Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-06-25
PERILOUS VOYAGE.
TWO ADVENTURES TO CROSS TIE OCEAN
IN MERE SHBLLS
DESCRIPTIONS Of the Two Crsas-How the Trip
Will Be- Made, and the Preparations
f1r tie Same.

lor. OF the dOry Sea Serpent, sailed yes
day from the ocean pier Winthrop on
their race TO Lands End England, for
q purse Of $4,000 They didn't con-
tinue their voyage, however. Captain
Lawlor is at Marblehead with the Sea
Serpent awaiting pleasant weather,
while Captain Andrews returned in
the Mermaid 10 the starting point this
morning, where be will also remain until
he has fair wind and sunny skies. 1t
IA the desire Of these doughty navi-
gators TO get off the banks in the pleas
ATTEST sort Of weather to avoid Icing
run down by the ocean greyhounds and
fishing vessels. After that, blow high,
blow low, they say they do not care.
Trey expect 70 make the voyage In so
days.
The preparations for'thiS race have
been watched with the keeneSt interest;
as many people believe it will be the
last ever heard Of the men. The pro-
iect Is not the hallucinuEiOn Of deceased
minds. Both mel went cody TO work
preparing for trip which may cost
them their lives, and, strange TO say,
az n calmly calculating all the chances
against them, are confident OF success
fully accomplishing IL.
The voyage is not simply for pleas
ure; 10 means great deal more to these
men who are willing to sacrifice the
comforts and enjoymentS Of home TO
brave the numberless hardships ana
dangers Of the deep. II successful, 1t
will benefit both Of them greatly in
financial way Both Of them have
crossed the ocean before in small boats.
Another thing that greatly adds to the
interest in this remarkable voyage Is
the fact that il is 10 be Il race for a
silver cupand $1,000.
One of the men is well-knOwn as Skip
per Andrews Of Nautilus and Dark Sc
cret fame, and he will intrust his life to
the seaworthy qualities OF the little craft
Mermaid.
Captain William A. Andrews was
horn near Manchester-by the-Sea in
1s43. He always had love for the sea,
and IN un0uenchable thirst for adven-
ture. Accordingly, IN 1873, he and his
brother Walter had boat built called
the Nautilus, in which they were TO at
tempt the crossing of the Atlantic from
City Point 20 MuliyOn Cove, Land 5 End.
The boat was but 10 feet over all 10
feet on keel, feet s. inches beam, and ,
feet deep. The voyage proved success
ful, and after a trip OF - days they ar
rived at their destination. This was the
smallest boat that had ever crossed the
ocean.
In 1sss the ''sea fever" again took
hold of him, and, although his brother
Walter had died, he determined on again
attempting TO cross the ocean, this time
alone. in a still smaller boat, and keel
one at that, the Nautilus being center
board and dOry built The second lit
tie boat he called the Dark Secret. She
was - feet over all, - feet on keel, )
feet beam and . feet inches deep.
After battling for 81 days with rough
weather, bad winds, and with water
logged boat, he determined to give II
ND. when about 1000 miles, or about
half way across. he signaled the Nor
weQian bark Nor, bound for New York,
and was taken aboard with his boat.
The Mermaid is IL feet long, 12-fOOt
keel, ; feet wide, feet deep, and when
ready for sea will have draught OF
foot. She Is built of half-inch white
cedar over one-inch oak ribs, sharp al
both ends and decked over, excepting
the cockpit, and is without any rail.
She is nat-bOttOmed, with center
board. and is painted black on top-SideS,
with copper paint below the water-line,
brown on deck aud lead color inbOard,
and is decorated with gilt stripe near
the top. She has three thin wooden
bulkheads-one forward of the mast,
one aft Of the center-board and the
other aft Of the cockpit. She has abSo-
lutely no air-tight compartments or cork
Innings.
The cockpit Is six feet long and two
feet wide, and will serve as the only
cabin or sleeping apartment. 1t IS
decked over feet inches, and pro-
vided With an ingenious sliding hatch
that will ordinarily shed the water and
still allow good ventilation inside. On
either side of the cockpit is cupboard
for general StOwage, and on either side
OF the center-bOard compartment for
stores. Under the floor of the cockpit
will be about 800 pounds Of stone bal
last. All the stores will be kept in the
boxes. and the water tanks will be filed
with salt water when empty.
Josiah Warren Lawlor was born in
Chelsea, Mass, in 1854, and was son
of the veteran naval architect, ID. j.
Lawlor. He has had q most adventur-
Gus and romantic life. He was, when
child, paSsionately fond OF the water,
and is to this day. Captain LawlOr
has been TO New Zealand, China, Aus
tralia, around the Cape OF Good Hope
four times and around Cape Horn four
times. He has been mate OF ship and
skipper OF fore-aud-aft vessels, IS well
as being boatkeeper on pilot boats for
many years.
His boat bears the striking yet appro-
pirate name Of Sea Serpent. She Is
painted white, with gilt trimmings on
ton sides. and Is br0nzed below the water
line. She Is as widely different in de-
sign and build as she Is In color from
the Mermaid She is q regular little
model Of architectural skill, aud ought
TO prove a StaUnch, Seaworthy craft.
She is IA feet 11i6 inches over all, 13
feet > inches keel, 5 feet beam and , feet
deep. with 1913 inches sheer. She has
a rocker keel made from a solid piece of
oak. Her timherS are OF white oak, the
spaces down each way from midShipS
being :, 9, 10, IL aud - inches. She is
planked with hali-inch cedar, each
plank running the entire length. She
is all fastened with brass or copper the
only iron work about her below her
anchor.
Her deck, which IS flush, is planked
with half inch pine, covered with can
vas and painted She carries, bOlted TO
her keel amidships, 800 pounds Of lead.
She Is also provided with two metal air
tight compartments, one forward and
one-ait. capable of buOying up COO or