Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-30
THE uMBRIA.

the machinery, a broken shaft or lost
propeller would be sufficient reason for
the delay
The sail area of the Umbria is very
small, and progress under canvass
would be necessarily slow; it would be
much slower if dragging screw had to
be hauled through the water. With
her long freeboard the vessel would be
bound to make more or less leeway, and
with the northwest winds prevailing at
this time OF the year her drift would be
to the southwark and out of the lane
routes of transatlantic navigation. That
the steamer could be handled under
canvas is not questioned, but the fears
for her safety are based on other
grounds.
There are several derelicts afoat in
the north Atlantic route, and one or
two of them have been reported by in
coming vessels as being dangerous OBJ
structions to navigation. To seafaring
men, who know the dangers presented
by this class of wreck almost the first
thought is, when steamer is long over
due, that she has struck a derelict just
stacle is like striking a'rock, and the
likely to prove serious to the vessel that
runs into them,
The Umbria might, in case of acci-
dent, have borne away for the Azores,
and made fair wind of what had been
q head one, but had Captain Mckay
followed this course the Umbria should
have been reported from the Azores ere
this. 1t may be that the steamer, nav
ing blown far out of her course, has at
tempted to make Bermuda.
The underwriters at Lloyds look upon
the Umbria as an extra hazardous risk,
Wednesday reinsurance was effected on
her at lhe rate of twelve guineas pre-
MUM, which is rather high rate, but
Thursday morning twenty guineas were
demanded. Some reinsurance was eff
fected at this latter rate, and this in
itself is good indication of the anxiety
felt in business circles. Later Thurs
day twenty-five guineas were de"
manded.
Old steamship men, discussing the
probability of the Umbria's having
struck a derelict, say that even if such
were the case her compartments would
keep her afioat unless she struck in
such manner as to tear her side out
near the engine room.
Whatever the cause of the non-arrival
of the Umbria, it can truthfully be said
that the anxiety and apprehension for
her safety grows deeper and more in
tense as hour after hour passes and no
report of her is received. A large num-
Der of the relatives of those aboard of
her have left instructions at Lloyds and
the cable offices to be Immediately in
formed as soon as the news of the
steamer Is received.
In an interview Thursday, Mr.. Pat
ton, the London manager of the Inman
line, declared that he did not feel the
least anxiety for the safety of the Um-
bria, adding that he would not feel wor-
ried if he had half dozen friends
aboard Of her, and she was out a week
longer.
He said there was no doubt that her
engines had broken down, and that
some other steamer had her in tow. The
chances of her being spoken had been
lessened by the withdrawal Of steamers
of the Inman, Guion and North Ger
man Lloyd lines from the transatlantic
route.
The manager of the Cunard line ex-
pressed views similar to those of Mr..
Patton, and said he felt no anxiety
whatever for the steamer.
The last time Cunarder was overdue
for any considerable length of time was
in 1884 when the Servia was nine days
late in arriving, owing to the overheat-
ing of her crank pin and brasses which
necessitated repeated and long con-
tinued stoppage OF the engines.
Those having friends on the steamer
take what consolation they can from
the statements of the managers, but it
must be said that their comforts are
small, as managers are known to always
take an optimistic view of the situation
when the safety of their vessels is at
socro