only the upper work exposed, which would, in case of need, make a very safe lee for the towing vessels to lie in until the severity of the weather abated.

The expedition is in the charge of Commander H. H. Hosley, United States Navy. He will make his headquarters on the supply and refrigerator ship Glacier, directing the movements of the big dock from that point. It was he, who, two years ago, had charge of the United States steamer Buffalo, which convoyed the torpedo flotilla from Key West to the Philippines. The experience gathered on that trip will be of immense service on this second gigantic marine engineering feat.

While the route for the expedition is announced from the navy department at Washington, it is subject to such changes as circumstances may compel to be made. Conditions will be met and weighed as they arise and decision rested on them,

The route as announced officially is as follows: From the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay across the Atlantic to Maderia [maybe Madeira?]; through the Mediterranean to the Suez canal; across the Red sea and the Indian ocean to Singapore; thence to the Philippines across the Sea of China. This is a distance, counting the variations that must be made, of about 13,500 miles, making the longest tow ever attempted in the history of marine engineering.

The crews on board the colliers and consort of the expedition will be the same as when in regular service. The crew of the big dock itself will consist of about 35 men. Twenty-two of these are regular sailors, whose sole duties will be to watch out for the tow lines. The rest of the crew will be made up of engineers, electricians and other mechanical experts. In order to get the very best men possible extra inducements were made to ship aboard the dock, and the result is a magnificent body of men. Eight of the experienced mechanics and engineers are to remain attached to the dock, which is to be their home for four years, the contracts being for that length of time.

The dock was floated on the morning of June 10, and it was immediately taken in tow to Solomon's Island, the scene of the government tests. The contract called for a lifting power of 16,000 tons, while the tests showed a power of 20,000 tons - 4,000 tons for good measure.

The tests began on June 23, when the cruiser Colorado was placed in the dock, and remained for 24 hours, She rested as light as a feather, an the test was proclaimed a success every particular. The next day the battleship Iowa was placed in the dock, and while there underwent improvements to her hull. The big dock proved its self-docking abilities, and the formal handing over of the dock to the United States government took place.

To get a proper sense of the size this dock, it must be seen. To begin with, it contains a trifle over 11,000 tons of steel, the riveting of which required something over 2,000.000 rivets. So great in bulk is it that when painters gave it its single coat It required 130 tons of red lead and linseed.

The dock is 500 feet long over all. It Is 100 feet between the fenders and 134 feet wide over all. It is 42 feet high clear of the pontoons and 64 feet high from the bottom. Its side walls are 14 feet thick and its pontoons are 18¹/₂ feet deep. When light it has a draft of 6¹/₂ feet, but requires 63 feet of water to give a draft of 30 feet above the blocks.

The dock is fitted up with handsome quarters, equal to the best equipped man-of-war afloat. It has its own electric plant and has its own apparatus for making fresh water and ice from the ocean brine. It is equipped also with a complete machine shop. The original price in the contract was $1,127,000, but this figure of the cost has been augmented somewhat by additional machinery installed.

The dock will be of great usefulness in the Philippines. At the present time the United States government has no docking facilities worthy of the name in the Pacific waters. With the dry dock stationed at Olongapo, and our coal supply there kept up, it will make a most powerful adjunct to the Pacific squadron.

At present when a cruiser or battleship must be repaired, it is to Japan or Hongkong that the damaged steamer must go and there await its turn or until the home government has no use for the dock, and then, on top of that, pay a very high charge. It is in time of war, however, that the true value of the dock would be felt, for then the navy would have a constant base not only of supplies, but for repairs and re-coaling.

[This article was transcribed from the original, which can be found here.]