The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-31
THE UMBR|A HERE!
Passed Fire Island
at Midnight,
UNDER HER OWN STEAM.
Mended Her Broken Shaft at Sea
with NobOdy's Help.


Hoped to start Arresh on Tuesday. una
Evidently DId. Making Abont Ten Knots
nn Hour-An Well Bonrd-The Pas
-cngcr- VIII IBe LANDED This Morning.
The Umbria has got here. At midnight last
night tho Observer at Fro Island mado her
out coming in tr!umphnntly under her own
steam.
She was going very slowly with her patched
shaft and was expected to get to Quarantine
by o'clock this morning or thercabouts. and
to her licr by $50 o'clock this morning.
she probably covered tho distance from tho
position she was spoken in on Monday at the
ratio OF about ten knots an hour.
Her gallant skipper will be happy man
this morning when hs receives the eoncratu-
latons of his owners or his remark able sea-
manship and nerve.
He has more than justified tho homes OF
Agent Vernon II. Drown in his sagacity and
saved tho line thousands OF dollars in salvage.
What is OF more Importance. he has
brought his passengers in all safe.
Tn to :; o'clock this morning from
the time tho Umbra left Queenstown
n, DID +. NJ. on Dec. IL. twelve days and n
la! have elapsed. 1t Is the longest trip tho
cracl: Cunarder has ever made. aud 1t is not
By any means the lcas, glorious.
10 bring ships company through series
OF gales the like of which have seldom stirred
up the Atlantic is an honor higher than beat
ing the record
It was not until yesterday that wo knew
what had Kept tho Cmbria at sen SO
long. Yesterday tho news came il on
the big frciGhter Manhansct. from Swansea.
1t was ! o'clocl: on Monday afternoon when
the frci.htcr. plunCinG through tall seas in IL
thick snow storm. came within sight OF the
disabled Cunardcr Tho snow ceased half ar
hour later, although tho northwest gale was
still whstl!ng through the rigging and tcnr-
ing the crcsts from the seas. Tho Umiril WAS
so strongly silhouctted on the horizon 1--WE
miles to tho south that Capt. Duck Of tho Man
hnnset could no. mistake her. She had no
signals set. but knowing that she would like
the world ashore to know something
about her. Capt. Duck bore down On her and
steamed SO close to windward that he could
read her name Oh her sturbcard side.
The riot OF the waves prevented verbal COM
municatior. and tho two shippers. Capt. Ne
hay If tho Uni r'a and Capt Duck o! the Man
hanset. had II little talk with the signal flags
OF the International code. Tho Umhria ran up
o. her signal halynrds to the masthead flags
that spelled the word SHAFT" In response
the Manhansot few an answering pcnnant,
Understood"
The passengers on tho Cmbvia wcrc not all
in the cabins. croup Of twenty or more.
mostly men. mufr,ed in great coats. walked to
and fro on the promenade deck aft. and wat ch-
The umhria had tlreo drags or sea anchors
out forward, Lach was made of three. spars
lnsEeh together in the shape of n triangle.
rlanked over and weighted on one side SO as
e stand w il, the wafer with that side down:
10 cupstans or bitts Notwithstanding tho
HwST al to The east With the rae at the
rate OF about FIVE miles an hour. She was in
the trough OF the sea most OF tho time and had
Tho Manhanset. when she stopped her on
Eines, was sent sent, far as s q the tmhria by
forward again to read the second signal dis
played by the Cunarder. which was under
CaVt; Duck guessed the, noxt word. re-
pairs, before it was displayed. Following
came the signals:
Ready Tomorrow"
"lierort me to my owners.'
that tho Umbria had broken her Shaft. that
her engineers We're repnirine it. that they
would rspaT t On I've INT al
reported TO- tho Cunard line. Capt. Duck didn't
protror assistance. because he knew Capt. Me:
II. The .Umbria. like the splendid ship she is.
was riding tho seas GRACEFULLY. and didn't
s.a we'll i" inc ii ns tin w H H0r dAss Kept her
I9 oil t"ns Pecan SssGd the UmbrH
Frp hnrt first InHp ia - har Nipl,,,
by west Of tho position in which tho ManIan-
OF sandy Hook. n distance which tho UmDria
usually covers in less than two days even in
with the Manhansets report T He sa esaS ~
sasy oa Wss r Fl IN sa
ships1 nasssa him. IN" Hs ", eai
Of on hs aIpfs' toS in ns
and rather than take the chances OF Icing
cast adriit on on lee shore BY the parting Of her
ship to escape danger he naturally preferred
to lie where he was in perfect safety until he
own steam and his own sontrol: The position
q the ship. as reported by the Gallleo, and
tSw t. hsYs asSn IF s as
broad ocean before her and ~ II drit
Umbria in: 1t Is not the foolish desire to save
expense that prompted us not to send ont
tugs They simply could not bring the UmbrIa
in even il she were unable to help herself. II
4 had Leen practicable or desirable Cart:
Mckay would have takon tow from one OF
the powerful steamships that passed him. 1t
frequently happens that our largest sea going
tugs, while towing in heavy gales. have been
selves. 1t Is evident THAT Capt. Mckay does
not want to incur any such risk. which might
involve serious loss not only to property, but
to life"
Mr. Brown said that tho Umbria was proyid-
cd with duplicate pieces Of all tho machinery
OF her engine that was likely to get out OF
order. lie was under the impression that she
had one or several sections OF shaft. for use in
emergency.
MI. Horace. See; supcryislng Engineer and
Company who has superintended the con-
struction Of several OF our war Sims, includ-
ing the Baltimore and Vesuvius. told ycster-
day what the I'm ria's engineers would do
after the shaft broke. OF course. much de-
pended on the nature, and location OF
il diameter. and weighs a hundred tons.
The commonest cause OF u shaft breaking is
tho strain put on 1t by the sudden immersion
Of the pro pOler after the stern OF the ship
leaves the crest and sinks In the dcclivty of u
wave. The engines do not. rs popularly su u