The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-05-06
A PERILOUS LAUNCH.

that moment will not attempt to describe
A PERILOUS LAUNCH
The Yacht Norma Almost Capsizcd nj Her
Christening.
New York Times.l
Several hundred people visited Poillon's
sbip-vards, Brooklyn, Saturday afternoon,
10 see MIR. Norman l.. Munro's steam yacht
Norma launched. BY o'clock the deck
of the vessel. "a she lay on the ways ready
"a have the blocks knocked from under
her. was well filled by friends OF Mr.. Munro
and Mr.. Poillon, the majority of them being
ladies and Young girls, friends OF Miss
Norma l.. Munro. who was to cbriSten tne
Yacht. A handsome lunch had been lana
| in the saloon. and geld and silver necked
champagne bottles mounted guard on the
table over salads and boned chickens that
were destined never to be eaten. Al $50
o'clock the tide served, and the blows OF
the hammers notified those who were wan
derinp about the yard admiring the boat
lines 10 get aboard. At 3:4j O'Clock the
Yacht began slowly to start down the WAYS,
and gradually gained Roadway, amid the
cheers of those on board and on shore ana
the screaming OF the tug-boat whistles III
the river. Miss Norma Munro stood in the
how. and yainly tried TO break the bottle
Of pommeroy sec. with which she was to
christen her namesake. At last Mr. Munro
took the bottle himself, and rs the yacht was
lust dipping into the water he raised IL high
| In dash il against the rail. when the straw
covering slipped off and the bottle fell on
the ways and broke there, not drop falling
on the yacht. This was seen by an OLD
sailor. who. giving a low whistle, turned
away, Struggling his shoulders. He would
ONLY say when asked what the matter was !:
ITS onIucky."
The Norma reached the water in safety.
and giided gracefully out for about her own
length, when, without an instants warn
ing. she heeled over to starboard, and the
people on shore gave gasp as they saw
her whole keel from stem to stern above
water. and all the paSsengers-men, wo-
men. and children-with banched faces
rushing ND to the port side. She righted
again, however, and it was thought
| that her exploit was only due to the
strength OF the tide " trippng" her a.
she got of the ways. She heeled over a
second time. however. and TO port. and
th,s time she went so far that her rail was
entirely under water, and the people rush
ed TO starboard This movement heeled
her over again. and she lay on her beam
ends. with $50 people, none of them
sailors or accustomed TO ships, eX-
pecting every moment that she would
| turn completely over. There was hardly a
scream or cry heard, however, and but one
woman tainted, and she recovered in q
moment. Lying on her side with her rail
under water. the yacht driited up the East
river with the flood tide. \ number OF
| tug-boats. seeing the miShap, started To her
assistance, took off the frightened people,
and lowed the Yacht into a dock at the foot
| of HUDSON avenue, and then took the peO-
pie back to Poillon'S yard. As the tugs
reached the wharf their passengers lost no
time i'm getting ashore, and though they had
all kept up bravely until they felt them
selves on dry ground, the reaction was too
much for some OF them, aud two tainted,
while others were hysterical, and Others
again were so weak that they were obliged
to sit down and rest before leaving the
yard.
| Mr.. w. +. Grove. who was one OF the
guests OF Mr.. Poilon. said, As he tried to
wiring the salt water out OF a pair OF very
tight trousers: II have been on the last
launch I'm going on. When the Norma
careened the second time pile OF lumber
that lay amidships was sent flying over 10
IeeWard, and | went with it, but il got TO
the bulwark netting first and tore II hole
through it, and then | started. of course
invountarily, to 90 through the hole feet
| first. and did get a far aS my knees in the
water when the yacht went over to star
board again, and ] came out OF the hole
| like cork on: OF bottle Mrs. Norman
| l.. Munro, the wife Of the owner, showed
great courage. aud even declined TO " give
up the ship" when the other people went
on the tugs, but stayed on board with her
daughter and husband until the yacht was
tied up 10 the dock.
The cause Of the accident was very sim
pie. The Norma did not have her engines
in nor any coal, her only ballast being about
two tons OF lead. instead Of the 40 or 30 tons
she will have when she COOS into commits
sion. The weight Of the 200 people on
deck made her tOp-heayy and she was
bound to tip. The PORTFOLIOS were all
closed tight, or, as she lay on her side, the
water would have poured into the lee blge
and sunk her before she could have been
brought ashore. Among those who parti-
clpated D this exceptional launch were
Miss Chase, Miss Perkins, Mr.. w. f..
Grove, Miss Gardiner, Mr.. j. 5. Sinner,
Mr.. and Mrs Norman l.. Munro, Miss Nor
ma l.. Munro, Mr.. and Mrs. Hubble. Master
Hubble. Mr. and Mrs. Powell. Miss Ed
wards. Mr.. and Mrs. Lynch, and the Misses
Lynch.