tfaXJiiiY V- OF t. tins Aft A 
040 
FOREST AN 
each strip of paper is the same. If not, adjust 
the reverse gear bed by placing shims under it, 
until the strips of paper are held with equal 
tension. Draw down on the bolts, keeping an 
eve on the coupling and the paper strips Now 
draw up the coupling bolts, bringing the faces 01 
the coupling together permanently. > 
It remains now to line up the engine with 
the reverse gear. The method of procedure, 
however, in this case, is exactly the same as 
that used to line up the reverse gear and the 
propeller shaft. It is a good scheme to pour 
melted babbitt around the engine bolts where 
they come through the frame, in order to guard 
against any sideway or lateral movement while 
in action. , , ., 
The installation is now complete, and the 
motor is ready for its trial run- „ 
A. E. Palmer, M. E. 
Wreck of Varuna. 
Eugene Higgins’ steam yacht Varuna, m 
which he has made many long cruises, having 
crossed the ocean thirty times, is a wr eck. She 
lies near Port Moniz, on the Island of Madeira, 
broken in two and full of holes. She struck on 
Nov 15 during a severe storm and while on 
her way from Bermuda to the Mediterranean 
Varuna left New York on Nov. 2, had a rough 
trip to Bermuda and left that port on Nov. 5 
bound for Madeira and Gibraltar. The yacht 
struck at 2 o’clock in the morning, and all on 
board took to the small boats. Mr Higgins 
and his party landed at Ponta Delgade the fol¬ 
lowing evening. Other boats landed at Morto 
Nuniz and Vincente and one boat was rescued 
by a passing steamer. Only one life was lost. 
Charles Bird, officers’ cook, was drowned. 
Mr Higgins remained at Funchal for several 
days, hoping that some things might be saved 
from the wreck, but the yacht proved a total 
loss. Mr. Higgins and Count Olivier de la 
Mazeliere then went to Paris, and Count de la 
Mazeliere wrote an account of the accident 
which was published in the Figaro and cabled 
to this country by the New York Herald. The 
account was written in answer to a despatch 
asking for details of the disaster and is as 
follows:' , 
“It was impossible for me to reply earlier to 
your despatch about the loss of the Vai una, 
says Count de la Mazeliere, “but as several 
newspapers have published very inaccurate re¬ 
ports it may not be too late to give you an 
exact version of what took place. 
“The weather was unfavorable when we left 
Bermuda Nov. 8 at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. 
A stiff northwester was blowing, as it had done 
from the moment of our departure from New 
York, on Nov. 2, and a heavy sea was running. 
“On the following Sunday, Nov. 14, at one 
o’clock in the afternoon, the wind changed to 
southwest and increased in violence, while the 
barometer fell steadily from this day onward. 
“Owing to the overclouded sky and. heavy 
gale it was impossible to take observations of 
our position. On Monday the wind was blow¬ 
ing stronger still from the southwest, the 
barometer continuing downward and a heavy 
sea running. In the evening the weather was 
so disagreeable that we had to be fastened in 
chairs at dinner. . 
“A certain uneasiness was felt. We remained 
in the saloon until nearly midnight, while the 
speed of the Varuna was diminished. 
“At a quarter past two a sinister crash awoke 
every one. An indescribable grinding sound 
was heard. We rushed out. convinced that a 
terrible tragedy had taken place. On the deck 
terrified sailors were rushing about seeking 
life belts. The gale had increased in intensity. 
The wind whistled through the rigging wildly. 
Rain was falling in torrents. Pitch darkness 
reigned. 
“The poor Varuna had a pronounced list and 
seemed groaning as though in pain. On deck 
it was impossible to stand upright. 
“What wer“ we to do? Where were we? We 
had evidently struck a rock far from land. Was 
the ship about to sink, as sinister sounds ap¬ 
peared to indicate? Would the waves reach the 
boilers and cause an explosion? 
“Thev were sweeping over the deck, but in 
spite of the difficulty of lowering boats we de¬ 
cided to leave the ship. The operation was a 
perilous one. Dr. Wing fell overboard, owing 
to the movement of the Varuna, and to prevent 
the boat being dashed to pieces against the 
yacht the ropes were cut and the boat dropped 
into the water with us, giving us our first 
sensation of the reality of the danger, tortu- 
nately, thanks to his life belt, the Doctor re¬ 
appeared close to the boat and we succeeded in 
saving him. . ^ , 
"We realized that it was necessary to leave 
as quickly as possible the vicinity of the yacht 
and the rocks on which great waves threatened 
to dash us every few minutes. 
“As the captain was to be the last to leave the 
yacht, Mr. Higgins took command of the life 
boat.’ Seventeen persons were in it, but few 
were sailors, the crew being made up of stokers 
and engineers who had volunteered. 
“Several seamen whose duty it was to man 
the life boats refused to run the risk of leaving 
the ship on such a frail boat in the wild storm 
and preferred to remain on the ship which had 
sheltered them for so many years. 
“As we did not know our exact position, we 
had the choice of two courses, either to go 
around the rocks upon which the Varuna had 
struck or remain near the yacht until dawn. 
Before coming to the decision both solutions 
proved to be impossible, as we were compelled 
to avoid a reef which suddenly confronted us, 
threatening and terrible, and blacker even than 
the surrounding darkness. 
“It was also impossible to make headway 
against the southwest gale, and, notwithstand¬ 
ing the almost superhuman efforts of our crew 
and all our endeavors to keep up their courage, 
we were carried away before the gale and out 
to sea. . 
“The Vanina’s lights were soon lost to sight 
and our boat soon filled with water. Those who 
were not rowing helped to bail out with any¬ 
thing that came to hand, while the pump, fortu¬ 
nately, worked effectively up to the last. 
“At every moment we shipped a wave which 
drenched us afresh and chilled us to the bone. 
The breaking waves were so phosphorescent 
that a lugubrious contrast with the surround¬ 
ing obscurity made it difficult for us to see 
whether we were near the rocks or the coast. 
“Finally an immense wave threw us sideways, 
and when we recovered ourselves it was seen 
that three seamen had lost their oars. The 
night seemed interminable. Would day never 
break? And when it did break would we be 
there to see it? Hours and hours passed before 
the sun rose, gloomy and sinister. We were 
frozen, for we were thinly clad and the ma¬ 
jority barefooted. 
“With what joy we perceived through the 
mist what seemed like land! The wind had in¬ 
creased in force during the night and was blow¬ 
ing a wild tempest. In spite of all, however, 
we decided to set sail. It was our sole chance 
of reaching land, for the men at the oars were 
worn out and showed signs of having lost 
all hope. 
“Our boat had a single mast and two sails, 
and it was with great difficulty that we suc¬ 
ceeded in stepping the mast. It was impos¬ 
sible to set the mainsail, but it came in useful 
later to cover us. It appeared uncertain 
whether the small sail would hold or whether 
it might not cause the boat to capsize, but as 
it was our sole chance we were compelled to 
risk it, and with every precaution the sail was 
set. 
“But at this same moment the land disap¬ 
peared from sight, and with it our hopes of 
reaching safety, for we were being carried out 
to mid-ocean. 
“We again had to resort to the oars, and 
every effort was made to sight land again, but 
in vain. The waves and wind were stronger 
than the force at our disposition. 
“At last what looked like the vague outline 
of a mountain was perceived on the horizon. 
Was it a cloud, blacker than others? Was it an 
illusion born of our hope, or was it really land? 
“It was land, but how far off it was! Should 
we succeed in reaching it? Little by little it 
became more distinct, and we began to cherish 
the hope that perhaps after all we should reach 
safety. This hope was sufficient to redouble our 
strength, for a fierce gust of wind, following 
which could be clearly distinguished two cloud- ; 
bursts, appeared certain to doom us to de¬ 
struction. 
“Mr. Higgins gave orders to loose sail, it 
was time. Everything would have given way 
before that hurricane. Two great waves swept 
over the boat in succession. All seemed over. 
Fortunately the watertight compartments of the 
life boat saved us. We were still afloat, but 
compelled to resort again to the pumps and bail 
out the boat, which was full to the gunwale. . 
“You may imagine our joy when we noted 
that the wind had changed its direction about 
two points, which enabled us to set sail again 
for land. Worn out and shivering with cold, we 
succeeded painfully in reaching the coast and 
landing with the help of the inhabitants of a 
little village who hastened to our aid. We then 
learned that we were on the northern coast of 
the Island of Madeira. 
“Notwithstanding their poverty, the villagers 
generously supplied us with clothing, for there 
is not a shop in the place. We passed the night 
on mattresses placed on the ground and warmed 
ourselves as best we could. The following day, 
in reply to a despatch we succeeded in sending 
him, Mr. Blandy sent a steam tug for us and 
we learned that the storm had been one of the 
most violent experienced in a long time, and 
that on Mr. Blandy’s estates at Funchal fifty 
yards of wall had been demolished by the wind. 
“During the night another of the Varuna’s 
life boats was picked up at sea a great distance 
from the coast by a merchant vessel bound fon 
Montevideo, which had landed the shipwrecked 
people at Funchal. The two other boats from 
the yacht had also succeeded in reaching dif¬ 
ferent points on the northern coast of the 
island, where we went for them. Only one oi 
the crew was lost. He was the officers’ cook 
and was carried away by a wave and drowned. 
“The Varuna is a complete wreck, broken lr 
two and full of holes. Next to nothing has 
been saved. As the gale continued five days it 
was impossible for a boat or swimmer to read 
the yacht. The Varuna struck a reef one hun 
dred metres from the coast half a mile to th( 
south of a point called Ponta da Tristao. at th< 
northwest extremity of the island of Madeira. . 
Apparently we suffered from the atmosphern 
depression which caused the cyclone in Jamaica 
and probably we also felt the influence of th< 
earthquake and volcanic eruption in the Canar 
Islands.” 
Pension the Life Savers. 
The Hon. A. K. Peck, of Boston, paid a ver; 
handsome and well-deserved tribute to th< 
members of the Life Saving Service of th 
United States in an address he recently mad 
before the Portland Y. C. at Portland, Me. Ii 
substance, Mr. Peck said: “There is no seryic 
throughout the world that excels , the Unite; 
States Life Saving Service, and while the wor 
of the men employed in it is highly appreciatec 
there still remains much to be done for then 
Nowhere on earth is a human life valued mor 
highly than in the life saving service, and th 
life savers are absolutely no respecters, of per 
sons. They work as hard and as willingly t 
save the poorest fisherman as they do to. sav 
the wealthiest citizen when they find him in a 
imperiled position. Their work is alway 
dangerous, and while the government supplie 
them with all necessary equipment, the prim 
requisite of the service is the courage of th 
men themselves to battle with the sea in ii 
most angry moods. Yachtsmen, of the countr 
should take a deep interest in this work, as the 
are frequently beneficiaries of the system, an 
many of them have been saved from water 
graves by the life savers.” 
After braving the storms of many years ar 
suffering from cold, rain, and snow, life saver 
whose compensation does not permit of the 
laying by much, if anything, should be pri 
vided with a pension to care for them in the 
declining years.—Marine Journal. 
