Year: 1877



 STEAMsHP CrTY OF BERLIN. ! AT SEA, 10th of June.

 We have just escaped terrible disaster. On the sth of June, Friday at 8, D. m., as every soul was on deck enjoying the beautiful summer evening just after sunset fearful nolse was heard, as if we had struck on rock or au iceberg. It seemed to be in the engine room, and all started to their feet pale with terror. for 1t was as mysterious and sudden as 8 thun- der clap on 8 bright summer day. There was no screaming and fainting, but the utmost agitation, and ten minutes elapsed before any information could be had, and 1t seemed as if hole had been knocked in the bottom of the ship. It was most painfully exclting. but at last we were told that our shaft was broken, and that we should have to go to Liverpool under sail. We were about 600 miles from port, with little or no wind.ln one of the la,gest ships afoat $500 tons) full of freight, with 6oO persons on board, and with so little canvas that, unless we had half @ gale of wind we could not hope to make three knots an hour. It was indeed desp era @ state of affairs, for there was not the slightest chance of heavy winds in md summer, and unless we should chance to meet steamer homeward bound the great leviathan would drift like log in md ocean until relief should chance to come from shore. The passengers behaved ad- mirably, but as the prospects gradually dawned upon their minds great uneasiness and apprehension began to prevail. We were on the route of the "City of Rich mond,' going from Liverpool to New York. and the steamer "Spain," on her way to Liverpool. must say that I thought our chance very desperate, as the horizon only extends about twenty miles from the ship in the day time, and is. of course. very much reduced in the night. To our great joy this morning at four o'clock the steamer Spain" was sighted and our signals were set. but it seemed as If they did not see our flag at half mast, and they did not, for they were 12 miles away, when finally they perceived them and turned back. There was great doubt if she would take us in tow, as she belong ed to rival line. but Captain Kennedy went on board. and returned in half an hour with the agreeable intelligence that she would take us Tn tow, the price of the relief to be settled by the two companies on arrival in port. and, if they could not agree. to be settled by arbitration. We were ready to go on board with carpet bags, for we could not take any luggage in case they refused to tow us. but the Spain has had us in tow since eight o'clock this morning, going at the rate of seven or eight miles an hour, so that we hope to reach our port on Wednesday next. The moral to be deduced from our experience is, never to go to sea in big ship of $500 tons, for if her steam power breaks down, you are then at the mercy of the winds and waves, for the sails won't sail you, and no vessel can tug you in heavy weather. have been down into the hold to examine the shaft, It is about seventY-five feet long, nineteen inches in diameter. and made of malleable iron. It broke near the middle in diagonal split, when it was re- volving fifty eight turns minute, and the force at the time the fracture occurred not only broke the shaft, but the journals by which the sections are attached by twelve rlvets, each as thick as your arm. which were all broken short off,. When read of steamer that has broken her shaft Tn the papers; have not pald much attention to it, but shall hereafter. The City of Brus. sels,' of this line broke her shaft about four weeks ago, and heard before I left New York that there was some talk about the machinery of this ship. and took the pains to go to one of the principal iusu- rance offices in Wall street, and the vice assured me that there was no safer risk than this steamer, City of Berlin, and of course after such an assurance from the best of authority, I felt no apprehension regarding her. The accident occurred un- der circumstances no human foresight could prevent. It seems that the shaft in tn @ center, where 1t refused to anneal, had a cavity about the size of your hand. and it was in this spot that the fracture occur red. where no examination externally could detect it. This enormous shaft, after it was broken, kept whirllng round, knocking to pieces such things as it hit. and had it not been for one of the engin- eers. who rushed into the engine room and l shut off the steam, many lives would have | been lost. The man has been rewarded by | 3 handsome subscription among the |