National Republican., 1883-07-06
DISABLED At SEA.
The Accident 60 the Cunardor AursniH-
"Tho Finest ship Anoot "-Fine Com
duct OF tho Officers and Passengers.

The Accident 60 the Cunarder Aurapia-
"Tho Finest ship Anoot "--Fino Com
duct OF tho Officers and Passengers.
New Fork Tribune.
Like trophy brought in to add to the tri-
umph of independence day, the new Cunard
line steamship Albania, which was disabled
by the br eaking of her machinery on Sunday
evening, was towed into port yesterday by
several American tugs. She reached the dock
of the company early in the evening, with all
hands on board well, but with dismal prospect
of her speedy restoration to active duty In the
Cuhard fleet. Up to the day of the accident,
the vessel had made extraordinary time
across tho ocean on her first trip, and her
passengers exceeded the officers in the warmth
of their enthusiasm over the sca-going quail
ties of the ship. The breaking Of her ma
ohinery was the only noteworthy incident Of
the voyage of the Aurania after she left Liv-
erpool eleven days ago. Judging by whit
sho had done for soyen days the steamer
would have reached this city, If there had
been no troubleo last Sunday evening
The Aurania started from Liverpool at
11:47 a. IN. on juno 23, and reached Queens
town at 1874 p. m. From June "a up to last
Sunday her time ranged from 2l0 to A29 miles
day. Tho weather was not severe, but
there were heavy rains and frequent fogs at
times, and occasionally her run was against
heavy sea. On last Wednesday delay of six
hours was caused by tho heating of some
packing about one of the low-pressure cylin-
ders Without that trouble, which tempo
rarily stopped her progress, she would have
made, in the opinion Of her officers, at least
430 miles in the twenty-four hours
The more serious accident occurred at $40
p. m. on Sunday evening, after the log had
recorded a progress of 39I miles. Pilot John
Lcwellyn, of the pilot boat Mary Il. Fish, No.
4, had been taken on board only few min
utes before Without any warning the
connecting rod of the high pressure cyln-
der snapped in twain, breaking on tho
upward stroke, smashing the cylinder TO
atoms and crushing an immense hole in
tho column. in a moment the engine room
was filed with dense volumes of steam,
while pieces of shattered metal were flying in
every direction. The report and the Kissing
of escaping steam were heard all over the
vessel but the passengers displayed no sign
of panic. Those who were on deck sprang to
their feet and for few minutes there was
the usual commoton which always occurs
when crowds realize that something unusual
has occurred, Most persons realized that an
accident had occurred TO the machinery of
the steamer but when its nature had been
explained by the officers, calm was restored
and the ordinary occupations Of the ocean
travellers were resumed.
When the connecting rod broke, Second
Engineer A. j.. Lambert and two assistants
were in the engine room None of them
were injured either by soalds or bruises from
the flying metal Mr.. Lambert was in tho
stokeroom at the time, and the moment he
heard the report of the burst cylinder he
rushed the clouds of vapor and shut Off the
steam. Had IL not been for his prompt ac-
tion, the damage done would have been
greater In appreciation of his courage the
passengers of the ship raised purse Of $3.50
and presented it to Mr.. Lambert on Monday
afternoon,
When the accident occurred tho Aurania
was about twelve miles from Shinneoock
| light house, which lay to the north northeast.
| This is the next light to the light house at
| Montauk point, the extreme eastern end Of
| Long Island. AS soon as the engines had been
| stopped all possible sail was set, and the
steamer proceeded slowly on her way till
| p. m. on Sunday. Then she was hailed by
pilot boat No. -, and by the latter word
of the accident and request for assist
ance were sent to the agents OF the
Cunard line in this city. The Aurania soon
| began 10 drift somewhat toward tho south
west and to prevent the possibility of her
reaching dangerous proximity to- shore her
anchor was lowered, with seventy-five IA
thoms of chain into forty fathoms of water.
| This was about D. m. on Monday. At 4A5
| p. IN. on the same day tho vessel weighed
anchor and made all sail.
r Meantime, on receiving word of the dis
aster to the Aurania, Vernon II. Brown g.
| Co., the agents here of the Cunard line, had
sent out several of the most powerful tug
| boats in this harbor. The A. +. Walcott and
| the Goodwin returned on Tuesday to their
wharves after fruitless search for the dis
| abled steamer during Monday night. The
| tug boat Germania, from tho Atlantic docks,
Brooklyn, kept up her quest and bore
l Al. e :,
| at $50 q. m. on Tuesday The lat
ter was then seventy-seven miles east
of Sandy Hook, The Germania Immediately
took the steamer in tow, and by her unaided
efforts made twenty miles in Twenty-Five
hours. At $50 p. M. on Tuesday, Fire Island
was visible to tho people on the steamer.
About . o'clock yesterday morning the tug
boat Luther c. Ward, also from the Atlantic
DOCKS came alongside and took the hawsers
on the port bow of the Aurana About
o'clock in tho afternoon, the Cyclops, from
Staten Island, and the Goodman, and the
mail boat Virginia Soy nnul, reached the
steamer and lent their aid to aer progress.
The Seymour left the dock of the Cunard
company at about $3.50 a. IN. yesterday. War
rem Currier, of V. II. Brown q g., was on
board with two boarding officers of the custom
house. Health officer William M. Smith wa:
taken on at quarantine, he having consented
to so down to meet the incoming steamer SC
as to make his examination and permit those
of the cabin passengers to reach the city Oh
the mail boat who did not care to wait for the
towing up of the Aurania After DR.
Smith had made his examination the Sey'
mour returned TO the city with about one
third of the cabin passengers OF the Cunarder
landing them several hours before the arriva
of the steamer. At D. IN. the Aurania passed
Sandy Hook; she reached quarantine at abou
p. III. and there was boarded by Office
Edward Easterbrook, from tie revenue cut
ter Washington, Captain Phillips. More than
two hours later the Aurania reached her dock
and the passengers disembarked.
Important Mineral Land Decision.
The secretary of the interior has decided il
the case of the Rob Roy mineral lode, Helena