The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-05
MN)ED A SHAFT At SEA
A BRITISH SHIP IN MID
OCEAN
THE LOSS OF A PROPELLER
Engineers I'm Defiance of Sharks
Repaired the Damage Thor
OughIy In Three Day1
Work.

Kipling's "dour Scotch engineer" Nc
Andrews, could hardly have acquitted
himself more creditablV than did William
Gerrie. chief engineer of the British
steamer Border knight, which arrived at
New York a few days ago after an excit-
iEg experience In mid-ocean. If all en-
gineers were as we'll qualified to deal with
and overcome emergencies as this QUIET
looking man, there would be fewer Jobs
In the salvage way and less tedious m ak
ing of harbor under canvas The Border
Knight Is a steamer Of the genus tramp,
nomadic freighter that set out from
Natal in ballast for New York Under
charter to Barber & Co., of that city. ALI
went we'll with her until July 2, when at
3 o'clock In the afternoon there was a
sudden Jar and shock, whirring Of ma
chinery and hiss of steam.
Shafts broke" explained Third En-
gineer Findlay. briefly. as he closed throt-
tie on racing engine.
Examination showed that his diagnoeiI
was correct. For no ascertainable cause
the tail shaft. a twelve-inch length q
steel, had snapped just cupboard tho
sleeve, releasing the eight-ton propeller
which went spinning 20 the bottom. Tho
ship lost her Roadway, and. having NO
sail power to give her Storage way. sal
provokingly a-rocking In the sea, bldins
the outcome of the mlsadventure. The
usual procedure In such cases is to haul
fires and hoist your flag upside down. bv
way of distress signal. by day, and to
burn blue lights at night But these men
OF the Border Knight did nothing Of thu
sort The engineer went manho1ing on his
back to the end OF the tall shaft, and
then came back with an idea which the
captain gave him permission TO mt into
effect
The first step was to uncoupIe the In
termediate shaft. and to do this exne-
dttiously battering ram was iTnproyised
from the anchor stocks. The coupling
bolts forced out, the intermedfte shaft
was lowered. clear of the fractured taft
shaft. and that Diece of metal was
Knocked from the opening in the stern.
A wooden plug the exact size OF the
shaft was forced into the hole and then
spare tall shaft was lifted into posi-
ton and coupled on to the Intermediate
All Of this work occupied three full days.
With both shafts in place again the
work of fitting on spare propeller,
which the vessel carried. was commence
ed. To lift the stern out of water all Of
the water ballast was pumped from the
aftertanks and then six feet of waxer
was pumped into the forward hold. This
lifted the stern until the opening was
within four feet Of the surface
Meanwhile the six-ton propeller had
been lowered over the port quarter, sus-
pended from a cargo boom and guyed
with heavy tackle. Chief Engineer Ger
lie and Chief officer Mathie then took
positions on the rudder pIntles, and,
standing waist deep IN water, guided the
Zig piece of metal to its place on the tail
Shaft the massive nut which was TO
hold it in place was then screwed tightly
on by giant spanner, worked by tackles
from the quarters.
the work Of the two men In the water
was made somewhat entertaining by the
active presence Of several sharks that
played around the stern Of the ship.
Mathie was once washed overheard and
nearly drowned before being rescued,
But that was only an incident, as Math's
and Gerrie explained. neither making
much of II, and both apparently regard
ing the whole affair as being nothing
more than an experience. likely to come
to the lot of those who ''go down TO the
sea in" tramp steamers.