Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-15
THE DREADNAUGBps RUDDER,
How Officer Lord Helped to steer the
ship into FnysI for Repairs.
From tie Ye,o York


1t has been a point long mOOted among
seafaring men how Capt. Samuels steered
the famous clipper ship Dreadnaught into
Fayal after be bad lost his rudder at sea,
over twenty years ago. Mr.. George Il.
Lord, living at No. 277 Lexington avenue,
tells the story of that remarkable per-
foTmance, which differs materially from
the generally accepted theories. Mr.. Lord
said he joined the Dreadnaught in Liver
pool as third officer, having there left
his ship, the Neptune's Car, of which
he had been chief officer. Capt. Samuels
had a crew of negroes with white officers.
When midway of the Atlantic while
wearing ship one day the rudder was
carried away, all the gudgeons, pintals
and everything except the ruddeT-head
being torn from their tastenings. 1t was
blowing a gale at the time, and Capt.
Samuels was in his cabin with q broken
leg. Various methods were adopted to
build a temporary rudder. A main yard.
put in end over the stern and oar-shaped
blades attached to the lower part of the
ward was tried. Hawsers we're passed
out of each after chalk and tackles made
fast to them, but both these expedients
failed to steer the ship. Then Third Of
ficer Lord volunteered to manufacture a
temporary rudder. Taking spare top
mast as Tudder-pOst, with the nd
hole on the upper end, he bored
holes through the lower end, where the
rudder could be dashed. Then a twelve
inch hawser was cut into ten or twelve
foot lengths and laid alongside one
another. two deep. These were ali dashed
or "seiZed' together with twO-inch rope
passed completely around the parts OF the
hawser and rattan stuff used as Selling
between each part aud all hauled we'll
taut. That formed the frame of the
rudder. Outside of the frame portion Of
the hawser was passed, fastened to the
lower portion of the rudder-pOst and
carried up on the outside to the stem of
the post and then securely fastened.
Pieces of scantlin were then passed out
side of all. Two pair of chain tOpsail
sheets were made fast by Glove hitch to
the upper and lower portion OF the i'm
provised Iudder. The upper chains were
led through the after chalk abreast the
bOwse ana watch tackles made fast to
them. and the lower chains were led along
to the mdship chalks and boWsed well
taut in the same manner.
When all was ready an attempt was
made to launch the cOntrivance. but
through some fault Of the sailors it was
/ lost. Then MT. Lord, nothing discOur.
| aged, set TO work TO make another. All
/ night the crew worked, and at 10 O'Clock
the ship had topgallant sails set and was
/ going along finely With one man at tire
wheel. The work OF getting the new rud.
der into position. although difficult Job
was successfully accomplished, and by
keeping the tackles attached to the pre-.
venter chains hauled Well taut the con,
triyapoe was kept in It's place until the
ship reached FaYal. .fo-r.
Mr. Lord says he got his idea OF the
novel substitute tor a regular ruddeI
I Ngfila carving hoard TIA amin Ia nj.
! when a similar disaster occurred. The
model as SHOWN is certainly an. ingenious
contrivance, and deserves the merit o
novelty and utility, and. as the inventor
claims, undoubtedly steered the good shiI
Dreadnaught into port.