Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-03-30
'U. s. N. A. Caesar

u. S. N. A. Caesar,
. Canary Islands.
We had fine run off the coast and
across the Gulf Stream, making 100
miles per day, the Brutus. Caesar
and GLACIER towing. While the Caesar
ana Brutus were towing alone, the cogs
IN the large wheel of the Caesars tow
ing machine gave way and took out
nVe cogs; at the same time the two
eaPs Oh pnlon shaft snapped in two,
and 1T was out of business. We then
made our tow rope fast to the hits.
wnere 1t should have been at first. and
mas oeen ever since-but it takes ex-
perlence to find out these things. We
got some new caps made and some
new cogs put in (studs) and now II i
ali right for heaving in the wire rome
put no more towing with it.
Inc next accident was the Brqltus'
WIRE tow rope carried away; of course.
with the Glacier and the Caesar ahead
St ner, there was q big strain on. it.
Sne had 1T fast to the bits at the time
1t carried away. The sea was ro,,oh
and 1T was two days before we eot fast
TO the dock again. Then the Brutus
tnought he would not make his tow rome
iast TO the bits again, but would tow
oy ms towing device. We had been
towing about eight hours when If
started and stripped evey cog. and as
ne says, literally wrecked the machine
Then we were adrift again for two
more days.
we hltched up again, and the Brutus
TOOK cham bride through the shackle
on tow rope to the dock, and made the
ends fast to bits on his quarter deck and
this lasted about eight hours. when tbe
chain broke. Two more -davs before
we got fast; sea was rough all this time.
we got hitched up again-Glacier
Brutus and Caesar-the former leadino.
towing with a fifteen-inch Manila
when she parted the Manila. Next day
she got fast again, and everything has
gone all right since, except head winds
and sea and plenty of it.
Captain Horsley has decided to po
INTO the Canary Islands, as the dock is
getting short of both water and coal.
In tact, we are all getting SO light that
we cannot pull as we did when we left.
anu IN gale of wind it is all we can
DO TO keep head wind; once we get the
wind and sea little on the bow and off
she goes, and it takes an hour TO eet
her back again. In a gale the Brutus
ana Ceasar can keep the dock from
orItlng back and that's all. When the
dock is adrift it will slide off before the
wind three miles an hour. When tow
ing 1t steers finely-does not sheer
ABOUT at all. The first three weeks ont
from cape Henry we did fine work: the
the next three weeks we averaged lust
Is miles day. Head wind and sea all
the time. ''>' %" 9"
Ihe Glacier can pull hard and is worth
more than the Brutus and the Ceasar
put together. Take the Ajax and Gla-
cier, and make them fast with double
tow ropes to that dock, and thev would
tow 1t SIX knots. If ever / missed
the Ajax it is on this job. She has the
weight and the power, and was lust the
snip. Our ships are all fitted out with
iine gear and everything that could be
thought of, and we certainly will need
1t all before we reach Manila with the
DOCK ''' '''e
The little Potomac, accompanying
them, under the command of Lieuten,
ant Proctor, has had the most exciting
experience. In heavy seas she was
most uncomfortable, and to those of the
larger ships it was a matter of consid-
eraDie interest to watch the little vessel
batting with the seas, at one time al
most standing on end and at Others com
pletely swept by the seas. Sleep on
board was practically impossible bnt
she weathered it all finely.
An interesting feature of the expedi-
tion has been IN the demonstration that
wireless telegraphy can be counted on
as medium of communication at q
distance of l400 miles with the ordinary
appliances on shipboard.