The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-06-24
Accident to the Grea. Republic.

The Aha's account of the breaking Of
the shaft of the steamer is as follows:
On Monday morning, March 23d, at 2:l7
a. NJ, the first assistant engineer Mr.
Cooper, while on watch, heard something
snap, and Immediately stopped the engine
which made half turn after steam was
shut of. The stopping of the machinery
soon brought all the officers to the spot
and fracture was discovered extending
two-thirds the diameter of her starboari
shaft. A scarf extended irregularly along
the shaft los inches. open three-eighths
OF an inch at the top. situated where the
shaft passes outside the ship. Part of the
fracture was within and part without the
outer side Of the vessel.
The Great Republics wheels weigh "A
tons each, and each shaft weighs 30 tons.
The difficulty of rigging purchases at sea
TO handle wheel aud shaft weighing to-
gether l04 tons must be apparent to all.
Her wheels. which are l20 feet in eircum-
ference. cost each about $4,000, hence to
save them was an object Of care. The ar
engagements for overcoming our difficulties
were promptly planned and diligently ex-
ecRted. All the hands were Immediately
turned to, and the entire ships company,
composed of some Us men. we're inees-
sanity at work until the ship was again on
her course At the same time the buckets
were taken of from all that part Of the
staFbOard wheel which was not submerged,
and hoisted on deck. The shaft then stood
with the fractured part uppermost, and it
became necessary to turn the wheel sniff
GENTLY to bring the remaining buckets out
Of water. and also to bring the unfraetured
third of the shaft uppermost, 50 as to get
st it to mark it with cold ehisel, prepar-
atory TO completing the fracture. The va
rious parts Of the wheel were then dashed
to the timbers Of the wheel-house with
chains and hawsers, to hold it immovable,
and to prevent it from falling into the sea
when detached
In this position laughable incident
occurred. Mr.. Cooper was in the wheel
house, sitting astride the fractured shaft,
working on 1t with a chisel-that side Of
the ship being to Eindvard-and twenty
men we're below him, dispersed at work on
the different sections Of the wheel. unship-
ping floats, each man with lantern, for it
was night. when heavy sea suddenly sub
merged Mr. Cooper TO the waist, and the
twenty men entirely disappeared below the
water. For moment their situation ap-
peared critical. but in another instant the
wave subsidized and they all came up out
Of the water, each with his lantern and
pockets full Of salt water, laughing heartily
at the unexpected adventure. Nature,
ever true TO her Unborn instincts, led each
man to grasp the wheel with grip equal
&c the occasion. and on counting noses. not
one was missing. This was the nearest 10
serious that occurred on the trip.
The starboard wheel being dashed as
nearly immovable as possible, the engine
was started ahead. so as to reyolTe the
shaft just three inches, and BY so doing,
the remaining third was fractured. The |
two broken ends now overlaid each other, |
and 1t became necessary to separate them. I
In order to do this, the O1tbOard end of /
the shaft and wheel was raised by hydraul- |
&c jacks, and the broken shaft and wheel /
aunehed Of from the ship about eleven /
inches. when the inboard end was allowed I
to drop just below the other piece then in [
the journal, and after ehsfng-plank had 4
been placed between II and the ships side. i
{ was brought Close IN to the vessel and
lnally scared, the cater end having been
et back into its former place
In this condition, at 9:20 AM.. Tuesday.
March 9th she got under way With the
Wind T. \. T., coming round with all her
lead sails set and her port wheel turning
slowly Every one on board had supposed
hat IN this condition It would have proved /
! difiealt task to steer the zip. ard that
he must necessarily carry a weather helm
% 3 remarkable degree Bot Ehat was
he a=t0Hishment Of one and all when she
Eas found to be going SIX knots an hour.
nd carrying her rUddsr very nearly amid
hip This. We afterwards considered vas
wing 10 her great length and beautiful
model We then felt that the problem
5as solved, and our safe and early arrival
D port beyond question
The accident occurred near Brooks
Stand, distant 2.0e9 from her port Of de-
inati0p- in thirty-oBe hours and thirteen
MINUTES after the accident, the ship was
gain headed for japan. under all SAID. with
be buckets Of Of her starboard Wheel, and
eF port 6heel farming sl0Ely, making I've
: SIX res0Iations innate During the
Inc the steamship vas laid elose % the
md she made forfy-sezen miles to the
ortEzrd aud westward 4