The ship was abandoned because the water had flooded the boilers and they could not be re-lit to get steam up to pump the water out.When the repair welding had been done, the boilers were then re-lit successfully even though no water had been pumped out.There was a brief mention of a standby diesel engine but apparently this did not offer pumping capabilities.
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The mail they were carrying soaked up enough of the water.
Maybe.
There was power for the pumps as there was power for the arc welder and the lights. They didn't use steam to run the pumps nor was the electrical generator powered by the steam engines.
KS
There was a clear mention of two pump systems. The "sumps" (presumably, alternatively powered e.g. diesel) could not "keep up with" the flooding.
Implied with the repair conversation is that the forward speed and maneuvering exacerbated the flooding, so being dead in the water may have lowered the intake of water, hence the ship didn't sink or capsize during the couple hours of repair work.
And as the seam is filled, the incoming water rate is reduced, and the smaller pumps get a handle on it, eventually pumping out more than is coming in. As soon as the water is below the boilers, they can try to relight them, and carry out. The conversation was short, but the stoker standing in lower water than when they went out looks through the inspection ports and confirms that they are not flooded before being ordered to relight.