REMARKABLE HEROISM.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), 30 October 1883, Page 4

REMARKABLE HEROISM.

Tho folio .ving account of a recent accident on tho steamer Aurania is published by the New York Herald : —" Down three greasy pairs of ladders in tho depths of the ship's hold there Avas enacted a scene Avhich rarely has an equal. Tho lower portion of the broken crank shaft, a mass of steel Avcighing many tons, Avas, of course, fastened to tho main shaft of the ship, and, as this continued to revolve from the Avorking of the other pistons, an immense arm of stool Avent flying about like a huge flail. Tho effect Avas siAvful. Iron aud stool wore knocked to splinters. A supporting column of Avrought iron a foot in thickness Avas broken in tavo, and ono piece, Avcighing a ton, Avas bitten out, so to sj.cak. AVhcrevor the flail struck destruction followed. The air, already choked Avith scalding steam, Avas filled Avith sparks of fire caused by the blows of steel on stool and iron. Tho place Avas infernal. Nothing but prompt action could save the sheathing of the vessel from being pounded through. The engine must have stopped. And yet the little steel brake .vhich controlled the Avholc tremendous mechanism avus situated only about tAvo feet from tho arm of the thresher, and riyht in the midst of the scalding steam and the blistering sparks. Andrew Lambert, the second engineer, promoted from the Bothnia, Avas on duly in the engine-room. He is a tall, brawny Scotchman of some 33 or 31. AVhen the crankshaft broke, and the engine - room was turned into Pandemonium, Mr Lambert v. us standing near one of the stoke-rooms, some twenty or thirty foot from the brake. Ho knew the engine must be stopped. To see tho controlling brake Avas an impossibility ; but, dropping down on his hands and knees, ho crawled up to it and turned off the steam. The shaft had made about 20 revolutions before he was able to get the engine under control. Ho .vas badly scalded about the face and hands, hut otherAviso uninjured. But he risked his life to save the ship."