I have said in _Chronicles of the Cape Fear River_, pages 525-527,
that a public service which measures its efficiency by the number of
human lives saved from the perils of the sea is to be classed among the
highest humanities of a great government, and that an important arm
of great reach and efficiency is the admirable service of the U.S.S.
_Seminole_ on this station.
The activities of this ship in assisting vessels in distress are so
continuous as to be classed by her efficient commander as all in
the day's work. In the four months from December 1, 1912, this ship
assisted nine vessels in distress at sea and destroyed a tenth, the
_Savannah_, a dangerous derelict.
A typical case is described in the recent rescue in a gale of wind
three hundred miles off Cape Fear, of the British mail and passenger
steamer _Korona_, bound from St. Thomas, West Indies, for New York,
whose boilers broke down, rendering the ship helpless without motive
power, wallowing in a heavy sea which threatened to engulf her.
The story of this splendid rescue of a hundred human lives is told in
the matter-of-fact official report of Capt. Eugene Blake, jr., of the
_Seminole_, and in the letter of thanks to the Secretary of the Navy,
which follows, with the Acting Secretary's reply:
"Wilmington, N.C.,
"_April 2, 1919_.
"_Seminole._
"From: Commanding Officer.
"To: Commandant, Fifth Naval District.
"Subject: Report of search and tow of Canadian
S.S. _Korona_.
"1. At 1 a.m. on the morning of March 25, the following message was
transmitted to the _Seminole_ from the communication officer at
district headquarters:
"'March 24, 1919: _Korona_ boilers out of commission. Needs assistance.
Position, latitude 31-48 N., longitude 72-12 W., noon, today. Signed,
Doyle, Master.'
"2. The _Seminole_ left the Berkley oil docks at 7 a.m. the same
morning and proceeded at top speed for the reported position of the
_Korona_, passing through the Gulf Stream from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. of the
morning of March 26.
"3. At 8 a.m. in the forenoon of March 26, intercepted a radiogram from
the Porto Rican S.S. Co.'s steamer _Coamo_ that she had the _Korona_
in tow, and was proceeding with her to the westward. Communication by
radio was immediately established with the _Coamo_, and the position,
course, and speed ascertained. It was also learned that as the Coamo
was bound to the southward for Porto Rico, she was anxious to be
relieved of the tow. Arrangements were therefore made to meet the
_Coamo_ at the nearest possible meeting point and at 10 that morning
the course of both vessels was changed to effect this meeting at about
7 that evening. The _Seminole_ was run under forced draft in order to
take advantage of the weather, which was then favorable to picking up
the disabled vessel.
"4. At 6.45 p.m. March 26, the _Coamo_ with _Korona_ in tow was
sighted bearing almost dead ahead, and at 8.15 p.m. the _Coamo_ had
been relieved of the tow and the _Seminole's_ hawser shackled into the
starboard chain of the _Korona_. The _Korona's_ master stated that
his port of destination was New York and requested to be towed to
the northward. Hampton Roads was accordingly selected as the port of
destination and the course shaped for Diamond Shoals buoy.
"5. The weather, which up to this time had been fine, commenced to show
signs of a decided change, and the storm warning received the following
morning, March 27, confirmed the prediction of an approaching gale. The
wind, however, was from southwest to south, and, being favorable, good
progress was made, at an estimated speed of five or six knots from the
time the _Korona_ was picked up until midnight of March 27.
"6. By this time the wind had shifted to west and was blowing a strong
gale, and the _Seminole_ was unable to hold up to her course with
the tow. We were shipping heavy seas at frequent intervals and were
practically hove to and drifting to leeward. About 2 a.m. March 28,
the wind shifted to northwest with slightly increased force, and the
_Seminole_ was put before the gale with engines turning over at dead
slow speed, sufficient to keep the _Korona_ astern, to act as a drag.
This is an unfavorable position for the _Seminole_ because she rolls to
a dangerous angle in a following sea and takes much water in the waist,
but it was the best that could be accomplished under the circumstances.
The tow seemed to be fairly comfortable.
"7. During the night of March 27 and daylight of March 28, the
_Seminole_ with tow lost about 60 miles in a general southeasterly
direction.
"8. On March 28, picked up an S.O.S. call from the steamer _Alapaha_ in
our immediate vicinity; in fact this steamer reported herself in sight
at one time during the day, but as she was going to leeward faster than
the _Seminole_ and reported no immediate danger to her crew, there
seemed no reason for abandoning one vessel for a doubtful chance of
picking up the other. It was also learned that the Coast Guard cutter
_Yamacraw_ was proceeding to her assistance.
"9. The weather moderated slightly during the afternoon of March 28,
and at 5.40 p.m. the _Seminole_ with tow was brought up head to wind
and sea on course northwest, making little if any progress. The gale
increased again in force from 8 p.m. to midnight, and at 3 a.m. March
29 west was the best heading that could be held.
"10. During the worst of the gale this night the _Seminole's_ air pump
stopped, and the two vessels fell off into the trough of the sea and
at one time were in imminent danger of collision. The _Seminole_ being
the lighter and naturally in the weather position, drifted faster than
the _Korona_, but was worked clear by setting the staysails and getting
a few turns out of the engine at the critical moment. As soon as the
_Seminole_ was to leeward of the _Korona_, the engine was stopped and
in the course of an hour the air pump was repaired.
"11. The northwest weather continuing throughout March 29 with gale
force, it was decided to make Wilmington, N.C., and a westerly course
was maintained throughout the day.
"12. About 2 p.m. on March 30 the _Korona_ managed to get a small head
of steam on one boiler, and, after coupling up propeller, which had
been disconnected on taking up the tow, was able to turn her engine
over at slow speed. This materially lightened the weight of the tow and
we were able to make way at a speed between four and five knots.
"13. Continued at this rate of speed through March 30 and 31 with
very slowly moderating weather, and at 1.40 p.m. on the 31st got on
sounding, sighting Frying Pan Shoal buoy at 5.30 p.m. that date.
"14. During the night of March 31 a moderate northerly gale developed,
but the tow, being under the lee of Frying Pan Shoal, was easily
manageable. Speed was regulated to arrive off Cape Fear River entrance
at daylight, and upon reaching that point the heavy hawser was
unshackled and the _Korona_ towed up the river to Wilmington with a
lighter line and short scope.
"15. Arrived off Wilmington at 2.30 p.m., where _Korona_ was turned
over to her agents, Alexander Sprunt & Sons Co., the _Seminole_
proceeding to her wharf at the custom-house.
"16. A Coast Guard statistical report of this assistance is attached.
"Eugene Blake, Jr."
"_April 2, 1919._
"Sir: As agents in Wilmington, N.C., of the Quebec Steamship Co.,
owners of the British steamer _Korona_, as agents of Lloyds, as agents
of the London Salvage Association, and as official agents of the
British Ministry of Shipping, and in behalf of Capt. Austin Doyle,
his officers and crew and passengers of the British steamer _Korona_,
numbering in all a hundred persons, we desire to express to you and to
Captain Blake, his officers and crew of the U.S.S. _Seminole_, through
you, our deep sense of gratefulness for the rescue from imminent peril
in a heavy sea of the disabled steamer _Korona_ while on her voyage
from St. Thomas to New York; and for their splendid seamanship in
averting collision and in towing her under great difficulties to this
port of refuge.
"Tossed upon a raging sea without motive power, the _Korona_ was in
great danger, and her rescue after four days' continuous assistance
adds another high record of splendid achievement by the U.S.S.
_Seminole_ and her devoted men.
"Permit us, Sir, to thank you cordially in the names of all concerned
for this added admirable and effective example of the highest degree of
humanity and efficiency in an important arm of the U.S. Navy.
"Yours very respectfully,
"(Signed) Alexander Sprunt & Son.
"To the Honorable Josephus Daniels,
"_The Secretary of the Navy_,
"_Washington_, D.C."
"Navy Department,
"_Washington, April 7, 1919_.
"Dear Sirs: Receipt is acknowledged of your letter of April 2,
expressing gratitude for the rescue of the disabled steamer _Korona_ by
the U.S.S. _Seminole_.
"Your letter of appreciation has been forwarded to the commanding
officer of the U.S.S. _Seminole_ via the Commodore Commandant of the
Coast Guard Service and the Commandant of the Fifth Naval District,
under whose orders the U.S.S. _Seminole_ is operating.
"It is a great pleasure to know that the work of our salvage and
rescue ships is appreciated, and I thank you very sincerely for your
expression of thanks and recognition of the excellent seamanship and
devotion to duty shown by the captain, officers, and crew of the U.S.S.
_Seminole_.
"Very truly yours,
"(Signed) Franklin D. Roosevelt,
"_Acting Secretary of the Navy_.
"Messrs. Alexander Sprunt & Son,
"_Wilmington, North Carolina_."