To the Rescue
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.”