The floating base concept, as used for logistic support of the Fleet, was first introduced during the West Indian Campaign of the Spanish-American War. Colliers were available, in company or at adjacent anchorages, for the combatants that were blockading Admiral Cervera in Santiago, Cuba. Though several colliers were attached to our turn-of-the-century Navy, the majority of these vitally necessary ships were not an integral part of the Fleet but were under contract to the Navy on a short-term basis. Prime dependence for fuel was upon the shore-established coaling stations in the normal operating areas or by commercial purchases made at ports of call.
The feasibility of transferring fuel at sea, underway rather than lying to, was tested as early as 1899. In that year, the USS Massachusetts (BB-2) took on board coal from the collier Marcellas, while towing her astern at a speed of four knots. Though the event was considered a success, the extremely tedious and cumbersome process of recoaling at sea precluded any further attempts at underway replenishments. Even pierside transfers at the coaling stations required many difficult hours. Coaling ship was a true all hands evolution, conducted as a drill. The Bluejacket's Manual, Fifth Edition, of 1917 amplifies the coaling ship drill in its question-and-answer format as follows:
“Q. Why is coaling ship regarded as a drill?
“A. Because, in time of war, coaling is absolutely necessary and time is most valuable. For that reason, every effort must be made in time of peace to increase the efficiency of the crew of a man-of-war in this respect.”
Divisions worked in their own part of the ship, from stations on deck, the pier, or in the lighters. The coal was brought on board in baskets, canvas bags, or metal buckets; thence it was moved by portable chutes to the bunkers below. The all-pervading coating of coal dust throughout the ship ensured an immediate field day upon completion of coaling. Although the alongside method of transfer at sea was adopted by the Fleet in 1913, deliveries between ships were accomplished primarily in port—alongside, or with lighters and barges running between the ships at anchor.
In the early 1900s, with the logistic difficulties of the Spanish-American War fresh in staff planners’ minds, construction was started on the required naval colliers, designed from the keel up. Contracts were let to the Maryland Steel Company, Sparrows Point, Maryland, and the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia.
A composite of the first naval colliers had the following characteristics: Steel ship with two pole masts; over-all length of 514 to 586 feet, a maximum beam of 62 to 65 feet, a mean draft of 28 feet loaded, and a displacement of 19,080 to 19,480 tons. Main propulsion machinery consisted of triple expansion vertical engines. Loaded speed capability was approximately 12.9 to 14.7 knots. Cargo capacity was 10,500 to 11,800 tons of coal and 1,125 to 2,930 tons of oil. The pierlike mass of topside equipment was no accident; these ships functioned as a combination floating loading platform and warehouse. Naval complement was ten to 12 officers and approximately 165 enlisted men. Representative ships in this new class, designated as auxiliary colliers (AC), were: USS Neptune (AC-8), USS Proteus (AC-9), USS Nereus (AC-10), USS Orion (AC-11), USS Jason (AC-12).
At this time the operating forces were divided into four major units: the Battle Fleet, the Scouting Fleet, the Control Force, and the Base Force. The new colliers were assigned to the Base Force. Composed of old destroyers, minecraft, transports, and auxiliaries, this Fleet unit was responsible for such logistic support missions as the movement of personnel, ammunition, fuel, general stores, provisions, and matters concerning finance, repair facilities, salvage, and occupation and defense of bases not assigned to naval districts. In the Atlantic Fleet, the colliers were a part of a sub-element of the Base Force, the Auxiliary Division. Ships in this Division were designated Naval Auxiliary Service (N.A.S.) and had a master commanding rather than a naval officer.
Prior to World War I, these vessels were employed in carrying out the many diverse missions assigned to the Base Force/N.A.S. Ungainly looking and involved in the necessary but thankless tasks of logistic resupply, all were world-travelers. A sampling of logs reveals the following ports of call for the USS Orion (AC-ll) from 1 January through 9 June 1917: Cavite, Philippine Islands; Nagasaki, Japan; Olongape and Manila, Philippine Islands; Nagasaki, Japan; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Balboa and Colon, Panama Canal Zone; Norfolk, Virginia, and Ponta Delgada, Azores. These ships, while built for a specific purpose, were often used to carry cargo, so that the label “general cargo ship” would have been more appropriate than collier. The following entries are quoted from the Navy Department Ships’ Histories Section summary for the Orion:
April 11, 1918—Left Hampton Roads for Bahia. Arrived at Bahia April 25th and 70 naval men, as passengers, were delivered to the USS Raleigh; authority by Radio of Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet.
April 30, 1918—At Rio de Janeiro; unloaded 110 rounds of ammunition and shipped same to USS Cincinnati, also drums of gasoline to the USS Pittsburgh, and sheet iron plates for the Senior British Officer present. Motor sailer from USS Pittsburgh came alongside and received depth bombs. Transferred a large draft of naval men to the USS Pittsburgh and on May 1st another draft to USS Cincinnati.
May 2, 1918—Left Rio de Janeiro for Montevideo, Uruguay, arrived May 6th.
May 16, 1918—Left Montevideo for Santos, Brazil, arrived May 19th. Took on 142,056 bags of coffee, the coal cargo having been distributed to naval ships at previous ports.
May 26, 1918—Left Santos for Rio de Janeiro arriving the next day. Transferred a draft of 68 men to the USS Pittsburgh and received 27 men from the Pittsburgh and USS Raleigh for transportation to the United States.
May 28, 1918—Left Rio de Janeiro for Bahia, arriving May 31st. The American Consul at Bahia came aboard for passage to the United States. Orion left the same day, bound for New York, via the Bermuda Islands and Charleston, S.C. Arrived off St. George’s Island, Bermuda, June 11th; left Bermuda June 14th for Charleston, S.C., arrived June 17th.
Upon entry of the United States into World War I, the Naval Auxiliary Service was dissolved. All auxiliaries became part of a wartime organizational element entitled the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (N.O.T.S.). At the same time, command of the colliers became a naval officer’s function. In most cases this transition was simplified by the master receiving a commission in the Naval Reserve and retaining his command. The war years were filled with many shuttle trips to Europe with the impedimenta of war.
Postwar operations continued in much the same vein as their earlier service. At-sea transfer of coal was not operationally practical, however, and never became a standard Fleet evolution.
These, then, were our fuel supply ships of yesteryear during their brief tour with the U. S. Navy. From their creation until end of their usefulness, these ships served as dependable and much-needed workhorses of the Fleet.