New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-05
TIE WAY or THE SEA

The Cuuard managers have issued an official
statement respecting the Cnbria Galla Incl
dent. which if not luminous is at least trans
parent. Captain FergusOns explanation OF his
neglect t. stand by Il sister ship disabled III
midocean is barely Ineligible but the man
ayers are evidently satisfied that both he and
Captain Mckay understood each other and
acted with discretion and sobriety of Judgment.
Both caliains age virtually commended That
is becaus. each was favored with good fortune.
If the Umbril had been wrecked on the way
10 New-York both would have been severely
ensured. Captain l,rguson's conduct in de-
seriing the lmhiia IN that event would have
he. n prCnounc d in!efen,ible. lie would have
lost his command, and bis pleas that his stock
Of coal was low, that his ship was carrying
mails and that he took pains 10 put other
steamers on tho Umbras track would have
been dismissed a. shallow excuses for plain
neglect of duty. Captain Mckay in like man
ncr would have been condemned for not taking
advantage Of towing offers. rs tho catastro-
pine was aycried. each officers prudence In
saving the company unnecessary expense Is
recognized with hea'ty apprs cation. That i
the way Of the sea. Ais we'll that ends well.
If there had been a disaster both captains
would have lost their regulations. That was
the risk with which each was confronted when
compelled 10 act upon his Judgment.
The controversy has ended so far ~ the
captlins AID the managers of the line are con
cerned hut the public will remain inluistivc
Oh several points. For example Captain Fer
gllson seems 10 have been convinced that the
rmbria was safe and that the weather was
moderating bat he also apprehended IL con-
tinuancc Of stormy weather for his own ship
and consequently considered it imprudent 10
protaG his voyage. This seems unn'elllglblc.
If the chances of the weather were to be taken
into account the disabled steamer ought 10
have had the benefit OF the doubt. II the
weather was too uncertain u justify the
Gallas detention was it not sufficiently doubt
ful to prevent the premature abandonment of
an unmanage1ble ship?
Then thtre is the question of cal Captain
Ferguson says that his supply was short. and
that with tho proSpec, Of the continuance of
bad weather and consequent detention he did
not dare t. lie by the I'mbra until her repairs
were completed. The question at once is sug-
gesied: Why was The Gallia allowed 10 leave
port with so srant IA supply OF coal? surely
it cannot he the custom Of the Transatlantic
lines to send out their steamers with so little
coal in the bunkers that they cannot venture 10
stand by 4 disabled ship for twelve hours
That is an altogether new phase of steamship
economics and one which will not fav0rahy
impress the public. Nor will Transatlantic
travellers be- treasured by the intelligence that
the Gallia wanod several passing ships to keep
a sharp lookout for the 'mbIia Neither priest
nor Leyiic would have appeared to better ad
Vantage if he had hailed Good samaritan on
tho road with the message: There is fell
low somewhere behind who has been robbed
and possibly numbered better keep an eye out
for him and see if there be any chance of his
bleeding t, DEATH That can hardly be tho
way of the sea.