The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-12

The best patroniBed liner Anoat.
| she would not Be considered much nov
compared with the eight storied PALACES
nat use elevators 10 reach the skYsorap-
ING decks. but she did her work like no
other ahiR IN the history Of Atlantic nsvi-
- most o. the swim liners are. having tho
pick Of the nautical and engineering
genius Of thatr ruspective lines.
A mtahAp that befell the Umhria long
before tho days Of wireless illdstraooi Ne
advantage o. twin screw equipment and
also showed that even without twin
screWS il is great 10 have pluck and talent
In the engine room. lt was the most
memorable accident that ever halted .
liner In Winary seas and was supplemented
| BY the cieyereet bit Of mending 81 q
fractured thrust shaft on record BY Chief
Engineer Lawrence TOmlinson and his
stan.
The ship was not heard from until q
week after she was due at this port, whsn
q treighter arrived and assured a dis
tuFbed world ashore that she rs all
right. Il took four days 20 patch up
the ahAft 20 that she was able 20 proceed
under her own steam az the rate 81 eleven
knota. which indicated how good q job
OF repairing the ingenious chief engineer
had made.
The story of the Umbria's troubloua
passage vas first published on the norm
ing OF her arrival on the scotland light
ahip. az 3:1S. on December 81. iEoa. 10
IN an extra edition Of Tue sun A special
tug went seaward with several reporters
and boarded the liner, getting the story
formerly London correspondent Of TEn
SUH. When the expedition returned
nearly all the compositors had gone home
few we're found IN the neigh horhood
Of THE Sun once and they ST up the story
In hurry and tho extra was on the street
bsfuFo dawn.
The UmbTia sailed from Queeenstown
on December 10 with an unusually big
ChFtstmae mail and expected 20 land u
here tbs day before the festival. She ran
into dirty weather after passing Daunt'g
Rock and in the almost inOeasant tumult
u the next hve days her propellor raced
much and an unusual strain was put
on her shaft.
One Of the engineers noted an unwonted
vibration near the thrust section of the
shaft that indicated b hls trained ear
Tie existsnoe Of a fracture. He notified
CHIEF Tomiin8on. who oTdered the engines
slowed down. He kept vigil himself
forty eight hours. hoping that the fracture
would not develop; but y did and Capt;
horatio Mckay was notified that u would
he necessary 70 stop the ship and stesmpt
the diincult tAsk Of making repairs
The passengers we're unaware that
anything aerious had occurred aboard
until Capt. Mohay came into the smok.
ING room a. I:SO O'Clock That night and
remarked with circumspect calmneas
that he was sorry % inform the pasaen-
gers that the a1aft was broken: that he
would be unable % proceed just then.
but that " any other liner or freighter
came along he would ACCEPT \ tow. Tnn
married men in the smoking room told
their wives and eoon everybody aboard
knew about the accident. The only per-
son who got frightened vas q militia
General. who desired IN have rockets
thrown up every few seconds. but whoee
desire Wae not granted.
Just after the ship stopped . drg. o.
sea anchor, was put out, and the asen.
gsra, who had been uncomfortable while
the ship was pitching and rollinV n the
heavy seas, felt bit happier physically.
although not - well pleased with the
prospect OF spending Christmas almoas
within days sail OF New lork. Early
the next morning the smoke OF an eaet-
ward bound steamship was seen on the
horizon. She was the Hamburg American
liner Bohemia and she cheerfully re-
spOnded 70 the signalB Of the Jmhria Tor
a tow.
The problem was n Get q steel hawueT
aboard the Bohemia In the heavy weather
AZ first the Umbria made an effort ~
shoot a line over the German boat. but
her Oannoneers were not experts. and
finally the dangerous expedient OF launch
ing q lhebOat was tried II vas q sue
ceAs. A light line 10 which a manila haw-
aer was bent was taken aboard the Boz
hernia. Then a Nteel haweer. made fast
n the manila. was dragged On the Ger
man ship.
The gale had increased and was per
meatsd with snow, which sometimes
completely hid the Bohemia from the
officers on the bridge 81 the UmbFia
AZ 10 O'Clock that night. December "a,
the hAwser parted and the ships drifted
apart 10 the gloom. Again the sea anchor
went out An this time the chief engineer
and his assistants were working at tho
broken thrust shaft. The TOW of the BO-
hemia had brought the Umbria thirty
kiR miles nearer Sandy Hook
The next day the freighter Calico Of
the Wilson Line passed Capt McKav
had such encouraging reports from his
engineer that he did not ask the Galiies
70 TOW him. The freighter ManhAnset
alan went nv the Cfuarror Italia
Eys -