I’m asking this since I just saw “The Lord of War”, and there is a scene where tha main character says “Make it go slow. Dead slow.” And then we see the captain changing the speed thing to “Dead slow”.
So is there such a setting, or is it just a really odd joke? 
Or perhaps this one is better, since the above linked image is a reproduction.
Oh, and the speed thing is called the Engine Room Telegraph.
What happened to flank speed?
“Dead Slow” is sometimes used on traffic signs in the U.K., and it means something like “5 Mile Per Hour Maximum”.
New ships … very rare if ever under normal conditions. Speed of the ship is generally controlled from the bridge and a telegraph ( or more likely telephone) is only used if that control is lost by breakdown.
an order for “dead slow” from the bridge in an emergency will equate to predetermined shaft revolutions setting. Generally the engineers will have a list of shaft revolutions for “dead slow”, “half ahead” and “full ahead”.
Hmmmm, I think that would make the answer a “yes” to the OP
It’s not uncommon in movies or books for the captain of a naval vessel to give an order to “Make turns for ten knots,” or some such. How do speed orders of this precision work in conjunction with the telegraph, which seems to have about four speed settings in each direction?
I’d also echo mks57’s question: What happened to “All ahead flank!”?
I have no idea how that would work as the engine-room has no idea what the prevaling weather and current conditions are therefor has no idea what revolutions to set for a given speed. My guess is that saying “Make turns for ten knots” is another way of saying “half ahead” or it’s a pure hollywood thing.
All ahead flank is probably a military thing. “Full ahead” would be the order to go as fast as possible without causing any damage to the ships engines. “all ahead flank” would be an order to override the engines safety’s and squeeze every RPM possible out of them. IME it was termed “emergency full ahaed”
The term I’m used to is Engine Order Telegraph (EOT).
Here are some decent pictures that correspond closely to what I recall. They give a pretty good clue to the origin of the navy slang for extreme speed: “all ahead Bendix”.
They flunked flank.
This might be off-topic but it would be great if there were a way to orient a ship and set its engines so as to offset the speed of rotation of the earth thereby permitting the ship to come to a dead stop. Only trouble with that would be that it would be headed east doing something like 1000 knots. Quick boat.
My experience is that you have predetermined revolutions (and therefore speeds) for Slow and Dead Slow, but if you want to go at any other speed you order half ahead and specify the number of revolutions you want (eg “half ahead both engines, revolutions 660”)
Now that I think about it, this is wrong. You’d have to head west. The earth rotates west to east which makes it look like the sun moves from east to west.
I confuse myself on this issue too much.
My understanding on how flank/emergency speed would be signalled from the bridge on a telegraph that did not have such a setting is that full speed would just be rung up twice (or three times if your really, really mean it).
My understanding is also that the engine telegraph was mainly for communicating quick, crude orders when maneuvering. More detailed gradiations of engine speed (exactly 660 turns, turns for 10 knots) can be set for cruising by using an intercom or sending a messenger to the engine room to tell the engineer exactly what you want.
Those with actual bridge experience on vessels with engine telegraphs are free to correct me.
And the reason to have a speed setting of “Dead Slow” is that this is the minimum speed at which steerage is maintained (a conventional propellor ship must be moving in order for the rudder to be effective)
From the definitions posted here: “Dead Slow” or “Dead Slow, No Wake” - shall be the minimum possible speed that any vessel or watercraft can travel and still maintain safe steerage.
What is “Finished With Engine” for? Is that for when you want to shut things down and do maintenance?
thanks, mangetout
I’m guessing here, but I would imagine it would be used when the vessel is docked, as opposed to ‘stand by’ where the shaft is still at a standstill, but another order may be forthcoming.
I didn’t see “Ramming Speed” on there anywhere.
