REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND DEPARTMENT CHIEFS
Notes on Handling the U. S. S. “Leviathan”
By CAPTAIN WILLIAM W. PHELPS, U. S. NAVY
The power to drive the Leviathan is distributed into turbines driving
the four propellers. In the open sea the steam is distributed in what
we call the high pressure cruising combination, whereby the turbines
operate at their highest economy. But in this combination the engines
cannot be thrown back instantly, so that in the open ocean in considering
her safety and manœuvering, the rudder effect only can be relied upon.
She must be considered as having no backing effect. For leaving port,
entering port and manœuvering about the dock or about the anchorage,
there is thrown in what is called the manœuvering combination. In this
combination the highest speed the ship is capable of is sixteen knots
ahead, and the combination permits steam to be thrown into the backing
turbines. When there is little or no wind the ship steers very well. When
it blows strong on the beam or on the quarter, the enormous area of the
ship’s freeboard makes her act like a catboat, she wants to fly up into
the wind. She requires a weather helm or to put it in modern language, a
lee rudder. She will turn very quickly into the wind, but she will turn
away from the wind only slowly and reluctantly. Consequently we always
dislike going into New York or out of New York in a gale of wind, where
the restricted channel requires prompt and accurate turning of the ship.
Under normal conditions the manœuvering of the ship with her propellers,
in spite of her great length of 954 feet, is all that can be desired.
NEW YORK HARBOR
Ambrose Channel is dredged to forty feet at low water. On the spring
tides the low water may fall another foot, leaving but thirty-nine
feet in the Ambrose Channel at low water. As the ship draws between
thirty-nine and forty feet on arrival at New York, it is not safe to try
to enter at any other stage of the tide than at high water. Owing to her
great bulk it is improbable that any amount of tugs could dock the ship
at Hoboken when the current is running in the North River, so for docking
at Hoboken, the ship’s arrival must be timed so that she is off Hoboken
at the slack water. As the slack water at Hoboken is after the slack
water in Ambrose Channel, we enter Ambrose Channel then at high water and
carry slackwater all the way up the channel and dock at Hoboken on the
high water slack tide. On sailing from Hoboken she is undocking on the
low water slack tide, so as to arrive in Ambrose Channel at the next high
water. The deep draft of the ship on leaving New York, namely, forty-one
feet ten inches, requires that in leaving New York Harbor and as far as
the Narrows, the ship must seek what might be called the prehistoric
gorge of the Hudson River. There are many places between Hoboken and
the Narrows even in what ordinarily would be called the navigable
fairway, that are so shallow that the _Leviathan_ would go aground. This
prehistoric gorge is accurately known to Captain William S. McLaughlin,
Master Pilot of the New York-Sandy Hook Pilots, who always pilots the
_Leviathan_ out and in.
DOCKING AND UNDOCKING
[Illustration: DIRECTING THE DOCKING OF THE U. S. S. “LEVIATHAN”]
In docking the _Leviathan_ there is no particular trick that must be
known, but on undocking her it must be so timed that while on the New
Jersey side at Hoboken the water is dead slack, the flood on the New York
side has just begun to make. This helps the operation in two ways. First,
by getting her away from the dock before the flood current begins to
press her against the dock, and second when she backs out, the beginning
of the flood current on the New York side assists to turn her stern
upstream and operates to point her correctly. In leaving New York for
sea, the ship must be manœuvered over to the New York side, the deepest
water being on the New York side. In midstream and on the New Jersey
side, between Hoboken and the Statue of Liberty, there is not enough
water to float the _Leviathan_. In docking and undocking we need from
fourteen to sixteen tugs. Abnormal conditions can be expected in the
winter months. Upstate freshets and northerly gales sometimes operate to
kill the flood current off Hoboken and to cause a continuing ebb current.
Such a condition has happened, making it impossible to point the ship
correctly downstream, and it has been necessary to yield to the elements
and to permit her to turn the ship. There is always an apprehension in
entering and leaving New York Harbor lest merchant vessels carelessly
anchor themselves in the _Leviathan’s_ fairway. Such a condition adds
difficulties to the piloting of the ship.
[Illustration: BREST HARBOR]
Like most passenger vessels she is designed to have a slow and easy roll,
which means that she has not a great margin of stability. In entering
New York, bringing troops homeward, it is necessary to keep the troops
in control and evenly distributed, because in their excitement and
happiness, they tend to rush from one side to another on the passing of
every cheering ferryboat, heeling over even this great ship. When this
ship heels over, owing to her great beam, and to her box-like dead-flat
section, it materially increases her already great draft. Large ballast
tanks with suitable pumps are provided for the purpose of counteracting
the tendency of the ship to heel over, but in spite of this, at sea she
lies over to the breeze, and in entering New York she is very sensitive
to the movement of troops about the deck.
In mooring to the buoy in Brest Harbor, it is an advantage to arrive at
slack water; she must be brought to the buoy with her momentum entirely
gone, for her great weight of sixty-nine thousand tons, if moving when
the buoy is correctly placed, would make it impossible for the mooring
party to handle the great heavy links of four-inch chain, and to connect
the mooring shackle.
_Drydocking the U. S. S. “Leviathan” in Gladstone Dock, Liverpool,
England_
By LIEUT. A. W. MINUSE, U. S. N. R. F.
[Illustration]
Drydocking a ship in a graving dock means placing the ship in a dock or
basin at the entrance of which is a gate or caisson, accurately centering
the ship over a system of blocks or beds, previously prepared according
to plans and then pumping the water out of the dock.
When a ship is designed the Naval Architect always prepares a docking
plan showing in detail just how to prepare these beds so that the ship
will rest evenly without straining her in any way. Ordinarily, docking a
ship up to 32,000 or 33,000 tons is not much of a problem, nor does it
involve much of a risk, but on larger ships with all the necessary data
known, those connected with the docking always feel easier when they see
the ship setting safely on the blocks.
To give some idea of the size of the _Leviathan_ consider our latest,
biggest and most powerful battleship, the _New Mexico_. She weighs 32,000
tons. The _Leviathan_ weighed or displaced at the time of docking more
than twice this, or approximately 66,000 tons.
We had no docking plans nor plans of any description showing her form
or construction. The Germans had either destroyed or removed all her
plans. This was the problem we were confronted with in January, 1918,
when it was decided to dock the ship in Liverpool for the necessary
cleaning and painting of her body under water, and doing other necessary
work, including a clump on her forefoot for towing the paravanes, or
mine-sweeping device.
[Illustration: IN DRY DOCK]
THE LIVERPOOL DRYDOCK
The Gladstone Dock in Liverpool was the only drydock in the world at the
time that would take the Leviathan. The entire development of this dock,
which included a tidal basin, was not completed when the war broke out,
so the tidal basin was abandoned and one of a pair of docks was finished
up and a long channel dredged to the River Mersey.
The ship drew so much that we could not enter the dock except at the
spring tides, or in other words, only about two days out of a month would
permit us to enter the dock, provided the wind did not cut the tide too
much.
The next thing was to decide on how to prepare the beds of the drydock to
receive the ship. An examination of her bottom was necessary. Divers were
sent down and they reported that she had neither docking nor bilge keels,
and that her keel plate consisted of a plate of about 2 inches thick by 3
feet wide.
In converting the ship from a passenger to a troop ship, we naturally
became familiar with every detail of her construction. With this
knowledge of her construction and due consideration being given to the
location of the heavy weights, etc., it was decided to place the main bed
under the third intercostal, this bed running from frames 220 to 101, or
a distance of 358 feet amidships. The spacing of these blocks was 6 feet,
or every other frame space. The center of these blocks was 25½ feet from
the center line of the ship.
In addition to the center line bed, which is placed underneath the keel,
and the two main beds, one port and one starboard, which is placed under
the third intercostal, an outer bed, consisting of four sets of five
blocks each, space 6 feet centers, was placed under the fore and aft coal
bunker bulkhead, at the intersection of the thwartship bulkheads.
The fore and aft center of these blocks came at frame 199, 174, 151 and
126. Blocks of the outer bed were staggered with those of the inner bed.
This outer bed was 35 feet from the center of the ship. At the fore and
aft ends of the ship where the dead-rise is considerable, an inner bed
a few inches from the center of the ship for a distance of 60 feet was
prepared, 12 feet 6 inches forward, and 13 feet 9 inches aft.
After deciding the location of these beds, the next step was to get some
idea of how to prepare them, so that they would conform to the shape of
the ship. Preparing the center line bed was of course easier, as it was
known that the keel of the ship was a straight line.
The forward end of the center line bed consisted of a solid line of
blocks for a distance of 104 feet, and the after end of a solid line of
blocks for 144 feet, where exceptionally heavy weights would be carried.
The balance of the blocks was spaced every 15 inch centers, except in
the way of water-tight bulkheads. Under these bulkheads the blocks were
filled in solid for 7 blocks. On each side of these, two spaces were
omitted and then filled in solid for 5 blocks. Reference to the docking
plans will show the spacing of these blocks.
BLOCKS AND BEDS
An idea of the blocks used in building the beds can be had by referring
to the photograph. They consisted of 3 cast steel wedges, which, when
placed upon each other, were about 3 feet high, 15 inches wide at the
bottom, and 3 feet 6 inches long. On top of these steel wedges was placed
a hardwood block 12 inches square and 4 feet long, and on top of the
hardwood blocks was placed a soft wood cap 12 inches wide by 4 inches
thick by 4 feet long.
To prepare the main, inner and outer beds, it was necessary to have
some idea of the form of the ship. By opening up the water-tight doors
in the fireroom we were able to get a base line 300 feet long. Every
other double bottom tank was pumped out and offsets taken at the fore
and aft ends of these tanks, in way of the main, inner and outer beds.
The taking of these offsets was greatly facilitated by the fact that the
double bottom was found to be flat in both the fore and aft thwartships
direction. Buttocks were run through these offsets. While these buttocks
faired up very well, it was realized that the measurements would not be
accurate enough for the actual preparation of the beds; therefore they
were prepared to within 4 inches of these measurements.
Several hundred wedges of varying thicknesses were made ready in advance,
and after the ship was placed on the center line blocks, the space
between the main and outer beds and the ship’s bottom was packed with the
wedges by divers.
The Gladstone Dock was prepared according to the above description,
carefully checked and measured, and then flooded to about 10 feet, so
that no one could tamper with it. After the dock was prepared, we had to
wait several days for a spring tide, and also to dredge out a shifting
shoal at the entrance of the channel leading to the dock.
The first tide that the ship could enter the dock was at 11:50 A.
M., January 14, 1918. She was brought to as even a keel as possible,
which was 35 feet 9 inches forward and 37 feet 6 inches aft. This was
accomplished by filling the forward tanks and emptying the after tanks
and placing about 1,400 tons of coal in her reserve and forward bunkers.
This was the nearest to an even keel that we had ever had the ship up
to this time in the light condition. I might mention here that in this
condition the ship is extremely tender, and that Lieut. Watts of the
Engineering Department, displayed great diligence and good judgment in
keeping her perfectly upright, while setting her on the blocks.
ENTERING THE DOCK
On January 14, 1918, the ship proceeded down the Mersey River to the
entrance of the dock, but the wind was too high to attempt making
the entrance, and we had to return to Princess Landing. On the 15th
conditions were much better but none too favorable. However, as it was
the last day of the spring tide we had to make the attempt. The spring
tides are about 21 feet, and the current is very swift, so we had less
than an hour in which to enter the dock and close the caisson.
The entrance was very narrow, so that tugs were of little assistance and
she had to go in under her own power. It was a fine piece of seamanship
and was successfully accomplished without damage to either the ship or
the dock. The handling of the ship in the long entrance channel to the
dock was done by the Senior Captain of the Cunard Line on shore. We were
all greatly shocked about two weeks later to learn of his death, due to a
channel steamer being torpedoed on its return from France, where he had
been called on an important conference. It was the loss of such fine men
through the treacherous German submarines that brought home to us more
than ever our solemn duty to beat the Germans at all costs.
On the 16th everything was ready for setting her on the center line
blocks. The weather conditions were ideal; the wind was on the stern
and the ship was on an even keel. The stern touched the blocks and she
settled at 3:55 P. M.
Previous to setting the ship on the blocks 12 sighting battons were
erected along the level of “B” deck from stem to stem, so that if the
ship was strained in any way it could be readily noted. A piano wire
was also stretched from side to side at the top of the thwartships coal
bunkers amidships and connected to a spring balance, so that any opening
up effect, due to the divers not properly packing the main beds, would
immediately show.
As soon as the stern touched the blocks the top row of side shores were
set up commencing from aft. These shores were spaced every 5 frames, or
about 15 feet centers. Altogether there were three rows of these side
shores. The water was then lowered to a depth of 32 feet and the water
maintained at this depth while the divers packed the main, inner and
outer beds. As soon as possible after the water reached 32 feet, the
water in all the tanks was pumped out with the exception of the feed
tanks and No. 23 and 24 fresh water service tanks. The stem and side
anchors were lowered and the pig iron in No. 17 tank, amounting to about
473 tons, was removed.
The water was maintained in the dock at 32 feet, because at this depth
the ship was just resting nicely on the center line blocks and would not
compress the soft wood caps. We did not want any unnecessary weight on
the center line blocks until the divers had finished their work on the
main and outer beds, so that when the dock was finally pumped out, the
ship would imbed itself in the soft wood capping at a uniform depth. This
worked out exceptionally well, and was remarkably uniform on all beds,
amounting to about 2 inches at the end of the third day. On the third
day the spring balance on the piano wire registered less than an ounce
difference. The sighting battons showed that she had settled amidships
about 1⅜ inches. After floating she returned to ⅛ inch of the original
condition. This I believe to be the natural hog of the ship.
The undocking of the ship was somewhat unusual in that 7,800 tons of
coal were placed aboard while she was in dry dock, 1,400 tons while the
dock was absolutely dry and the balance of the coal, with from 35 to 37
feet of water in the dock. This was not sufficient to float the ship,
and she still rested upon the docking beds. Immediately before letting
in the water, all the bilge and hanging shores, and shores under, the
stem and stern that would in any way injure the ship should she take a
sudden list, or any undue change of trim, were removed. These shores
were removed at about 15 minute intervals, so that the ship could adjust
itself and any undue settling could be noticed. During this operation
men were stationed at the sighting battons and the piano wire. Water was
then admitted as quickly as possible to 35 feet and maintained at this
level while additional coal was put aboard from barges admitted to the
dock at low tide. This was a rather trying ordeal, but was successfully
accomplished in 5 days.
Arrangements had been made to leave the dock on February 11th. It was
therefore decided to float her on the 10th, and an estimate was made of
the coal on board and such tanks as were necessary to bring her to an
even trim and even keel, were filled. She floated at 1:20 on the 10th
with 38 feet 11 inches draft aft, 39 feet 6 inches draft forward, and
less than ½° list to starboard.
I cannot speak too highly of the hearty co-operation received from
the ship’s officers and crew, especially Naval Constructor J. H.
Jack, U. S. N. This applies not only to the docking of the ship, but
to her conversion from a passenger ship to a transport. No duty was
too strenuous or hours too long, and during the conversion the living
quarters on the ship were not of the best. They were continually shifted
from one part of the ship to the other, even the meals were of a
makeshift character and at times irregular. Every man seemed to realize
what we were up against and that we must make good. Everyone pulling
together, accomplishment was made possible.
The conversion of the ship to a transport speaks volumes for the Navy
Department organization and more particularly for the New York Navy Yard,
under whose direct supervision the work was undertaken.
The ship was so big that she could not be taken to a shipyard, nor
transferred to the Navy Yard. The task had to be undertaken where she
lay at her piers in Hoboken and the New York Navy Yard organization was
elastic enough and active enough to carry on the work outside the Navy
Yard.
_The Bridge_
W. J.
General conditions on the bridge were good. Instruments had deteriorated
somewhat, owing to the long stay in port and not being used.
All signal flags and navigation instruments, including the three
chronometers which comprised part of her equipment were removed. The
ship was equipped with two master gyroscopic compasses installed on “G”
deck and seven repeaters for use on the bridge in steering and taking
bearings; these were all found to be more or less in need of repairs
and after days of hard and tedious work on the part of Lieut. W. H. F.
Schluter and his well organized staff they were put in fine condition
and have been kept in this manner constantly even though he has had to
add pieces of lead to each master gyro to maintain a level. Being of
German manufacture, no spare parts could be obtained during the war,
but whenever they were needed Lieutenant Schluter proved to be the “man
of the hour.” The gyros were only one of his many troubles for, being
electrical officer, there were numerous other duties about the ship.
There were a great many German charts left on board but the ship was
equipped by the Bureau of Navigation with American charts before leaving
port. The steering gears and all the telegraphs were changed to English
speaking. The deep-sea sounding machines are still in commission after
a great amount of usage, and the motors attached to them for heaving in
the lead are still in good working order. The patent log for measuring
distance is the “Forbes,” an English patent. Loudspeaking telephones
reached to all the principal parts of the ship, and are very much
used. A fire-alarm indicator is placed in the wheelhouse and is set at
fifteen-minute intervals. This indicator has pipes leading to all holds
through which the smoke from any fire in a hold would be drawn and can
be seen in the wheelhouse when the alarm goes off. A steam hose can be
connected to the pipe and the fire smothered. There is a control for
operating water-tight doors and a diagram showing location of each door;
upon this diagram an electric light burns when each door is closed,
showing the officer of the deck whether the control works properly.
The big 44-inch searchlight on the foremast is controlled very readily
from the bridge by a small lever; the fog bell is rung and all whistles
are blown by an electrical attachment. The master electric clock is on
the bridge and gives the time to 550 repeaters situated throughout the
ship. These clocks required a great amount of painstaking labor to be put
into good condition and demand constant care and supervision. During the
alterations in which first class staterooms were ripped out to make troop
quarters, the wiring system to the clocks was torn out by the workmen as
well as everything else which happened to be in their path.
As mentioned previously the ship’s chronometers, three in number, were
missing. These were afterwards found by the Secret Service in a nautical
school in New York City. The commanding officer had to send them to
the Naval Observatory at Washington, D. C. This was done with great
reluctance as they were of the finest type and a good chronometer is a
very valuable and much used article aboard a ship. Others were sent to
replace them. The bridge and signal bridge were altered for transport
purposes. The fire control and range finder stations being built on the
signal bridge, and the fine bright finish of the wood was changed to the
more popular color at that time—the war gray. Otherwise the _Leviathan_
remains the _Vaterland_, as when she was in the merchant service—a German
transport in disguise.
_The Deck Force_
F. C. W.
When the _Leviathan_ was taken over by the Navy, the chief difficulty
that presented itself was the scarcity of men available for the deck
force. Only a few of the crew that had been assigned to the ship had ever
been to sea. A few—gun crews, for the most part—had had some experience,
but not enough to qualify them as seamen. This was partly due to their
short terms of service.
As a result, the brunt of the work fell upon the shoulders of a few
experienced petty officers, who fortunately had been assigned to the
ship. These men worked day and night in a supreme effort to organize
their crews and create a working machine. For the first few days they
did everything from scrubbing the decks to exploring the double bottoms.
There was no distinction between the rated men and the seamen in this
line of work.
The size of the ship added to the confusion. It was impossible to keep
a detail together for more than a minute and a half. It was easy for an
entire working party to get lost between decks. It was easier for some to
get lost than others. Finally, it was decided that the only way to keep
a working party together was to hang a bell around the neck of the petty
officer in charge. This scheme worked well until two working parties met,
when it was necessary to call in a traffic cop to get them separated.
Because of their unfamiliarity with the ship, details were apt to deliver
sacks of “spuds” to the Commander’s cabin, and stationery to the
blacksmith shop. This situation was relieved by the appointment of guides
to conduct the working parties around.
The parts of the ship allotted to the deck division (at that time we
could only boast of one), were in rather good shape, considering the
time the ship had been laid up. The weather decks were littered up like
an old woman’s backyard after a hard day’s washing, but most of the
truck was movable. Boats were piled across the hatches and all over the
decks, making it impossible to get around. Boxes, stores and cordage were
everywhere.
The process of making the ship habitable was accomplished by a mere
handful of men, most of the division being assigned to various details
for work in other compartments.
After the work of cleaning up had been completed, attention was turned
to the rigging. The running rigging was in bad shape and it was found
necessary to refit all of the davits that were rigged with manila rope.
The booms were also refitted with new whips and guys. Requisitions for
wire and manila lines were made right and left and all of the rigging was
overhauled.
Of the 72 boats on board, 26 were equipped with friction winches and
needed no power for rigging out and loading. The power for hoisting was
furnished by electric motors, each one operating two or more winches.
These winches were given a thorough overhauling and found to be in
excellent condition. The boat falls, which were of special laid wire,
were then unrove and tested. Only two of the entire number needed
attention. At that time we had no serviceable wire, and it was a case of
a few well-made long splices.
The ground tackle on the ship was all that could be desired. Of the three
Hall type anchors, the largest, or stem anchor, weighed a little more
than twelve tons. The other two, port and starboard, tipped the scales
at eleven tons. These little trinkets were the only articles on board
considered safe from souvenir hunters. For the information of landsmen,
the “anchor watch” has no connection with the anchor itself, but is
merely the men on watch as Officer of the Deck’s night messengers while
the ship is at anchor.
The stem anchor was fitted with a 4-inch stud link chain, 150 fathoms in
length. The port and starboard anchors had chains of 164 and 150 fathoms,
respectively. The chains for the latter were three and three-eighths
inches in diameter, the size of a chain being measured by the diameter of
the material of which the links are formed.
The anchor engines were of corresponding size, and could be connected
with the capstans on deck. In addition to them, there were seven more
engines for capstans in all parts of the ship. In consequence, mooring
the ship to a dock was not the hard task that it usually is.
The stern anchor and chain had apparently been left in Hamburg. The hawse
pipe aft, and the stern chain locker were utilized for the handling and
stowage of the heavy manila hawsers.
Most of the manila hawsers on board had to be replaced. Natural decay
or possibly a small application of acid had so weakened the lines that
they had a tendency to break at the most inopportune moments. The wire
hawsers, however, were in A-1 condition, and up until the present time,
have never been replaced.
But the work of fitting out was not all that had to be done. Men must be
fed; and it seemed, from the accumulation of provisions on the dock, that
we were being depended upon for the entire job of feeding the A. E. F.
Truckload after truckload of stores was piled on the dock, and hoisted
aboard, day after day. We soon learned that one trip with 10,000 red
blooded men aboard involved the consumption of almost everything we had
been piling into the ship’s storerooms and refrigerators. Besides food,
there were general stores to be handled, including everything from safety
pins to dishwashing machines. Every department was working overtime to
get things ship-shape, and the deck force most of all.
At last it was rumored that we were about to make our maiden trip under
the American flag. This was followed by a speeding up in all departments.
It received final substantiation when military equipment and stores began
to arrive. The time had come for a real test.
We had a chance to test our booms when a five-ton truck showed up as a
part of the equipment to be loaded. The booms were of three-ton capacity
and it was necessary to strengthen the lifts and rig a purchase in lieu
of the single whip. It was taken aboard without mishap.
Just before leaving all boat-falls were given a final test. Every boat
was rigged out and lowered to within a few feet of the water. A party of
sixty-five men then clambered in and the boat was hoisted and lowered ten
feet or more. This party was used for all of the boats, which were found
to be in satisfactory condition. A few boats not on davits were hoisted
overboard and tested for watertightness.
One morning in the fall of 1917 we slipped away. There were many
conjectures as to our destination, one opinion being that we were bound
for Panama for a last overhauling in dry dock. It developed that we were
taking 1,500 marines to Guantanamo.
Upon our arrival in Cuba, we discharged all equipment and turned our
attention to the boats once more. The boat officers were given their
first lesson in the handling of the boat winches, and some of the men
were given their first experience in a boat under oars.
Back again to Hoboken—more handling of stores and provisions. The
Marines, although few in number, had managed to put quite a hole in our
store of provisions. But the worst was yet to come. Orders sending the
ship to France came, and with them 7,500 soldiers.
We had one piece of luck in getting off. While the crews of other
transports had been compelled to sit and watch civilian stevedores put
their stores aboard, the crew of the _Leviathan_ were allowed to handle
everything going aboard the ship themselves. There were no restrictions
whatever, permission even being given to work night and day at the job.
All of the equipment handled by the civilian stevedores belonging to
the army. The crew handled all of the naval equipment aboard, including
Liberty motors, aeroplanes and S. P. boats.
Liverpool had the honor of receiving us on our first and second voyages.
Here we went into dry dock for final repairs, and here we had our first
experience coaling ship in drydock. Coaling was carried on from cars
running along the dock and also from small lighters or flats in the dock
itself. The lighters were emptied and taken away only at certain stages
of the tide. There was always a chance of the ship floating during one of
these manœuvers, and the work of bringing loaded lighters into the dock
and sending the emptied ones out required quick action and plenty of it.
The notorious punctuality of time and tide is especially noticeable in
the Liverpool drydock, and we worked at all hours of the day and night to
keep in step.
The bottom of the ship was given a new coat of paint, and we left for
Hoboken and more troops. On our second voyage to Liverpool our paravanes
were installed, adding a little to the work, but contributing a good deal
to our sense of security. Once more, for the benefit of the landsman: The
paravanes, or PVs, are contrivances fitted to the bow of the ship, as a
protection against mines, so constructed that they will automatically
pick up the moorings of a mine and cut it adrift.
Beginning with our third trip, we worked on an express train schedule.
Everything depended upon speed. Our cargoes increased at the same time.
In addition to all kinds of army equipment, we frequently carried
aeroplanes, boats for overseas duty, and on one trip a large mooring
buoy. In order to load them on board, additional changes had to be made
in the rigging, purchases and guys of the booms. Even the weather decks
were utilized for the transportation of cargo for the naval forces
overseas.
At the present writing the good old ship is still on the job—bringing
them back. The machine is running as smoothly as the ship’s engines, and
instead of having a few inexperienced men in the deck force, we have an
organization, built from almost nothing, that can compete with anything
in the navy.
_Embarkation and Debarkation of Troops_
W. S. A.
This is a brief description of how the _Leviathan’s_ human cargo was
loaded and unloaded. The plan had been followed from the beginning with
slight changes made by experience in carrying troops over before the
armistice and carrying them back afterwards.
The ship’s troop capacity began at 6,800 and on the 13th voyage it was
approximately 12,000. Throughout the war it averaged about 10,000. In
addition, officers’ space has varied between 400 and 600.
Throughout the war, carrying troops east, five gangways were employed
on G-deck forward, to fill forward compartments; C-deck and F-decks
amidships, to fill amidship compartments; E-deck and G-deck gangways aft
to fill after compartments.
On each gangway, the compartment farthest away and lowest was filled and
so on to the gangway compartment. In no case did troops crowd through a
filled compartment.
It was early realized that loading the ship with troops was a Navy
function and was treated as such. The organization at each of the five
gangways was: one naval officer in charge and assisted by one chief petty
officer and fifteen men. Wherever Army officers were available one was
detailed to assist the Naval officer.
Prior to embarkation on each voyage, the ship’s embarkation officer made
an assignment of all troops the ship was to carry, so organizations would
not be split up but located in the same part of the ship to facilitate
work. Often this was a problem on account of the arrival of trains or
ferries and the size of organizations carried. Also, troop compartments
had an arbitrary number of bunks in them, based on the amount which
could be put in and not upon the number in military organizations. By
planning we were able to get a complete regiment amidships, one aft, and
a battalion forward, then filling in smaller units up to capacity.
Generally a battalion, or approximately 1,000 men, came to the ship a day
in advance of embarkation for the guard and mess details. The next day
the balance of the troops arrived. When the guard was not posted before
embarkation, the troops were all over decks, superstructure, and masts,
resulting in much unnecessary confusion.
Embarkation usually began about 8 o’clock or 9 o’clock in the morning,
although on one occasion it began as early as 5:30 A. M. Organizations
marched on the dock, both upper and lower levels, the Army checkers
checked the individual soldier’s names upon the passenger lists and the
soldier would receive a billet ticket which showed his compartment,
bunk number, deck space, abandon ship station, safety rules, etc. Then
the column would move over the gangway and the prescribed routes to the
compartment. Each of the five columns were led by a Naval guide, and
other Naval guides were posted along the route and seven or eight Navy
men in the compartment, to direct the columns to the proper bunks and
put the soldiers in the bunks called for by the billet tickets. The
numbering in compartments generally began in the forward starboard corner
and ended in the after port corner. Later on, the bunks in the amidship
compartments were renumbered so that a column of troops could be directed
up a passageway and men could get into the bunks on both sides of it.
RULES OBSERVED
A company officer would go into the compartment being filled and assist
the Navy detail; troops got into their bunks as soon as found, and stayed
there until embarkation over that gangway was completed. No smoking
was allowed in compartments. Without strict adherence to these rules,
embarkation was hindered. Generally it was possible to take troops aboard
nearly as fast as they arrived on the dock and many times the dock would
be emptied before the next organizations would arrive. The troop mess
hall on F-deck was used as a reservoir to hold over 1,000 troops marching
in a serpentine line which proceeded into the compartments being filled.
The Naval officer in charge of the gangway circulated from the gangway
over the route into the compartment and saw that all went smoothly. The
embarkation officer moved around all gangways into compartments being
filled and upon the deck, generally overseeing and directing embarkation.
The Navy men for the forward gangway were from the first division,
midship gangways from the third division and the other gangways from
the fourth division. With the inborn aptitude of the American youth,
they soon became experts in embarking and made short work of filling
compartments. There was little change in the details during the entire
war period. The men took real pride in their work. Embarkation of 10,000
troops, each soldier into his own numbered bunk, could not have been
effected in a period of six to eight hours, if it had not been for the
zeal and ardor and intelligence which the men put into their work.
Whenever a bunk was found which could not be used and compartments were
checked over before embarkation, the ticket was taken up from the soldier
and another secured at the gangway so the man could occupy a bunk in the
vicinity of his company.
Relations between the ship’s officers concerned with embarking and the
army officers of the port of embarkation staff were harmonious and
co-operation grew as trips increased. On some occasions the ship’s
officers went to the army camps, gave talks and distributed ship’s
pamphlets in advance of embarkation which were of assistance in embarking
and getting the army settled on board.
On these war time embarkations, one noted the eagerness with which the
troops came aboard to get to the scene of war. On one occasion a number
of colored troops went up E-deck gangway, which had an angle of nearly
forty-five degrees, upon their hands and knees for safety’s sake. This
caused great laughter.
Only on one or two embarkations were there any substantial delays, as
trains and ferries generally arrived on schedule. Once an entire regiment
was fitted up with two pairs of trench shoes upon the upper level of
the dock. During the influenza epidemic in the fall of 1918 taking the
temperatures of all troops slowed up embarkation.
DEBARKATIONS
During the war, debarkation on the first two trips to Liverpool was
simply to march the troops over the G-deck forward, F-deck amidships,
and G-deck after gangways on the landing stage in reverse order of
embarkation, where they mustered by organizations and entrained. On the
third trip to Liverpool, in November, 1918, the _Leviathan_ ran her nose
into the Mersey mud off the Gladstone dock in a heavy fog. The tide ebbed
and the ship began to list. All the Mersey ferry boats were commandeered
and the 8,000 troops were debarked on them from F-deck gangway amidships
and G-deck gangway aft, in three hours. Gangways to the ferries in
several cases were at an angle of sixty degrees. Debarkation was rushed
to lighten the ship, and she was backed off on the rising tide that
evening under her own power.
At Brest, during the war, a different plan was followed. Coaling began
soon after the ship was moored. G-deck gangways aft, port and starboard
sides, were the only gangways available to debark troops onto lighters.
B-deck and the troop mess hall were used as debarking mustering stations.
Organizations moved to them from their compartments, according to
prearranged plan, as it was essential to send the troops ashore by
organizations. B-deck held about 1,800 men with their packs and the mess
hall about 1,200. When assembled, they moved to lighters lying at the
after gangway. These held at first according to size, from 600 to 2,200
men and they were packed tight. Their capacity was reduced on later
voyages.
The troops cheered the old _Leviathan_ as their lighters drew away, and
our men responded. The _Leviathan_ carried many organizations which later
paid heavy toll of casualties in battles.
When the armistice was signed and the westbound tide set in, it required
considerable work to reverse the procedure of embarking at Brest and
debarking at Hoboken. The entire embarkation was over G-deck gangway for
all compartments up to the thirteenth voyage, as it proceeded during
coaling.
The procedure of filling compartments was the same, but it was necessary
to unload lighters quickly and get them away so the line of troops to
compartments was extended to fill A-deck, B-deck, D-deck forward and aft,
from whence the line of troops fed down into the compartments.
From 1,100 to 2,200 sick and wounded were embarked at the same time as
the other troops, this was done under supervision of the medical officer,
assisted by the hospital corps. The casuals were taken to sick bay or
E-deck compartments especially set aside for them.
Debarkation at Hoboken was the quick and happy event following the
reception the ship received coming up the harbor. G-deck forward, C
and F-decks amidships, and G-deck after gangways are used. The troops
march out on them in reverse order of embarking. Units muster on the
dock according to their organizations. Briefly, the procedure resembles
pouring liquid out of three different pitchers, just the reverse of
filling the compartments upon embarkation. The debarkation of troops was
completed in about three hours.
The dock was always a lively place with throngs of reporters and welfare
workers present with refreshments and smokes for the boys. The canine
mascots generally got aboard unobserved, but in debarkation they proceed
with their proud masters down the gangways and are admired as returning
heroes by those upon the dock. Many of the dogs were “prisoners of war,”
having come over to the American trenches from the enemy.
Such, briefly, is the story of the loading and unloading of the
_Leviathan’s_ human cargo. The doughboys have bravely done their part in
winning the war. We of the _Leviathan_ have had the happy and important
duty of getting them over safely and bringing them back home.
_Abandon Ship Drill_
E. E.
Abandon ship drill is the most important drill on board ship as the
saving of the lives of all would depend upon the degree of perfection,
organization, and speed of execution. It is easily seen that a ship
the size of the _Leviathan_ by reason of her water-tight doors would
not sink for several hours after a torpedo attack or after striking a
mine; thus the great danger to be avoided is the panic attendant upon
such a contingency. The end to be attained is the conducting of all the
troops in an orderly and expeditious manner to the weather decks where,
equipped with life jackets and canteens, they can climb over the side on
sea ladders rigged for the purpose and reach the rafts and boats already
lowered into the water.
The abandon ship organization requires the second in army command to be
in charge of the troop movement. He has as his assistants thirty-five
captains as troop compartment officers—they are the senior officers in
each troop compartment—and seventy lieutenants, the junior compartment
officers. As a special abandon ship detail there are twelve majors acting
as abandon ship mustering station officers and twenty-four captains and
lieutenants acting as assistants to these officers.
The abandon ship mustering stations are distributed over the ship and
include all available space on the weather decks except such space as
is necessary to the lowering of boats or to the actual navigation of
the ship. The routing of the troops to these stations is worked out
on the principle that all watertight doors will be closed as soon as
abandon ship signal sounds. The capacity of these stations is limited
to a minimum of three cubic feet of deck space per man, giving also due
consideration to the disposition of the ship’s boats.
During the war the first abandon ship drill was held prior to the sailing
of the ship. All men aboard were obliged to keep their life jackets
within reach at all times. For the first three drills the troops were
sent below to their compartments at the call “assembly” on the bugles
so they would become familiar with their abandon ship route. After the
first three drills, troops already up on deck proceeded directly to their
mustering stations.
[Illustration: GOING TO BRING THE DOUGHBOYS HOME]
Troops were not required to wear their life jackets when hostilities
ceased, but when abandon ship drill was held they were sent below to
assemble in their compartments, put on their life jackets, and then
at the abandon ship call proceed over the abandon ship route to their
mustering stations to stand by for further orders or until “secure” is
sounded.
The plan followed throughout the ship called for the emptying of the
lowest compartment first. Other compartments using the same abandon ship
route stand fast until the troops in the lowest compartment have filed
past.
It was found that by this drill all compartments could be emptied and all
troops assembled at their abandon ship mustering stations within fifteen
minutes of the sounding of the abandon ship signal, or within one half
hour of the blowing of the “assembly” which sends the troops to their
compartments.
_The Gunnery Department_
GUNNERY OFFICERS
Creed H. Boucher, Lieut., U.S.N.; assigned, August 3, 1917; detached,
April 20, 1918.
Arnold H. Bateman, Lieut., U.S.N.; assigned, April 20, 1918; detached,
October 27, 1918.
Charles K. Osborne, Lieut. Comdr., U.S.N.; assigned, October 27, 1918;
detached, April 3, 1919.
ASSISTANT GUNNERY OFFICERS
William E. Malloy, Lieut., U.S.N.; assigned, October 8, 1917.
(Lieut. Malloy was detached as assistant Gunnery Officer in order to take
over the duties of First Lieutenant of the ship.)
SHIP’S GUNNERS
Arthur B. Dorsey, Lieut., U.S.N.; assigned, July 30, 1917; detached,
January 22, 1919.
John T. Swift, Lieut., U.S.N.; assigned, January 22, 1919; detached,
March 6, 1919.
James F. Williams, Gunner, U.S.N.; assigned, January 20, 1919.
(Gunner Williams served on board as a Chief Gunner’s Mate from August,
1917, until he was made Gunner in January, 1919.)
Lieut. Boucher, Lieut. Malloy and Lieut. Dorsey, were the officers in
charge of the installation of the battery, fire control system, etc., the
training of gun crews and lookouts, and in fact all the numerous details
required to have the ship in readiness for sea and action when she
cleared the net in New York Harbor. Great credit is due these officers
and the men of their department for the excellent manner in which this
work was carried out. Much credit is also due the officers and men who
succeeded them for the excellent manner in which they maintained the high
standard of efficiency that had been set for them.
There were also six Chief Gunner’s Mates and seven gunner’s mates of
lower ratings attached to the ship during her voyages across the Atlantic.
No technical discussion of ordnance and gunnery will be attempted in
these pages, just a general description of guns, fire control systems,
etc., and their method of operation.
ARMAMENT AND EQUIPMENT
The armament and equipment of the _Leviathan_ consisted of the following:
8—6-inch 50-Cal. guns Mk. VIII.
2—1-Pdr. guns, Mk. VIII.
2—“Y”-Guns for throwing depth charges.
2—Colt Machine Guns.
1—Lewis Machine Gun.
150—.30-Cal. Springfield Rifles.
75—.45-Cal. Colt Automatic Pistols.
1—Large Bausch and Lomb 12-Ft. Range Finder.
2—Small Barr and Stroud 1-meter Range Finders.
1—Ford Range Keeper.
The six-inch guns were installed on October 5, 1917—four aft and four
forward. The distance between the forward and after guns was about seven
hundred feet, which is a greater distance than the entire length of any
battleship we have in commission.
The work of installation was carried on by ordnance men from the New York
Navy Yard, assisted by the ship’s gunnery department.
Splendid co-ordination existed at all times between the Navy Yard people
and the ship’s force which helped materially to expedite the work.
Considerable effort and labor were required to get the ship in readiness
to receive the guns, mounts, etc. Gun foundations and gun platforms had
to be built; blast bulkheads erected in proper places so as to protect
one gun from the fire of the other; certain portions of the deck were
extended in order to give the after guns a greater arc of train. Lines
of communication, voice tubes and telephones, had to be run from all
guns to fire control and spotting stations; and salvo bells and buzzers
installed. All of this work was completed in record time and gave
excellent results throughout the war.
Foundation and mount tests were held on November 20, 1917, on our trial
trip to Guantanamo, when three shots were fired from each six-inch gun.
These tests proved satisfactory in every respect.
The 1-pdr. guns were not installed until September 28, 1918. These guns
were mounted on the port and starboard sides of C-deck amidships. They
also proved satisfactory when fired for tests on September 30, 1918.
Lieutenant Boucher originally made a request for four 1-pdr. guns and
also two anti-aircraft guns, but only the two 1-pdr. guns were allowed
this ship.
DEPTH CHARGES
The original depth charge outfit of this vessel consisted of the earlier
type of depth charges, containing only fifty-two pounds of TNT as an
explosive. We were allowed ten of the charges and a chute was rigged over
the stern for launching them.
On July 27, 1918, two “Y” guns were installed which throw a charge of TNT
weighing 300 pounds. These were tested out by filling four large paint
drums with wet sand, to bring them up to the required weight, and firing
them from the “Y” guns. The cans landed approximately 200 feet from the
ship, our extra high freeboard causing them to travel farther than if
fired from the deck of a torpedo boat.
We never had the opportunity of trying our depth charges on a real
submarine. A ship of this size would have to be extremely lucky to
manœuvre so as to be in a position to drop a depth charge on a submarine.
The “Y”-guns were removed December 30, 1918, after the armistice had been
signed.
MACHINE GUNS
The two Colt machine guns were mounted forward on C-deck gallery, abaft
No. 3 and No. 4 guns, and the Lewis machine gun aft by the depth charge
station. The primary object of the machine guns was for sinking floating
mines. The crews were kept in practice by firing at driftwood, floating
boxes, fish, etc. The 1-pdr. crews also engaged in this kind of practice.
RANGE FINDERS
The range finders were mounted on the forward superstructure just abaft
and above the signal bridge. The large range finder being mounted on a
specially constructed stand amidships between the port and starboard fire
control stations, and at a height of 124 feet above the water-line. Both
control stations were always within easy means of communication with this
range finder by means of voice tubes. The two small range-finders were
mounted on platforms—one on the outside of each fire control station.
It is difficult to use the range finder against a periscope for the
simple reason that the periscope is visible for only a short length of
time, and is hard to get a quick reading on. The range will have been
obtained by spotting the shots before the range finder can be brought
into play. However, the range finder would have been invaluable had we
been attacked by a raider, or a submarine on the surface.
AMMUNITION
The ammunition allowance for the ship was:
1,200—6-inch shells, long point.
1,200—6-inch 50-cal. powder charges.
80—6-inch flat nose shells. (Non-ricocheting, for
submarines when submerged.)
480—1-pdr. cartridges.
89,000—Cartridges, for .30-cal. rifle.
10,000—Cartridges, for .45-cal. automatic pistol.
In addition to the above, blank ammunition for rifles was carried for
training with ex-caliber.
Forty shells were carried in shell racks at the guns at all times,
and twenty rounds of powder at each gun while at sea. The rest of the
ammunition was carried in the magazines forward and aft (seven decks
below) and supplied to the guns by means of elevators and ammunition
parties.
GUN DRILLS
Gun and fire control drills were held daily to keep all hands in
practice. These drills were discontinued while in the war zone. Actual
conditions were simulated as much as possible at all drills.
GUN WATCHES
When not in the war zone two guns forward (one on each side) and two guns
aft, were manned by a crew of six men at all times, with a man at the
telephones of each of the guns off watch. The men off watch had to remain
in the vicinity of their quarters ready for instant call.
While in the zone all guns were manned by a crew of six men with six men
standing by in reserve. The guns were kept loaded, both in and out of
the zone, with powder and shell—ready for instant firing by inserting a
primer.
LOOKOUTS
Good lookouts are absolutely essential to a ship’s safety. They have one
of the most important positions on the ship. On their alertness depends
the discovery of any submarine or suspicious object in his arc of lookout
and the immediate and accurate reporting of it to the fire control
officer, so that the guns may be brought into action in the quickest
possible time against the enemy.
There were twelve lookout stations on this vessel—six on each side—so
arranged that each lookout had an arc of thirty degrees to keep under
close observation. Of course there were additional lookouts on watch
at all times, such as the gun crews, control officers, signalmen and
officers-of-the-deck. Each tried to be the first to spot a hostile
periscope.
PERSONNEL
The personnel of the gun crews, lookouts, etc., showed excellent
qualities and sense of duty during the period of the war. In all attacks
by submarines, and false alarms, every man performed his duties as he had
been taught at drill, showing no undue excitement, always on the job and
ready for more.
The letter from 6-inch gun crew No. 2 quoted below is an example that
well shows the spirit of the men.
_U. S. S. Leviathan,_
April 26, 1918.
From Number Two Gun Crew
To Commanding Officer,
Via Executive Officer.
Subject: Request to be transferred with 6″ Naval Gun to Western
Front.
1. It is respectfully requested that the Number Two Gun Crew
be transferred with a 6″ Naval Gun to the Western Front to aid
American Artillery.
2. The entire crew of Number Two gun are very desirous of a
six months’ tryout to prove their ability, and if the service
rendered is satisfactory, it is recommended that more gun crews
from U. S. Naval ships be transferred to the Western Front; the
transfer to be voluntary.
3. This is being done in the French and British Navies, and is
proving very successful.
(Signed) P. R. BRADLEY,
_Gun Captain No. 2 Gun._
First Endorsement
_U. S. S. Leviathan,_
April 29, 1919.
From Gunnery Officer
To Commanding Officer,
Via Executive Officer.
1. Forwarded. Recommended that if the ship is required to
furnish a gun crew for the proposed Naval Artillery Brigade,
this request be favorably considered. The spirit of the gun
crew is especially to be commended.
(Signed) A. H. BATEMAN,
_Lieutenant, U. S. N._
The American Artillery referred to was the U. S. Naval Brigade. They
served on the Western Front under the command of Admiral Plunkett, United
States Navy, and did great credit to themselves and the naval service.
TARGET PRACTICE
Our first target practice was held November 27, 1917, while returning
from our trial trip to Guantanamo, Cuba.
During the time the ship was being prepared for sea at Hoboken, little
time was had for drills and preparing the gun crews. However, they were
all drilled in their various duties and every effort was put forth to get
them in shape.
The practice was held in a choppy sea with a stiff wind blowing and an
overcast sky, making it difficult to pick up the targets—two spars, so
weighted as to make them float upright. Despite this handicap and the
newness of the crews, an excellent score was made.
SCORE
Shots fired, 78; hits made, 63; percentage of hits, 75.42 per cent.
This good shooting called forth the following note of commendation from
the Gunnery Officer to all gun crews.
_U. S. S. Leviathan,_
December 7th, 1917.
Memo from Gunnery Officer
To All Gun Crews:
The Gunnery Officer is highly pleased with the results of the
late target practice. Such accurate firing in action would
almost surely put a submarine out of action in short order, and
if we are ever called upon to fight for our lives, the Gunnery
Officer is confident that the Gun Crews will bear themselves as
calmly as they did a few days ago and shoot as accurately.
(Signed) G. H. BOUCHER,
_Lieutenant, U. S. N._
Our second target practice was held June 5, 1918, while on our way from
Brest, France, to New York. Spotters who had had no previous experience
at actual spotting were picked to control the gun fire and made an
excellent showing.
SCORE
Shots fired, 38; hits made, 28; percentage of hits, 70.62. Gunnery
Officer, Lieut. A. H. Bateman, U. S. N.; Chief Umpire, Lieut. R. H.
Jones, U. S. N.
The third and last practice was held on our way from New York to Brest,
France, on October 4, 1918. We had unfavorable conditions as to weather
and visibility. A high wind and a large swell on the starboard quarter
rendered the ship a most unsuitable gun platform. The speed was twenty
knots. However, it proved valuable because of the difficulties to contend
with. In this practice, as in the second practice, new spotters were put
in control of guns in order to gain experience.
SCORE
Shots fired, 32; hits made, 18; percentage of hits, 51.66. Gunnery
Officer, Lieut. A. H. Bateman, U. S. N.; Chief Umpire, Lieut. R. H.
Jones, U. S. N.
SUBMARINE ATTACKS
The submarine attacks and alarms are described in detail in Part II of
this book. See the following dates: May 6, 1918; May 30, 1918; June 1,
1918; June 25, 1918; September 2, 1918; October 31, 1918.
F. I. Collup, Chief Gunner’s Mate, U. S. N.
_The Electric Plant_
W. S.
Lieutenant W. H. F. Schluter reported for duty July 29, 1917. The
electrical plant at that date was in charge of Mr. Joe. O’Donnell, head
electrician, Navy Yard, New York. The civilian force were scattered over
the ship, tracing out and locating circuits. This was a most difficult
procedure because there were absolutely no plans of circuits nor any
descriptive matter of electrical apparatus.
On August 13, 1917, the first Navy electrician reported for duty and a
few days later more reported. As soon as enough electricians reported,
the civilian electricians were relieved from dynamo watch. Next the
entire communication, lighting and power details were taken over by the
Navy electricians, both regular and reserve.
When these details were arranged the Navy Yard electricians were relieved
from the maintenance of the plant and attended to new installation and
repair work only. It was at this point where actual headway was made in
preparing the plant for sea, for under the former arrangement the Navy
Yard electricians could not devote their entire time to repair work and
new installation without being called off their job every little while.
The co-operation between the civilian and enlisted electricians was
splendid and too much credit cannot be given to these two classes of men.
It was fine to see the spirit that prevailed, for both were anxious to
get the ship ready for sea. To say that this called for good hard work,
hour after hour and day after day, is putting it mildly.
To describe in detail just how all this was accomplished would fill a
book in itself, but it may be grouped under the following heading and
then each group described in general terms.
LIGHTING, VENTILATION AND INTERIOR COMMUNICATION
The first problem was light. To solve this so as to be able to have
battleship control, it was necessary to locate every light on its proper
circuit. There are about fifteen thousand lights, controlled from
eighty-one lighting or power stations and each station containing from
eighty, the highest, to ten the lowest, local branch circuits, which
in turn are supplied from seventy-six main circuit switches and these
again from eight main switchboard feeder switches. When this lighting is
distributed over fourteen decks, of which the main deck, at sea level,
has an area of seventy-six thousand square feet, one may grasp the
magnitude of the problem attempted by these men. This had to be completed
without any wiring plans and without interfering with the ship’s repair
work of other departments.
To crown it all, along came the wreckers. That is, the construction gang
who stripped four decks of all room paneling. If it had not been for the
alertness and co-operation of the electrical force, both civilian and
enlisted, serious fires would have surely resulted. As it was, not a
fire alarm was turned in during the entire reconstruction period, due to
nothing else except the alertness of these loyal men.
TRACING THE LIGHTING CIRCUIT
During the day the electricians would search out lighting stations, turn
off lighting switches, test out circuits and do all minor repair work.
At night after the main working force had knocked off, the electricians
would muster in primary station number two, main lighting distribution
station. Then a main distribution switch of either general lighting,
police gangway, or police cabin lighting would be cut off. Emergency
lighting was never cut out. The men would then leave in squads and make
note of what lighting was cut out and what remained in; and in that
manner the lighting control was traced down to such a degree of safety
that at dusk all lights that might be visible to the enemy and at the
same time provide sufficient lighting for reasonable comfort for the crew
and troops could be controlled from one central lighting station and cut
out in less than a minute’s time.
The proof of how successfully this was accomplished, is in the fact that
during the entire period of the war, only one light was reported visible
by the escort and that was due to the carelessness of a young officer who
left a port open against orders.
Emergency lighting circuits were picked up by cutting out all general
lighting circuits and then marking all remaining lights with a blue
stripe. These circuits were then cut down to bring them to a safe
carrying capacity of a 110 volt, 140 ampere storage battery, which
was installed for additional safety in case of accident. These latter
circuits were so arranged that if for any reason the main supply should
fail a solenoid would automatically cut them in on the storage battery.
VENTILATION
The next problem was the ventilation of the ship. There are 113
ventilating blowers (51 exhaust and 62 supply) and after all blowers
were located the problem that remained was to locate the compartment
they ventilated. No plans were available. This system was traced out
by starting a blower and then tracing up the ducts and recording the
particular section that it ventilated.
INTERIOR COMMUNICATION
All interior communication was traced out in the same manner, _i. e._,
start from the transmitting apparatus and from there on trace the piping
and wiring until finally we arrived at the receiving end. Then there
were two Anshutz Gyro compasses, which no one knew anything about, but
here, again, through the close co-operation of the Navy Yard force and
the ship’s electrical force, the secret of operating these compasses was
successfully solved.
To sum up the whole, one may say, it was the dogged determination of the
electrical forces, both civilian and enlisted, who never gave in to any
proposition that came before them, that carried everything through to a
successful issue.
_Steering Engine Data_
E. P. H.
The control and manœuvering of a large ship such as the _Leviathan_ is a
responsible job. This vessel’s steering arrangement, or steering gear, is
of steam engine type, connected to a hydraulic telemotor. The gear is so
easily manipulated that a small boy standing on the bridge of this great
ship can control any course or given route that is desired to be taken.
The engines, of which there are two, one port and one starboard, are
connected to the rudder head, which is approximately thirty inches in
diameter, by meshing into a huge quadrant gear twenty-four feet in
diameter. This gear secured to the rudder head or stern is moved right or
left, _i. e._, starboard or port, by a simple turn of a small steering
wheel on the bridge. This wheel is connected to the telemotor, which
is simply a hydraulic ram of two system pipe lines with plungers set
amidships when the rudder, engines, steering wheel and rudder quadrant
are in a neutral or center line position. The telemotor is in the wheel
house on the bridge approximately 800 feet from the steering engine,
which is aft or at the stern of the ship. Two small three-quarter inch
copper pipe lines, one port and one starboard, extend from bridge to
steering engine room and these little pipe lines are filled with a fluid
mixture of fifty per cent glycerine and fifty per cent water. When the
hand wheel on the bridge is moved, this forces the hydraulic ram down
or up, causing the fluid in pipes to open a control valve on the steam
steering engine operating this engine and moving quadrant to right or
left as desired.
This rudder and stem and steering engine quadrant are the largest and
most powerful installed on any vessel afloat.
_The Black Gang_
BY ONE OF THEM—H. E.
The fire room boys of the _Leviathan_ came from almost every State in
the Union. They worked hand in hand from about August 1, 1917, until
the end of the war. The success of the big ship is due to their hearty
co-operation. The part taken in the war by the _Leviathan_ is known the
world over, and the spirit of the “black gang” merits commendation and a
chapter in this book.
While in the dreaded war zone, trip after trip, these boys plugged
the fires, day and night, determined to beat Kaiser Bill and fool the
submarines. The submarine scare from time to time aroused the firemen
and the ship made far greater speed than even the original contractors
thought possible. The pressure on the gauges at all times was on the
blood mark.
The pass word throughout the fire rooms was: “Give her hell, boys.”
At no time was there a boy or man who showed signs of fear during any
run, they had no time to think of “subs.” Speed, chow and liberty in
Hoboken was all we thought of. Our work was hard and laborious, but no
one grumbled.
Believe me, we had at first some ash-hopper installation. The Germans who
installed the outfit in these fire rooms should have been made prisoners
before the war started. Water in fire rooms was ankle deep. We were also
obliged to use coal from the barrows in charging the furnaces owing to
the _Leviathan’s_ goat getter “flarebacks.”
“Split Hoof” Barnes, “Handsome” Hook, “Horse” Ross and Gus Rush, the
grouchy old chief water jerkers, made four round trips, before either of
them showed signs of a smile. But they were far better off on this ship,
wading in water up to their knees, than they would be on many German
ships where the crew had to carry the ashes through the main dining
saloon to dump over the side. After a few trips with this installation
the whole system was thrown on to the Gladstone Dock Piers in Liverpool,
and a new style, such as human beings would put in any sea-going ship,
was installed. The Germans sure are a funny people!