New-York tribune., 1912-02-23
WILD DAY DOWN THE BAY
Weather Off Sandy Hook Called
Worst Ever Seen.

| The moving picture man could nor nave
| selected n better dav for action than yes
terday, when he went down the bay OH we
revenue cutter Hudson TO take i'nie VI
! two of film depicting the daily task Oh 'he
| ship news reporters. Wind and sea were
at the height OF their fury, and as Tor rear
| ism it was merely good luck that the Hlo-
| tion camera had not recorded few repoi y
! ers I'm the act OF being swept over the siue
of the cutter.
| Shortly after 7:30 a. m. the Hudson slait
ed down the Bay to board the steamships
| tha. had come through the gale OF Tue
night Captain Jim" Bradley knew What
he was to encounter and was not particu-
| lary anxious to try conclusions with the
| stern. lie started on his usual course due
south, skirting the west shore of Cover
nor's Island, but he soon headed for the
New Jersey shore. Great clouds of spray
dashing over the stone abutment Of the
new parade ground gave promise Of what
might be expected If the cutter headed by
Governors Island. At that time a gale OF
| seventy-two miles was blowing s'eadiIy
| from the northwest. IT was a velocity the
cutter has seldom encountered and 1t was
with difficulty that she got down to quar-
antine.
| Combers such as roll of Sandy Hook IN
! bad weather broke constantly over the
! Hudson, leaving her decks crusted win
! frozen sea water. Some of 1t broke on tne
engine room skylight and poured into the
ireroom until the stokers found themselves
walking about I'm water.
| The North German Lloyd liner Berlin. ID
| from Naples, was the first liner out OF
| Quarantine. She had both her anchors out,
| and regardless OF tide or the gale. her bow
was held to the northwest. In this com
| pusory position there was no lee side for
! the cutter to make fast 10. Lines were
| taken from the Berlin. but the cutter could
not hold against the gale. and was blown
several hundred yards away by the wind.
! Finally she got alongside. and with two
stout lines from her stern and bow holding
her close to the liner the customs and
immigration officials ard reporters we're put
aboard.
The Hudson had the same experience
with the George Washington. Although the
vessel opened one OF her lower ports the
climb up the ladder from tho top OF the
cutter was steep and uncertain. The NOV
ing picture man had 10 lash his tripod TO
the rail as he ground out a few hundred
yards OF picture Of the reporters and gov
crnment officials going aboard.
J Before this the camera man had chance
Ia get CAPTAIN Bradley III action. Thls also
was an unusual opportunity. for the cut
ter's skipper IL usually calm and does not
leave tho wheel house. Captain JIM
using his best Hackenssck English made
the German quartermsster Of the WASH
ington understand how he wished 10 nave
his hawsers handled. In a rage, lest harm
come 10 the cutter and 10 those on board
Captain Jim" lashed his wheel and. rush
Ing out on deck, gave few orders ana
gesticulations that finally brought order
and understanding cut OF chaos.
The gale from the northwest blew stead
ily against the high freeboard OF tho Wash
ington on the way up the Bay, and she list
ed heavily 10 stsrboard.
II was a bad day of Sandy Hook for the
pilots Those who boarded the inbound
liners yesterday declared the weather off
Sandy Hook Was tho worst they had ever
seen. one OF the men described the Lower
Bay az feather white"
Captain Custanre Of tho Royal Mail
liner Arcadlan, which arrived five hours
late from Bermuda, told of the gale at sea
1--WE got Il suddenly at p. m. on Wednes-
day." he said. "and before that tho weather
had been ideal. shortly before the gale
came up from the southeast the barometer
dropped suddenly 20 $3.50 and the Their
mometer showed 60 degrees above zero.
We had thunder lightning. hail and few
billiards. Early this morning the wind
shifted 10 the northwest, and at times blew
AT ninety miles an hour With the shift Of
the gale the mercury dropped to % degrees
above zero"
The Cearense. arriving In port yesterday
morning. reported that she had sighted a
barge at anchor OF Seabright displaying
signals calling for assistance The liner
was unable TO respond. owing to the high
seas. Sho was even unable 10 pick UP n
pilot and came into port without one.
At o'clock yesterday afternoon service
on the Astoria ferry line was abandoned.
officials announced that a shift in the wind
had made landing the boats impossible.