The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-29
TOWING IN HURRICANESEAS.
THE SATURN BRINGS TIE AKABA SAFE
IN FROM TURKS ISLAND.

neht Days Battle with Head Gaies-The
saturn's Towiue Machine Tested ms Never
Before--She Brought the Federation
From bermuda with Il last Month.
Tho problem OF ocean transportation by
steel barges seems to be approaching solution
with the DEVELOPMENT Of the towboat and the
methods OF towing. Less than ten years ago
there wore no tugs that would venture on long
voyages in wild winter weather. Now. there
are q score or moro OF storm -defying little
giants. and at least two powerful steamships
used almost exclusively for heavy ocean tow
ing. Shipping men with faith In the towing
steamship believe that tho tlmo is not distant
when strings OF Theoretically sealed barges
will wind out OF the harbor with the multifari-
Gus products OF the republic for distant ports.
They think that the towing steamship Is to be
the freight locomotive OF the seas. aud ls to
supersede the miChtiest OF the twin screw
cargo carriers.
The successful experiment. twice repeated.
Of dragging down from Joggins. N. g.. a coll
lossal iointed raft Of many thousand logs
gave the public hint OF the possibilities Of
ocean towing. Since then no performances in
that line have attracted so much attention. es-
pecially from the marine underwriters. as the
towing Of the 3.7OO-ton British steam ship
Akaba from Turks island to this port. ard the
towing OF tho steamship Federation from
Bermuda to Philadelphia, by the steamship
Saturn OF the Boston Tow Boat Company. The
Akaba arrived at Quarantine late last
night. after fearful struggle with tho
high seas kicked UP by the destruc.
tive northeastern which wrought havoc
along the coast last woek. The Saturn
had pretty frir weather until she ran into the
tumult south of Hotteras. eight days ago.
She. and her hiGh-sded. wnve-resistinG con-
sort. spent all that time buckins wind and wave
to get to this port. Turks Island is nearly
1900 miles away. SO tho Saturn's task is un-
precedented IN winter-weather towing. The
Akaba1 broke her thrust shatt while going
sS H Genrso Clyde u M ran aeToss her and took
hss Tns fs "TGy % n,ki
thrust Shaft will DO sent over from England:
and the AkHbn will bo repaired here and will
The llr;, notable ioS o. The Saturn was the
adelphia rho Federation was bound from
HIsmbuIs to philSsdelphia with 3.309 tons
cane. and her machinery was disabled.
She, put into bermuda. originally In
sssas All s's fs ssn
here decided that it would DO much cheaper rt to
have her cargo DISCHARGED at her port OF
destination. Can't Chator Of the Federation
did not take kindly to the idea. which seemed
to him. toTGd
measures 2.472 tons. and he supposed at first
that she would be towed by a fleet Of tugs. He
Ind never heard oi tho Saturn. which meas
"aes only about 200 tons less than his 9wn
steamship coming into Bermuda all his fears
OF an unsuccessful trip vanished. He said
aftcrward that he did not think that three of
pOnll
Federation through the cyclonic seas without
Capt. b. ". Wiiey o.. the Saturn says that the
passage from Bermuda was one Of tho tough
ing q gale on tho night after the Saturn md
her tow left the island. The two vessels sailed
into the teeth OF the turbulence. When wind
and sea were at their worst. with 5;472 tons Of
hawser. the Saturn made five knots m hour.
which is better than some Of the best tramp
treighters can leG IN rough weather.. unbur-
great Undertaking in six days. Edward I.
Sharwood. the Loyds' agent at Philadephia,
boarded the Federation on her arrival. and
was so much impressed with the work Of tho
TONS skipper. that he wrote a congratulatory
letter to the Saturn 8 owners.
Tho Saturns work would have been almost
impossible in storm but for the contrIvance
cured In the ordinary, way. would. IN all like
in turbulent seas. Many. lino craft have gone
haWssr holding tSeir heads to t liz Seas ~ or II
the hawser is unusually tough the breaking
OF the bits to which It is made fast This very
common mishap is duo to the lack OF elasticity
somew hat elastic. and. i it is new:
will stand more strain than the steel
cable. But the best manila and the