Ancient historians make reference to the use of metal chains as jewelry, prison fetters and in building construction but refer to "anchor chains" very rarely and then as curiosities. Thus, for thousands of years, prior to the 18th Century, man was not sufficiently astute to utilize the potential advantages displayed by metal chains as a means of mooring vessels.

As is often the case, the Chinese were many steps ahead of the rest of the world, f or history records that "under the great Emperor Yu 2200 B.C. came also the iron chains, two fore and two aft, which were thrown overboard to steady and stop the vessel." No reference has been found to indicate that the remaining world knew about or was even interested in this innovation until we read in Hebrew legend that Hiram of Tyre furnished chains for the ships of King Solomon 950 B.C. There is little doubt that Hiram fabricated his chains of brass, as the Bible tells us, in First Kings, Seventh Chapter, that "Hiram was cunning to work all works in brass." Possibly the very wise King Solomon conceived the idea of metal anchor chains after Hiram "cast wreaths of chain work" to ornament the Temple of Solomon.

According to Aristophanes 400 B.C. "the cables of the Athenian Navy were sometimes made of iron." About 322 B.C. Alexander the Great equipped vessels with chain cables "so that the besieged in Tyre could no longer swim out and cut his vessels adrift in the darkness." Caesar relates that 56 B.C., "he could not cut the vessels of the Veneti tribes adrift because their cables were made of iron."

From the time of Caesar until the the 13th Century we find little or no mention of the use of anchor chains. Between 1200 and 1700 A.D. we read that iron cables are sometimes used. The statutes of Genoa of 1444 make brief mention of "iron anchor chains." An engraving of 1512 shows a ship with hawse holes and anchor chains clearly depicted.

Again a lapse until in 1634 Philip White patented in England "A WAY FOR THE MEANING OF SHIPS WITH IYRON FOR THAT PURPOSE AND THAT EH HATH NOW ATTAYNED TO THE TRUE USE OF THE SAID CHAYNES AND THAT THE SAME WILBE FOR THE GREAT SAVEING OF CORDAGE AND SAFETY OF SHIPPES AND WILL REDOUND TO THE GOOD OF OUR COMMON WEALTH."

In the ensuring half century a few far sighted ship owners and ship captains had sufficient faith to experiment with iron chain, for in 1771 the French explorer Brouganville complained that he had lost six anchors in nine days and narrowly escaped shipwreck, which would not have happened had his ship been fitted with iron chains.

In 1778, General George Washington conceived the idea of a buoyed barrier chain across the Hudson River, at West Point, N.Y. as a means of impeding the invading British fleet. In six weeks seventeen American blacksmiths forged a 1700 ft. long chain of 3-1/2 inch square stock weighing 275 pounds per link. This chain is still preserved at the US Military Academy, West Point. N.Y.

In 1783 George Matthews, of England, 150 years ahead of his time made cast malleable chains for ships. It was not until World War I that cast steel chains were fully developed.

The year 1808 is the most notable date in chain making history, for in that year an Englishman Robert Flinn of Bell St. North Shields became the first man to make improved iron anchor chains which won wide recognition as an outstanding success. Justly knows as "The Father of Anchor Chain Industry", Flinn made and constructed his own weight and lever proofing machine for his chain. In the same year Samuel Brown, a British Naval Officer, took out Patents for twisted open chain links, joining shackles and swivels. The twisted link patent was soon abandoned but Brown's shackle and swivel designs were scarcely improved on for the next 100 years. The conversion from hemp to chain now proceeded quickly.

Studs to stiffen the links and to keep the chains from tangling first appeared in 1812, and in 1813 Thomas Brunton of London patented the broad inserted stud popular for more than a hundred years to follow. By then links of anchor chains had assumed modern form, as shown from a deteriorated Brunton-type link recovered from a privateer sunk in 1815 in the Bay of Honduras.

In 1816 Samuel Brown's 2 1/4 inch iron stud link chains were installed on the U.S.S. Constitution and the U.S.S. Guerriere and were considered a great success. In the same year the Royal Navy standardized on iron chain instead of hemp for all new vessels of war. Also in 1816 Walker, of Philadelphia, wrought the first American-made stud link anchor chains for the U.S. Navy.

The United States Navy organized a chain making plant in the Washington Navy Yard in 1817. In five months sufficient 2 1/8 inch and 2 3/8 inch un-studded and twisted chain was welded to equip two vessels. By 1824 the 50th shot of anchor chain for the U.S. Navy had been completed. In 1830 the Navy yard began to stamp chains indicating the proof test applied.

Also in 1830 the Royal Navy decided to equip all vessels, old and new, with iron chains. The Hingley works in England developed hydraulic cylinders for proof testing, although Lloyds did not yet require chains to be proof tested.

By 1835 most of the larger vessels demanded iron chains and a private chain works was established at Boston. About 1865 the Carr Chain Works was incorporated at Troy, N.Y. The A. Hewitt and Co. was established at Trenton, N.J. and the Hayden Chain Works at Columbus, Ohio. Although a great many chain plants sprung up all over the British Isles and competition was keen, the new American plants successfully weaned the American chain business from English manufacturers.

In 1836 the use of iron chains had become so general in the English Merchant Service and their superiority so well recognized that the that underwriters ceased to charge a higher insurance rate for vessels using iron chain. In 1840 side welding of chain was introduced in England and from that time English chains of 1 7/8 inch and larger have been side welded. It has been the practice of the American chain maker to weld links at the end and what little wrought iron chain is made in the United States today is still made with end welds.

Lloyds Register of Shipping augmented their rules in 1846 so that thereafter all chains for classed vessels were proof tested and stamped on each end to indicate load applied. In 1853 Lloyds' Rules made it mandatory that, before a vessel could be classed, a certificate should be produced as to the test of the chain cable. and in 1858 issued rules as to length and size of chain cable. Lloyds progressively stiffened their rules regarding method of manufacture and testing, resulting in the "Anchors and Chain Cables Act of 1899"; which with few amendments is still the basis of present day testing procedure.

The proportions of our present day chain link were agreed upon after years of experimentation. Likewise our present standard fifteen (15] fathom (90 foot] length, known as a "shot" was adopted after chain was made in almost any length to suit the handling facilities of the individual chain maker.

In 1902 rolled Anchor chain was experimentally made in England. A 60 to 70 foot bar of cruciform section is heated and passed through vertical and horizontal rollers which cut the bar into a continuous chain with links shorter and wider than standard and which are subsequently trimmed and pressed to size. In 1905 a spirally welded chain was patented. The patent covers successive chain links formed by coiling long iron or steel bars at welding heat to form a square sectioned ring with a spiral weld. The ring is rounded, trimmed and flattened onto the stud.

In the course of years the Boston Navy Yard emerged as the authority and main producer of anchor chain for the U.S. Navy. In 1905 the largest chain made at Boston was 2 1/2 inch and five men laboriously hand welded ten links per day. Continual experimentation resulted in a power-forging method of chain welding successfully developed in 1914 under the master ship-smith at Boston, Mr. William Paul. By a series of forging operations in upsetter ender and drop hammer, wrought iron links were successfully welded up to 4 inch diameter. Mr. Paul ultimately was employed by the Baldt Anchor Co. and installed the same method in their plant at Chester, Pa. Production was increased by the simple expedient of drop forging a solid chain link through which an open iron link was "laced" and thus every alternate link in the chain was a solid forged link. By 1924 the U.S. Navy had accepted cast steel chain as superior to wrought iron, and the center of Navy chain making activity shifted to the foundry at Norfolk Navy Yard until the use of cast steel chain was virtually abandoned by the Navy in 1928.

After Boston Navy Yard lost the bulk of the chain making business to the Norfolk Yard they persisted in their endeavors to perfect a chain better than cast steel. Their efforts were rewarded in 1926 when Mr. James Reid, Mr. Albert M. Leahy, and Mr. C. G. Lutts perfected a forged alloy chain formed under dies in drop hammers, and given the name of "DiLok". Being a forged product of alloy steel its great strength and dependability were quickly realized. After exhaustive comparative tests it was proven that the DiLok process produced chain that could be proof tested at the breaking load of cast steel chain and had a minimum breaking capacity 50% greater than the best cast steel chain. At the same time the tremendous forging impact assured a solid link not subject to porosity, and the mechanical joint construction developed shock tension and compressive impact values far greater than any previously known chain.

Since 1928 the U. S. Navy, convinced of DiLok's superiority, accepted it as their standard and abandoned the use of cast steel chain. Through the years DiLok has successfully withstood continual tests against all competitors and today is the "STRONGEST ANCHOR CHAIN KNOWN." Lightships anchored off our coasts must maintain their position regardless of weather and the mooring of such vessels is probably the most exacting service to which a chain can be subjected. The U. S. Coast Guard quickly realized the superiority of DiLok and used 1 5/8 inch DiLok in place of the 2 inch cast steel chain formerly used.

The commercial manufacture of DiLok anchor chain was first undertaken by the Rogers Drop Forging Company, Worcester, Mass., and was later continued by the Baldt Anchor Company at Chester., Pa., under patent license.

Following the successful Coast Guard experiments, DiLok anchor chain was first used commercially for marine railway installations. After exhaustive tests by American Bureau of Shipping and Lloyd's Register of Shipping, DiLok received their highest approval. Sample 15 fathom lengths of DiLok were experimentally installed on several vessels and proved more than adequate in every test. The first full complement of DiLok chain installed on n newly constructed merchant vessel was at the Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. upon the emphatic recommendation of Mr. John W. Hudson., Naval Architect.

A method of manufacturing electrically welded high tensile steel anchor chain, considerably stronger than iron chain, was developed in England and approved in 1931.

In 1932, high tensile Steel Chains (DILOK, CAST STEEL AND STEEL WELDED CHAIN OF APPROVED DESIG} were accepted by the testing societies in place of larger wrought iron chains. For instance, the S.S. America, would, prior to 1932, have required 3-7/16 inch iron chain, but actually is equipped with 3 inch DiLok chain and a weight saving of approximately 27 tons is effected.