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.