Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-31

ing. The Gallia's action was inexphcable on
any basis that any one on board the Cmbria
could imagine. Tine passengers were now, many
OF them, genuinely alarmed. They did not
promise to mend the broken shaft, and a. many
believed that Capt Mckay had deliberately sent
the Gallia away much discomfort was ex-
pressed
There was talk of forming a committee to
demand Of the captain that he do something
though no one could suggest what to do.
The ships company divided into two parties,
known as the "kickers" and tine ''anti- kickers,
and il was noted tina, all the more intelligent
men on board were on the captains side, while
al the rougher element WAS on the other.
TO RELIEVE THE TEDIUM.
| That evening the kickers called meeting in
the smoking room to pass vote of censure on
the ships officers, but the anti-kickers came in
and put quietus on this project by forming
what Was called An amusement committee,
| with j. Henry Harper chairman its object
being to have representative to obtain infor-
| nation from the captain, and as II was not
known how long the Umbria would drift to get
| up entertainments in the saloon for the even
| ings.
Capt Mckay expressed himself as entirely
ready to cooperate with this committee. He
told Mr.. Harper that he was as much surprised
as any one board at the conduct Of the
Gallia, but a. she was Of the Cunard line he
would not say any thing more about the matter.
| He also told Mr.. Harper that the chief en-
gineer had promised him to start the machinery
at noon the next day tuesday il the sea was
smooth enough.
FINE WEATHER on rUEsnAY
On Tuesday morning. for the first time since
| the Umbria left Liverpool, the weather was fine
and the sea smooth, conditions that existed
until the end Of the voyage. Nevertheless,
when IL clock came and the machinery was
not started and the log informed the passsn-
gers that they had drifted twenty-five miles
further from the course there was much muir
murinR and complaint.
A notice was now posted to the effect that
the steamer would start at so in the evening,
and the passengers learned that the machinery
had been moved during the night expert
ment, and that one Of the bolts Engineer Tom
llnson had put into the thrust block had broken.
lh1s was not encouraging and the croakers
we're more anxious than ever, but about s:31
o'clock the thrill Of engines was felt through
out the steamer and she worked off-at slow
rate Of speed, to be sure-but staunchly and
steadily as III her driving machines were intact.
BACK TO THE SAME PLACE.
The drifting Of the Umbria and the short
distance she towed by the Bohemia brought
her back nearly to the place where her ma
chinery gave out. She came to standstill in
latitude 43 4S and longitude 57:l0 on Friday
the next Tuesday night she had come back to
latitude 2:39 and longitude CO.
On Wednesday noon she had made 159 miles,
on Thursday noon her record was 224 miles for
the previous twenty-four hours, and from that
time until yesterday noon she had covered 255
miles.
SUBSCRIPTIONS RAISED.
In the afternoon Mr.. Sterne circulated the
following petition. which resulted in a sub
scription Of considerable over f100 In an hour:
'To show in some degree our appreciation
Of the ingenuity and labor Of the chief en-
gineer, Mr.. Tomlinson, and his staff of assist
ants and artisans in effecting the repairs Of the
broken shaft of the steamship Umbria, we the
passengers on board during the memorable
trip beginning December II and ending De-
cember 81, 1892, subscribe the sums set oppo-
site our names, to be expended by a committee
to be composed Of Messrs. Simon Sterne, Ed
ward MoVicker and Thomas Sopwith in testi-
monial or cash distribution. A. in their discre-
ton may seem proper"
"a COMFORTABLE sHIPwREck."
II those who 20 down to the sea in ships
could always experience 80 comfortable a ship
wreck as that suffered by the passengers on the
Umbria ocean travel would be robbed Of all Its
terrors. Sbipwreck is shorn Of all its romance
in such circumstances, but it is far more salts
factory than the old style Of procedure. 1t is
deep when one is getting three or four good
meals with excellent service per day, when he
may attend a o'clock tea in the afternoon, go
to q concert in the evening, find drinks and
cigars in the smoking room and read all night
by electric light il he so desires and sit in a
state room heated by steam.
The officers of the Umbria exerted themselves
to make things as pleasant as possible for the
passengers. Capt. Mckay threw aside the
mantle Of superhuman dignity that usually en-
velopes the commander Of ocean liner and
told everybody frankly and freely Just what
was the matter with the machinery and what
were the varying prospects from day to day OF
arrival in New York. DIR. Finnken put more
sugar than ever In the pills he administered,
and was always ready with joke or a funny
story il any one became too much depressed in
his vicinity.
Purser Field rendered very substantial
service by reapportioning state rooms SO as to
give every one comfortable quarters as DOS
sibls for the long wait, and Chief Steward Gore
busted himself going about among the pas
sengers to inquire what were their favorits
dishes and serving up the same at luncheons.
dinners and suppers.
Everything was done that could be DONE in
fact. to mitigate the discomfort and disap-
pointment OF the travellers who were detained at
sea by All unavoidable accident.
Altogether, the victims of the Umbria's
"shipwreck" may on looking back to their
present trip remember that they have spent
many an unhappier and less comfortable fort
night than the one that ended today.
The only complaint that any one has to make
with the Cunard company relates to the Gallia
incident. Simon Sterne is particularly severe
in this direction.
SOME OF THE UNFORTUNATELY.
The passengers in the FIRST cabin were a
rather heterogeneous lot, with the diversified OBJ
jects and purposes that animate the usual ship
load Of travellers crossing the Atlantic. ].
Henry Harper, head of the great publishing
firm in Franklin Square, was on his way home
after short business trip to England and
France to spend his Christmas with uis family;
Simon Sterne, the well known New York lawyer.
who had left his wife sick in Paris. was hurry
ing back to settle some business matters with a
view to an immediate return.
Thomas Sopwith Of the English diplomatic
service was making his first trip to America to
visit his son-in- law and daughter, Gen. and Mrs.
f. Burd Grub, in Philadelphia, and was look
ing forward to meeting the famous City troop
of that town at Gen. Grubb's dinner table on
the Monday evening after Christmas he having
entertained the six members who came over to
his daughters wedding the generals grooms-
men in London year or two ago Oliver Here
ford, the artist. known to the readers of Life,
Horper's and other magazines, was returning to
New York after two years among the painters
of Paris; John NJ. Campbell of the firm Of J. y.
Lowery i Co.. who went over on the outward
trip of the Umbria two weeks before, was on