Frederick S McMurray, chief officer of the dry dock Dewey has written the following interesting letter to Commodor G.C. Hanus of the school ship St Mary's of the experience in towing the Dewey across the Atlantic.
UNITED STATES DRYDOCK DEWEY At Sea February 9, 1906
Latitude 29 deg 23 min, Longitude 30 deg 23 min
We have had quite an eventful passage, having broken adrift three times so far and experienced three gales of wind. We steered southeast from Cape Henry until reaching latitude 28 deg then east along that parallel or as near to it as circumstances allowed to longitude 33 deg W., when we ran for Las Palmas for coal and water for the dock. Our best day's run was 106 miles to the eastward and our poorest 45 miles to the westward. We were adrift 36 hours in one blow which carried us 105 miles to the northward after which we connected only to break adrift within a couple of days and were carried 40 or 50 miles southwest by another blow.
The towing machines have suffered on the Brutus. In each case the 2¹/₂-inch wire hawsers parted, the manila holding though badly chafed and one part having stranded. Upon breaking adrift the second time, a chain bridle was passed over the Brutus's stern and rove through a shackle at her end of the hawser. This bridle parted within 48 hours. We then gave a line from aft and have since been towing the dock stern first, if such can be said of a dock. As it is square at the ends without overhang of any kind, consequently tows unkindly. Its tendency is to take everything broadside on and tows thus in a heavy breeze and sea no matter how trimmed.
Our towing gear consisted of a chain bridle 45 fathoms on each leg, to which were shackled two doubled lengths of 15-inch manila hawser 100 fathoms in length each. From the farther end of the manila a wire hawser led to the towing machine on the Brutus. The two parts of the manila line were seized together at every fathom to prevent kinks. A chain bridle and 100 fathoms length of manila were fitted to each end of dock, the after section now being in use while the remains of the forward gear is being overhauled on the dock floor. The mooring bits, two double sets at each end, are on the dock floor, 16 in all. We have a windlass in the center of the dock controlling two stockless anchors at each end of dock. When I joined the Dewey, she was moored with eight mushrooms which we now have lashed on board.
At the present time we average 2¹/₂-miles per hour in good weather and our past experience makes us cautious with the towing gear. In the blow referred to we drifted 3¹/₂-miles an hour our high sides and 8 foot draft causing this great leeway.
We are very steady in a seaway, though roll considerably, the maximum being 12 degrees in a very high sea. The roof is too high for even a spray and very little water was shipped over the sills of the dock, what did come in having exit through pontoons. We were straining somewhat during the last blow, but have relieved that by means of fish plates between connections.
We have thirty two men aboard, eleven of whom are seamen. Boatswain Mullen USN, is in charge of the towing apparatus, my duties being those of navigator and watch officer. I had no difficulty in placing the compass, starboard side aft, as the dock was built head west. The maximum deviation is seven degrees, uncompensated except by quadrantal correctors. We seldom head toward the towing ships and get our course by signal. With a fresh beam wind the dock gives the entire flotilla nearly a point leeway at times.
I have become quite expert with the Ardois and wig-wag code, the dock being fitted with Ardois lights. I would strongly recommend our boys learning the wig-wag, which is extensively used in the collier service. While adrift and with ships maneuvering to pick us by buoyed lines, etc., it was of great service. The officer of the Brutus, Merriwether, also the second, Stay are graduates of the St. Mary's and will join the alumni association. Nash, also a graduate of the St Mary's, is third officer of the Caesar.
We live very well on the dock and have comfortable quarters in the side walls, which have been fitted with staterooms, crew's quarters, storerooms, and machine shops and dynamo room on starboard side, and storerooms, firerooms, pumping, machinery on port side. There were no deck houses except a lever house on the port side, so we built a signal house and wireless telegraph station to starboard which add greatly to our comfort in bad weather and in which I work out my sights.
Fredrick S McMurray, Chief Officer, Drydock Dewey
[This article was transcribed from this original source.]
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