The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-04
DID NOT NEED ASSISTANCE
Action of the Steamer Gallia Towards
the Umbria Explained by the Cunards.
The Disabled Vessel Was in No Danger. and
the Other Would Have Imperiled Her.
self if She Had Stood By.

LONDON. JAM .-The steamer GalIla ar
rived at Liverpool to-day. Captain Fer
guson and his officers persisted in their re-
fusal to talk on the subject Of the Umbrla.
The CuDard Company, however, issued an
official statement of the Umbria incident.
In this statement Captain Ferguson OF the
Gsllia says that when his steamer APP
preached the Umbria he saw n steamer ly-
ing in proximity to her blowing OF steam.
The Umbria was lying like q duck in the
water and formed o perfect picture OF
security. while the GalIia was
rolling heavily. On reading the
signal shaft broken" Captain Ferguson
consulted with his chief engineer. The
latter officer. knowing of the appliances on
board the Umbria and being Intimately
ACQUAINTED with Chief Engineer TOmlin-
son. as was also Captain Ferguson himself,
the latter having sailed with chief Iomlln-
son In the Mediterranean service. was salts
fled from the next signal, Ready to pro-
coed tomorrow" that the UnbrIa was IN
no danger whatever. and that there were
some weeks more provisions aboard 1oT al
the passengers and crew. Captain Fer
guson." the report continues. had to con-
sider his own position. With the prospect
of easterly weather leaving him an in
sufficient margin in his coal supply, should
he," il asks, have ex pended q consider
able portion of his fuel in standing by the
Umbria for one and possibly two daysH'
Continuing, the report says: Captain
Ferguson realized that the Umbria had
been broken down since the previous Fri
day, yet had not about her q sem biance of
damage: that she WAS In the route OF all
steamers crossing to and fro, and that the
weather, although unit at the moment for
the transfer OF passengers without great
risk. showed signs of undertaking. and he
therefore decided that 1t was his duty TO
proceed. and inform all west bound vessels
that he met of the position of the Umbria.
lie signaled to o steamer within ten hours
after he left the Umbris that the latter WAS
disabled. and gave her the Umbrla's lcngi-
tude and latitude. CAPTAIN FergusOns
prescience IL regard to bad weather COM
ing out of the east was justified. When
the Gallia was within 300 or 400 miles of
the Irish ceast she encountered q heavy
high head sea. This gale delayed her
twenty hours In reaching Queenstown"
Among the GallIs's passengers was Capt.
Long. who has had a long maritime expert
ence. He said that when the Umbria was
first sighted by the Gallia the steamer Man.
hansett was lying near her. Everything
about the Umbria was snug and ship-shape.
and she was riding the seas as steady as o
church. Her appearance was far from that
OF a vessel IN danger or IN need OF assist
buCo. L8pt. N1Chdy, CHUJhiu LOnk huucu,
Ignsled u request that the Gallia stand by
him tor the rest of the morning. Captain
Ferguson responded hat he WAS unable TO
do So. as he had only coal enough for an
ordinary voyage. 1t may here be stated
that the passengers on a steamer, As O rule.
know nothing whatever of the code OF Sig
Dais employed by vessels ut sea. AS q mat
ter of fact the officers of steamships them
selves. except in the case OF cOmmOniy-used
signals. depend upon the code book for the
Interpretation. 1t will, therefore. be read-
lily seen that the meaning of rhe sig
nails, though well known TO the officers,
is only a matter of conjecture among the
passengers. Captain LongIurther said that
IN view of the terrific weather prevailing he
was of the opinion that Captain Ferguson
was right in leaving the Umbria. Besides
the question of fuel. which was q most i'm
portrait one. the Gallia was not in a posi-
tion TO undertake TO tow her. The lives of
the people on the Umbria were in no dan
ger. Captain Long added that the stories
of the affair cabled to the English news
papcrs from the United States greatly eXag-
gersted the incident, but this. he thought,
was due. perhaps. to the fact that the re-
ports were obtained from passengers. who
were apt to add q little to the dangers
through which they had passed. In con-
clusion. Captain Long said he must agree
with the version of the affair reported TO
have been gwen by Captain Mckay. When
the commander OF the Umbria signaled
that he did not want assistance Captain
Ferguson was perfectly justified in pro-
ceedInU on his cOuvse-