An interesting phase of our overhaul was the method of conducting our dock trial, after all repairs and tests to individual main and auxiliary machinery had been completed. It was realized that it was out of the question to attempt to turn the engines over at a speed which could be called a fair trial, for the reason that there was no mooring that could possibly hold the ship at the dock. After lengthy conference with officers, it was decided to break the tail shaft couplings and jack the tail shaft aft about two inches to clear the line shafting. This was done on each shaft and we ran each engine individually for 4 hours up its designed speed 180 revolutions per minute, then in manœuvering combination to full speed, 119 revolutions per minute, then all four shafts in cruising combination up to 180 revolutions per minute. The dock trial proved a success from start to finish, no casualty of any kind occurring. In this connection, in order to get a test on the boilers, No. 1 fire room was used the first day of the trial, No. 2 the second day, No. 3 the third day, and No. 4 the fourth day. During the period between August 15th and October 16th, I can safely say that the officers and men of the department averaged every day, Saturdays and Sundays, included, eighteen working hours below without complaint or murmur. It seemed to be a matter of great pride and determination with them. We had heard many reports that the _Vaterland_ would never leave the dock, and many letters came threatening some officer or man in the department. Of the men and petty officers we were compelled to work with, I should say that twenty per cent of them had never been on board a ship previous to their reporting here. They were all recruits direct from recruiting rendezvous, with the exception of a few C. P. O.’s who came from the fleet. During all our overhaul and repair we had no plans to guide us, all lines and arrangements had to be traced out by the officer concerned, who submitted sketches to me. These sketches have been forwarded to the Bureau of Steam Engineering. We found three logs made by the Germans on the _Vaterland._ These logs, I believe were forwarded to Washington, but to the best of my memory the speeds on these three trips averaged for the entire voyage 22.4, 21 and something over 20 knots, with an average coal consumption per day of about 1,100 tons, running up to about 1,157 for one voyage. The present consumption of this vessel at 20 knots is 816 tons per day east bound, and 720 west bound. West bound we use Welsh coal. We have never steamed at 22 knots for any period long enough to obtain a point. Going to Liverpool on a trip during an emergency she maintained a speed of 181 revolutions per minute for a short period of time until a slow bell was received.