Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-01-01
HER TRIP is ENDED
The umbria Reaches Her
Dock at Noon.
QUEER STORY OF THE VOYAGE
One OF Her Own Line Calmly Deserts
Her Because She 10 Carrying Mail
to England.

NEW 1oRk, Dec. ol.-IWo tnoue9nu
people, packed under the low shed at
the Cunard steamship pier. sent up
cheer that could bs heard almost In
Broad way at HAS O'Clock this morning
whom the long overdue steamer UmbriA
swung slowly around from midstrean
and made fast to the dock. The decks
of the greatest single-ecrew steamer
that pLes the ocean were crowded with
people who echoed tho cheer and gave
evidence by other frantic demonstra-
tons Of their delight ut being able TO
do so.
Beyond the breaking of her shaft
the Umbria sustained no damage what
ever. Her engines were stopped in
stantly before the pounding OF the bro
ken snaft had done any damage. The
break occurred IN the thrust shaft, or
that part nearest the engine, and while
IL was very serious. would have been
worse had II occurred near the screw,
rs then 1t would have been impossible
TO repair it at sea.
just afte. daylight those who
were asleep were awakened by
several reports from the Umbria's
gun and the sound of her
wnlstle. In ten minutes almost every
one was on dock to ascertain what was
the matter. A ship was In sight just IN
the edge Of the horizon, bound east
ward.
Umbria In Tow.
She proved TO DO the Bohemia. She
at once responded to the Umbria's re-
quest for tow, and before noon she
was connected to the big steamship 10y
q steel hawser and was steaming slowly
westward.
The storm grew heavier in the after
noon and il was all that the Bohemia
could do to drag her big burden IN the
teeth of . head wind. After dark q
heavy snow storm sprang up, which
obscured the lights of the two vessels
from each other. About midnight the
steel hawser broke in q violent gale.
Just after luncheon Monday .
steamer was sighted proceeding east
ward. She was the Gallia, of their own
line, en- route from Boston to Liver.
pool. Everybody on board the Umbria
was jubilant. ''Isn't this Cunard
luck?" the officers asked each other.
The Gnllis was large enough to tow
her sister ship with ease. The con-
sIernation OF captain, officers. crew and
passengers may be imagined when, in
response TO the Umbrla's signal:
Disabled; stand by" the Gallia re-
turned:
Cant stand by; carrying mails"
the Umbrla signaled back, will
hold you responsible" whereupon the
Gallia simply dipped her ensign, signi-
flying. "Good bye" and disappeared to
the eastward.
She came TO u standstill in lat. 43. 4S,
long. 67.1O, on Friday morning. When
her machinery was started on the
next Tuesday night she had gone back
TO lat. 42.39, long. 60.00. On WeGnes-
day noon che had made l59 miles, on
Thursday noon her record was 224
miles for the previous "a hours, and
from that time until yesterday noon
ahe had covered 255 miles.
Captain Mckay Is silent.
New YORK, Dec. 3l.-Captaln Mckay
declined positively to speak of the Um-
bras passage when he was accosted by
reporter today. At first he said he
had not time to discuss the matter. and
that excuse not seeming sufficient.
he intImated that 1t was private
matter anyway. When asked if it was
true that he had requested assistance
from the Galiia and was refused. he
said that he had signaled the Gal.ia
that his ship was In distress, but de-
clIned to say If the Gallia refused to
aid them or not.
Vernon II. Brown. OF the Cunard
line, has an OPINION regarding the &C
ton of the Gallia's captain In desert
iog the Umbra. lie admits that, but
he will not tell it. Persons who had
secured passage on the Umbria, which
was scheduled TO sail today,
were transferred to other steamers or
had their passage money refunded. as
the Umbria missed her trip. The Um-
bra will be repaired ~ rapidly as pos
sble. II she Is In good condition she
will sall next SATURDAY.