SHE  ANCHORED  OFF  ROBBIN'S REEF EARLY LAST EVENING. HOW AND WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCORKED. THE REPAIRS WILL CONSUME MANY DAYS. WHAT THE COMPANYT WILL DO FOR THE PASSENGERS. The hours dragged along wearily yesterday for those who were anxiously awaiting news of the arrival of the disabled Canard steamship "Servia". Suspense was ended happily, however, at last. At 9 in the morning intelligence was re-ceived, from Fire Island that the "Servia" was in sight in tow of the "Chester" and three tugs. An hour and ten minutes later another tug was added to the number, and the big steamer slowly made her way in. Not until 4:55 P.M. did she pass the Hook bound in, and it was nearly 6:30 when Quarantine was reached. Every effort was at once made to communicate with the steamer and learn the extent of her injuries. Capt. Button was besieged with questions as soon as the ship was near enough land for any one to board the vessel, and from him was first learned the true cause of the disappointing return. When the "Servia" left port last Saturday everything looked bright for a quick and prosperous run. There were 1,153 passengers on board, all told, and consequently plenty of Iife and amusement. The first hint that anything was wrong about the machinery came at about 6 o'clock' Saturday evening. The ship was then 217 miles east of Sandy Hook Lightship. Suddenly the chief engineer noticed that the bearings were becoming very warm, and the engines were gradually slowed down to allow them to cool of. At 7 o'clock, after having come nearly to a full stop, and the bearings having become cool, the engines were started at full speed again. Then there was noticed an alarming grating and thumping noise in the engine room, which made it evident that something serious was the matter. The englnes were again stopped, and the discovery was made that there was a long fracture in the crank pin of the high-pressure engine, which had caused it to work unevenly and to heat the bearings. In a very short time a break would have occurred that might have wrought as serious havoc in the engine room as that which resulted in the "City of Paris" at the time that that vessel met with misfortune. In the meantime the "Servia" had been drifting about in an aimless, helpless way while the officers were making their examination of the engine. A spirit of uneasiness began to make it self evident among the passengers, who could not help seeing that something unusual had  happened. There were the usual unsatisfactory replies from officers, who had to refuse to give much more information  than the ordinarily observant person could pick up by looking an. "The bearings are heated," was the reply to most of the curious passengers. This quieted them for a time and subdued the panicky feelings. Then, just as everybody began to feel that the explanation given was not an adequate one, Capt. Dutton made his way to the smoking room and addressed the passengers. "There has been an accident In the engine room." he said, " which will make it impossible for us to go on. It will be necessary to turn the ship's head toward New-York again, as the break is something which cannot be repaired at sea. We will keep under sail, and in all probability we shall be able to get a tow very soon, as we are directly in the path of the transatlantic steamers." No danger was to be apprehended, the Captain said, as no injury had been done the ship aside from the broken crank pin. The Captain's announcement was heard with a great deal of disappointment, but with resignation nevertheless, as it was very easy to realize just at that moment how much worse the accident might have been. As the ship's head was brought around there was some excitement among the ladies. Many of them thought that possibly the real state of affairs was being kept from them, and begged their male relatives or companions to tell them the truth.  All this feel-ing was quieted, however, as night came on and nothing further occurred to alarm the most timid. The weather was excellent, and although there were some who could not got into a state of mind for sleep, the bulk of the passengers passed a quiet night. It was, in fact, much easier for those unaccustomed to the sea to get asleep than it would have been under ordinary circumstances. The unusual quiet that reigned throughout the ship, owing to the fact that the engines were not moving, made it really a pleasurable change. Enough sail was set to keep steer-age way on the steamship during the night, although but little actual progress could be made. Early in the morning an outward-bound steamer was sighted. A signal of distress had been hoisted, and as this strange vessel came nearer, rockets were thrown up in hope of attracting attention, Capt. Dutton was willing to offer a good price for being towed to port. But the stranger did not notice the rockets. "I suppose he thinks we are celebrating the Fourth of July." said Capt. Dutton to a passenger who happened to be standing near him. It was 3 o'clock Sunday morning, so this was hardly a good excuse for the way in which the signals were treated. Later the "Chester" and the Wllson Line steamer "Galileo" hove in sight and responded promptly to the request for assistance. The Captains of both steamers came aboard, but the "Chester" was finally chosen to tow the steamer back to this port. Capt. Tolle of the "Chester" placed his ship at the disposal of the "Servia's" commander. Two stock hawsers, one of steel wire and the other of hemp, were passed aboard the "Chester" and made fast, and at about 10 o'clock the journey was begun. There was just enough sea on to make it rather an interesting piece ot work pas-sing the long, unwieldy hawsers and getting ready for the heavy and trying pull. Slowly at first the "Chester's" engin-es were put to work, but the speed was gradually increased and soon the two vessels were moving toward land about as fast as a man could walk. During the remainder of the day it was amost monotonoos existence tor the many impatient passengers on the "Servia". The "Eider", which brought in the first news of the trouble, passed by, and other steamers came near enough to learn the cause of the steamship's return. Next day the wind and sea increased slightly, so that the strain on the hawsers became heavier. Between four and flve knots an hour had been made so far. At 4 o'clock Monday afternoon something happened to break the monotony. The wire cable suddenly parted, tearing away the starboard bitts of t the "Chester". This of course stopped further proceeding for a time. The big green seas that now began to look a little threatening, made it difficult work to pick up the hawser and get under way again. It took more than an hour to stretch another hawser, meanwhile the two ves-sels drifting with the wind which was at that time dead off shore. After this difficulty had been met, no further hindran-ce arose. Yesterday morning the tugs from this city began to arrive. Their powerful assistance was at once applied. The "F.B. Dalzell", "K.C. Veit", "Lewis Pulver", "E.M. Maltland". "Assistance", "M.A. Lenox", and "Viking" reached, the "Servla's" side during the forenoon, and Fire Island, Sandy Hook, and Quarantine were reached at the time mention-ed. When the bar was reached, at about 4 o'clock, the "Chester" cast off her lines and came up to Stapleton, where she cast anchor. After passing Quarantine the "Servia" was brought to anchor off Robbin's Reef, where arrangements were made to take off such passengers as wished to leave. The steamboat "William Fletcher" went down at about 8 o'clock and took off 250 of the cabin passengers who wished to leave the vessel, while the rest decided to remain on board until the vessel should be docked this morning. The following notice was posted in the cabin by order of Vernon H. Brown & Co., the agents of the line: NOTICE TO CABIN PASSENGERS. We regret to annonnce that the repairs to the "Servia" will prevent her sailing for two or three weeks. The company are prepared to furnish transportation to passengers by any subsequent steamer of their line in which there may be room. Or, if passengers are desirous of being transferred to any other line, they can have their tickets refunded on pre-sentation at our office, 4 Bowling Green, New-York. A limited, number of accommodations are stlll vacant per "Etruria",11th of July; per "Cephalonia", from Boston, 11th of July, and per "Aurania", from New-York, 18th of July, and we shall be glad to afford every facility in our power for transferring passengers. Passengers desirous of sailing from Boston will be furnished transportation to Boston free of charge. VERNON H. BROWN & CO., Agents. The 350 who embarked on the "Fletcher" were most of them anxious only to get to hotels. Twenty-five were booked tor the "City of New-York", which sails this morning. Among them was Prince George of Greece, who had been among the most disappointed of the "Servia's" passengers. An incident occurred in connection with the Prince's re-turn which made matters very stormy for a time at the Cunard pier last night. The Greek Consul, Demetrius N. Botossi, as soon as he heard of the mishap to the "Servia" yesterday, had engaged the best room on the "City of New-York" or the Prince and his companion, Commander Lahben of the Russian Navy. Later, when the "Servia" had reached her anchorage in the bay, Consul General Botossi, the Russian Vice Consul, and the Russian Charge d'Affaires chartered a tugboat and went down to the steamer, intending to take the Prince and his baggage on board and bring him to the city in royal style. When in hailing distance, Mr. Botossi called out to the officer on the bridgo of the "Servia": "Have you the Prince George aboard !" The officer on the bridge shouted out in a gruff tone: " Don't know whether he is here or not." In reply to a request for permission to come aboard the words came: "Keep off ! We don't know anything about Prince George; he may have landed." Indignant at the reception which they had received, the gentlemen turned their tug's nose toward the Cunard pier, where shortly afterward they had a very animated interview with Capt. Watson, Superintendent of the dock. That urbane and accommodating official was horrified at the affair and expressed the deepest regret. It was finally arrang-ed that Prince George should be transferred by the company's tug this morning, with his baggage, to the "City of New-York". Others who are going out on the "City of New-York" are B.M. Venable of Baltimore and Capt. W. Gordon McCabe of Petersburg, Va., and Assistant City Solicitor W.A. Gilbert of Brooklyn. The Rev. Father R.A. McAndrews of Wllkes-barre, Peru., who was going abroad  on a short vacation, will be one of those who will have his money refunded, as he has concluded not to persevere in his trip abroad. The loss to the company will of course, be great, owing to the cost of caring for so many passengers' extra time as well as for the  repair of the crank pin itself. This piece of machinery is of solid steel 24 inches in diameter, and it will take at least twenty-eight working days, it was said at the Cunard office yesterday, to replace it. It is usually the cust-om on large passenger steamers to carry a spare crank pin, and in this case the company would have saved a good deal of money had the custom been followed. It was thought possible by the officers of the "Servia" last night that rather than remain here so long to complete re-pairs the high pressure and low-pressure engines would be disconnected and the "Servia" taken to England for full repairs under the low-pressure system.