Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-06
DRY DUCKS LONG TRIP
How the Huge Dewey Is Being
 Towed to the Philippines.
HAwsERs OF GREAT LENGTH USED

Powerful Naval Vessels Are strain-
 ing on Them . Mile and . Quarter
 Ahead of the Steel Dock-Its Re-
 markable Lifting Power-COmforts
 For the officers and Crew-Thor.
 ough ventilating System.
 The great steel dry dock Dewey, which recently left Solomon's island, in Chesapeake bay, to be lowed 14,000 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 special dispatch from Baltimore to the New York Herald.
 In towing the dock hawsers having total length of 1920 fathoms, or 14O yards more than 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 h, q mile and three-quarters.
 These giant machines hooked up will present a dazzling spectacle on clear nights. The four ships conveying the dock are fully equipped with electrici- :. 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 a vast quantity of coal will be used.
 To the dock are fastened forty-ive fathoms of two and half inch chain for a bridle. To this are fastened 120 fathoms of hawser made up of two fif- teen-inch manila hawsers seized to- gether. From this go to the ship near est the dock POO fathoms of six inch steel hawser From ship to ship stretch 100 fathoms of fifteen inch manila and POO fathoms of six inch wire hawser.
 Each of the towing vessels has steam towing machinery, 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 a 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 ip 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 a 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- lieve the extra and momentary strain on the line and thus prevent Its injury or breaking. The regulating valve. which admits and cuts of the steam to and from the cylinders, is entirely au- tomatic and requires no handling what ever An independent admission valve is provided, by which steam is admitted to the cylinders and the hawsers length ened and shortened at will.
 The colliers Brutus and Caesar and the supply ship Glacier are to tow the Dewey. The tug Potomac is to be used partly as a rudder for the dock when necessary and for emergencies. The Pc 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 4.O00 pounds each on the Dewey. These are design cd as the permanent anchors of the dock and are to be used on each corner. To each of the great anchors are 125 fathoms of two and a 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- tra chains for the anchors.
 Commander H. H. 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, a veteran pilot master and tug boat man. Is sailing master of the dock. which is otherwise in charge of Boat swain Philip Mullin. J. H. Deitweller. formerly of the Pensacola dock, is dockmaster and will continue as such at Olongapo. Otto Werner is chief en- gineer. Mir. McMurray frst officer and Mir. straub second officer.
 The Brutus is under command of Captain Hendricks. with a merchant crew. and the Caesar under command of Captain Hutchison- Only the Gls- cier and the Potomac carry naval ofn- cers and crews. There are thirty-six men all told on the dock. In the com pIement are three engineers. a wireless salao-zuh ora-ator and elocrrfczau forrr