New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-23
certainly can meet him with cordiality and in
RFSCUE IN MID-OCEAN.


The details of the loss Of the Danmark fully
vindicate the judgment of the officers in aban-
doning the ship some days before she sank The
machinery was completely disabled ON April
through the breaking of the shaft and the burst
ing of an engine-ppe. The broken shaft made
a great rent in the bottom Of the ship, and the
iron plates were lOosened at the side by the
explosion. If the vessel had not had water
tight compartments it would have sunk in
very short time as a tremendous volume OF
water poured into the after part Of the hold
where the rents were The stern settled
heavily, but the water was kept out OF the
other compartments with ~igorouS employment
of the steam pumps. For twenty-four hours
the ship abored under sail to reach the track
of the Liverpool steamers, the continuation Of
the voyage to Newfoundland being out OF the
question. The Missouri, new tramp steamer,
then appeared opportunely and took the Dan
mark in tow for another twenty-tour hours.
Not only WAS progress SLOW the rescung ship
being heavily laden with freight but the water
began to flood the Danmark's hold rs soon as
the course was changed from before the WIND
and it was found imprac ticable to keep abreast
with the leaks by incessant operation OF the
pumps. The number of passengers was so
large and the difficulty of provisioning them
so great. that immediate measures were adopted
for abandoning tho Danmark and heading Tor
the nearest land, the Azores.
The transfer Of the passengers and crew to tho
Missouri was without accident or panic, all the
arrangements being judicously made and per-
feet discipline being maintained. II the Dan
mark remained afioat until April g. when she
was sighted by the City Of Chester, it was be-
cause She was materially lightened by the re-
moval Of her human freight and because also
her forward compartments filled slowly through
the settling Of the watoT-logged stern. The
ship could not have been tOwed to land IN her
sinking condition, and the captains first duty
was 10 save the lives of his passengers. His
conduct does not call for criticism, but rather
for commentator. As for the captain OF tho
Missouri. he proved himself to be a singularly
humane and Sclf-sacrificing reScuer. In order
to make room on his freight steamer for moro
than 100 passengers, officers and sailors, no
had to iottison his cargo; and then he was COM
PEELED to alter his course and make for the
Azores. The Thingyalla Company and their
unfortunate passengers are under the heaviest
obligations to Captain Mulrcll for his gallant
conduct and unsciSh devotion to their in
terestS. He landed one-half Of the Danmarks
passengers at the Azores and carried tho others
to Philadelphia in safety.
The only victim Of the wreck Of tho Dan
mark was an engineer who was killed outright
by the explosion Of the engine-pipe His death
renders it impossible to ascertain precise in
formation respecting the condition Of the ma
chinery when the double accident occurred;
but there seems to be no reason to suspect care
lesSness or mismanagcment in the engine-room.
The Danmarll was going at fair speed in
rough sea when she was disabled. The pro
peller, as is usually the case in such accidents,
was out Of water when the shaft broke; and
the wrench caused by the sudden diSaTange-
mcnt OF the machinery probably brought on
the explosion. The vessel had been thorough
" repaired before leaving the Baltic, and the
engines and machinery had been carefully in
spected and overhauled. It is doubtful if tho
responsibility for the accident can be fastened
on any one ahoat or ashore.