Numerous tugboats, schooners, passenger liners, and cargo ships are seen in operation

Numerous tugboats, schooners, passenger liners, and cargo ships are seen in operation

In this photograph, numerous tugboats, schooners, passenger liners, and cargo ships are seen in operation. In the foreground is one of the U. S. Public health Service tugboats tied up at the dock. The U.S. Public Health Service quarantine tugboats or "boarding tugs" were well-known to travelers crossing into American waters during the 1930's through the 1970's. Incoming ships would report to the PHS tugboats any illness or sick passengers aboard. If there were any, a PHS physician officer would board the ship to assess the passenger and safely transport him or her to medical care. This was all in attempt to prevent unknown diseases abroad from entering the U.S. The steamboat MANDALAY can be seen just beyond the GLOVER. On May 28, 1938, the MANDALAY was run down in heavy fog by the liner SS ACADIA in lower New York harbor. MANDALAY sank but all of her 325 passengers were rescued by ACADIA. The sunken vessel had been built in 1899 as the New Haven Railroad train ferry 'Express'. At the time of her sinking she was being used to ferry party-goers from the Atlantic Highlands to a park at Red Bank, New Jersey. ACADIA had just cleared New York for a cruise to Bermuda.  After the gangways were moved, the ACADIA slowly backed off the damaged excursion vessel and MANDALAY sank to the bottom stern first, 1 mile north of Swinburne Island, east of Staten Island. Sparks shot from her smokestacks. From the time of the collision to the recorded time of her sinking, 10 minutes had passed. Only 10 minutes to off-load 325 passengers, and Mandalay’s crew – a monumental feat by any standards.In a "Titanic" moment, the orchestra in MANDALAY's ballroom played the ship's own song, "Dancing on the Mandalay", as the passengers crossed to ACADIA. The US Coast Guard Cutter ICARUS, patrol boats CG-176 and CG-135 as well as motor lifeboats from stations at Rockaway Point and Sandy Hook responded to a distress call after the collision of two vessels and transferred the rescued passengers ashore.