Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-02
How the Huge Dewey Is Being
Towed on Long Journey to
Philippines
HAwsERs OVER A MILE LONG
Long Distance Between the Towing
Cruisers and the Dock to Avoid Ac
eident = Crew on the Dock Provided
With Every Comfort on the Long
and Tedious Journey.

The great steel dry dock Dewey,
which recently left Solomon's. island.
in Chesapeake bay, to be towed l4,oo6
miles to the Philippines, is now well
started on her voyage, and if all goes
well the powerful naval vessels which
are hauling the immense and unwieldy
structure will not stop until they reach
the entrance to the Suez canal, says
q special dispatch from Baltimore to
the New York Herald.
In towing the dock hawsers having q
total length of 1920 fathoms, or 40
yards more than a mile and quarter,
will stretch between the ships and the
dock. This great length of hawser, to-
gether with the lengths of the ships and
the dock, makes tow of about one
mile and three-quarters.
These giant machines hooked up will
present dazzling spectacle on clear
nights. The four ships conveying the
dock are fully equipped with electrlcl-
ty in the way Of search and signal
lights, and each ship and the dock are
equipped with wireless telegraphy, so
that communication should be perfect.
There are spare hawsers and chains,
and O vast quantity Of coal will be
used.
To the dock are fastened forty five
fathoms of two and half inch chain
for Bride To this are fastened 12O
fathoms of hawser made up of two hf-
teen-inch manila hawsers seized to-
gether. From this go to the ship near
est the dock 200 fathoms of six inch
steel hawser. From ship to ship stretch
100 fathoms Of fifteen inch manila and
200 fathoms Of six inch wire hawser.
Each of the towing vessels has steam
towing machinery, a contrivance de-
signed to lessen the awful strain of
towing in heavy sea. One of the most
important factors in the towing OF the
dock are the automatic towing ma
chimes, which are an American inven-
ton. These are depended upon in
large measure to make the undertaking
comparatively safe. The resistance of
the tow is borne entirely by the steam
pressure in the cylinders of the towing
machine, which consists of reel or
drum upon which the steel wire haw-
sers wind and unwind automatically.
This drum is driven by pinion gear in
the crank shaft of the engine, which
meshes with the gear on the drum
shaft. The machine has a regulating
reducing steam valve, in which the
opening is increased or diminished ac-
cording as the strain on the towing
hawser increases or diminishes.
In a seaway, as the vessel rises on
wave or sea, thus increasing the strain
on the hawser, the drum begins to re-
volve and to pay out or slack the haw-
ser. This action of the hawser opens
the regulating valve and increases the
steam pressure in the cylinders until
the pressure is sufficient to equalize the
strain on the hawser Then as the
strain ON the hawser decreases the
pressure in the cylinders will revolve
the drum and wind in the slack Of the
hawser.
In this way the machine is prevented
from paying out the whole Of the haw-
ser, and only enough is paid out to re-
ieve the extra and momentary strain
on the line and thus prevent it's injury
or breaking. The regulating valve.
which admits and cuts off the steam to
and from the cylinders, is entirely au-
tomato and requires no handling what
An n iee,;o oJx-o
is provided, by which steam is admitted
to the cylinders and the hawsers length
ened and shortened at will.
The Golfers Brutus and Caesar and
the supply ship Glacier are to tow the
Dewey. The tug Potomac is to be used
partly as rudder for the dock when
necessary and for emergencies. The Po-
tomac will run on sea errands, such as
putting into ports for supplies.
In addition to the great 5000 pound
anchors, there are four mushroom, or
umbrella" anchors of 1000 pounds
each on the Dewey. These are design
ed as the permanent anchors Of the
dock and are to be used on each corner.
To each Of the great anchors are 1875
fathoms Of two and quarter inch
chain cable The amount of gear is
enormous, for the great brides for the
dock are in quadruplicate and are in
addition to the towing hawsers, regu-
lar and extra, and the regular and ex-
ira chains for the anchors.
Commander II. II. Hosley has the
Glacier for his flagship, and the great
white vessel shows in sharp contrast
to the others in black paint. j. D.
Wood. veteran pilot master and tug
boat man, is sailing master Of the dock,
which is otherwise in charge Of Boat
swain Philip Mullin ]. IL Deitweller,
formerly Of the Pensacola dock, is
dockmaster and will continue as such
at Olongapo. Otto Werner is chief en-
r.. Il