Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-06-29


The floating dry dock Dewey a few
days ago was scheduled to leave Singa-
cruise which is expected to end at Ma.
Mia by the middle of July, says
Washington dispatch to the New York
Tribune. The dock and its consorts,
the Glacier, the Caesar. the Brutus ana
the Potomac, all under the command
of Commander III. III. Hosley, u. 5. N,
reached Singapore the other day after
an uneventful voyage across the In
dian ocean, the greatest days run hay
ing been 152 nautical miles.
Few naval movements In recent
years have attracted so much attention
as the voyage of the floating dry dock
from Chesapeake bay TO its probable
station at OlongapO or Cavite, in the
Philippines. In the first place, the
towing of such a huge body so great
distance was something of a problem
in navigation in itself. Then there was
the danger of storms. especially in the
Indian ocean. and the officials awaited
with keen interest the news that Com
mander Hosley and his vessels with
the dry dock had reached a port of
safety.
The navy department has received
series of reports from Commander Hos
ley in regard to the use of oil during
storms and rough weather encountered
by the dock towing expedition, which
will be published for the benefit of the
service. When the convoy was fitting
out last winter Il large quantity of oil,
some seventy barrels, was placed on
board the ships, and it has been freely
used by them during the cruise as oc-
caSion arose.
On the Glacier it was observed that
large oily patches astern resulted, but
the oil did not spread out entirely into
the wide slick" that one would expect
to see after becoming familiar with the
literature on the subject. Some Denefi-
cial results were reported from the Gla-
cier from the use of oil. Observers on
the dock said that oil distributed from
Il hose running over the bow reduced
the amount OF water coming on board
by about one-half. but otherwise there
was no appreciable difference in the
general comfort on the dock. \ report
from the Brutus says that the oil re-
duced the crest OF the waves almost
entirely. while with the Potomac the
use of the oil had Il good effect, but
had TO be discontinued, owing to the
fact that it came back on deck over
the low scuppers and freeing ports and
made footing difficult and dangerous.
The transfer of the Dewey from
Chesapeake bay TO the Philippines is
a practical demonstration of the mobil-
ity of such structure. The value of
the type as an auxiliary of the feet on
the firing line is no longer questioned.
1t furnishes what may be called
floating navy yard. since it is capable
of lifting disabled ship out of the
water, permitting repairs to be made
without the Delay of taking the vessel
IN crippled condition a long distance
to shore plant. Then. too. the floating
dock may be used as an adjunct of the
navy yard itself. y vessel returning
from battle badly damaged with its
draft increased would not only not be
able to reach such yard, but could
not easily enter a masonry dock. This
disability may be removed by employ
ing the floating dock 10 restore the
ship 10 its normal draft and SO enable
it TO proceed safely to a yard.
The trip from Chesapeake bay, where
the government took possession of the
dock, to Singapore was accomplished
since Dec. 10, and, while Commander
HosIey did not make the time which
he thought might be possible, he has
evidently escaped the mOnsoons of the
far eastern seas and may be expected
TO reach Manila about July u. The
course of the towing expedition has
been carefully followed by the naval
photographic Office, with the intention
Of publishing the route and the dis
tances made each day on the pilot
charts of the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans. The greatest distance made by
the expedition on any one day was a
trif1e more than 152 nautical miles. 1t
was considered that If the expedition
made 100 miles in a day ii would be
accomplishing all that was required of
It. The accidents have been of minor
Importance and were confined mostly
TO the trip across the Atlantic, during
which it was found that the dock
would have to be secured to the tow
ing ships by heavier hawsers, and these
were obtained in England.
The navy department has a picture
which will be of historical value, since
t Is an authentic record of the relative |
positions of the ships acting as conveys |
IF the big dock. This picture is the |
reproduction of a paint |
ng made by an artist sent out with the |
expedition and is as exact as anything |
AN be as result of personal observa- |
ion. The artist chose as time for his |
painting the passing of the island of |
renerife. The Glacier. which is Com |
nander Hosley's flagship" leads the |
inc, followed by the Caesar and the |
8rutus, the ships being attached direct |
V and indirectly to the dock. The |
ocean going tug Potomac acted as |
tender and is shown in the fore
ground of the picture: The Potomac |
eft the expedition at Suez and return
d home. being now at League Island |