New-York tribune., 1891-03-01

,ate in the summer she taken TO Wilmington
Del and in the yards Of Pusey d. Jones made over
into q steam yacht for the last illfaed voyage i"o
distinctive feature of Captain Nortons nfeoOa0 System
is the use OF double bottom and water 0aIlast III 'D
Norton the double bottom divided into SIX ballast
commandments living ON each side Of the keel. and eX
tending around the bends. Each twenty-six inches
deep and FIVE feet fore and aft. made OF G,INah%eu
iron framed in and cemented. Into these IaIhs VI
ballast compartments, through hole IN each cioSe "
the keel, waer rushed when the BOAT was lauhClleu
the ali being forced into the upper part Oi inc c"
her and compressed and permitted 10 escape by auto
matte valves having openings on the deck. ABOVE ''c
ballast chambers hcrmciicaly sealed ar chambers
extending from foot below the watcrllne 10 inc uech'
Captain Norton maintained that the water was cus
toned against the air and greatly Increased inc iElh
action of the vessel. The Norton's ballast thceoFo
consisted Of water eight tons Of 1t. but while IN s
Of equilibrium weighed nothing as she noa'su o IT,
The effect os tho system was 70 make inc OOu' no't
on her inner bottom ard sail on the outer Inc -'o'
t,n's cabin floor was wa;ertiZht with buiGheso %
each end Consequently the bottom Of the ve'sei anu
zach end might be stove IN and the cabin remain dry
In ris condition her enthusiastic owner malH'dIhed
she could sail Thousands Of miles In safety ,.uo
Early in November preparations lo' ueP'T'io VIZ
completed and the Norton, anchored on S'"'en i''''
attracted much attention. but the weather on oahuS
,ooL as vcry rough 50 it was determined 10 trans
t the Norton TO New-London and make that Place the
point Of departure . rio
- WAS there myself said Secretary Wilson to Inc
Trbunes reporter, and never saw Captain HoF'"" III
better spirits, lie had determined 10 take ms Wiie
and niece with him. and such was his faith IN MS tis
craft that he declared he took lis fanny DecaSe He
wanted to know they were safe. The captain went
down uv rail on Saturday bid goodby TO his son.
boy Of sixteen, in school at Greenwich ana al '"'
sunday the Norton lay at New-London visited ana eA-
amncd and discussed by NcwLondon shippers VINO
shook their heads doubtfuy, and but for othef sue
ccssful trips would have seriously oouDVeu V"o "'
blity OF this
.Nondav The day OF departure, was a beautlinl NO
yemlar day: not an arrangement was incomplete
The supplies on board were eight tons Of COAL o"e
ton lasting three days. $50 gallons Of water ana pro
vision, for ten people thirty-hvc days Captain tran'
els L. Norton himself commanded the little vessel MS
passengers being Mrs. Norton and their niece, MISS
Anna Rckaby. sixteen years old. The others on ooaii
were the engineer, Moneels, and an assistant s1i-
ins master and two swedish scamen, a steward ana
cabin.boy About O'Clock waved farewell 10
the little vessel as she headed down the Thames III
sight OF a large crowd. What has happened o'hcc inc
stanch little craft put to sea concluded Mr. Wilson,
sadly, "no knows. Captain Norton Inquired ahat
he could readily progress 200 miles DAY. and by
putting into the Azores repensh his coal and 'heh
proceed to the Mediterranean and his destination Tou-
lon.7
Tins the little craft sailed away into the mysterious
keeping Of the ocean, and nothing has since been hcaid
had been sighted Of Agiers but investigation proved
the report be tho nimsest of Iumors. Inquiries
have been made at foreign maritime exchanges, ana
the state Department has sent Out circulars T. Ihcl
States Consuls but III with result. Nothing mas
been Of the Norton Fayal or st. Michac!s IN
the Azores The letter Of credit which the captain
took With him is still undrs~n.
The fact aay as we'll be faced said Secretary
Wilson, that tae vcssci is probably lost Copta!n
Norton was Gae sailor, his crew were trusty, ana
his vessel was not only wonderfully stanch but
equipped U.;h every appliance fOr safety, but the
little vessel Vas not cyc0nG-pro0i, aaa she may nave
run into a Storm Of unusual ssve.tN. ABOUT l"~'
time incOmSg vessels reported violent storms raging
over the Atlantc, and fear that the Norton
raR into some sach storm aud was completely
destroyed. can only repeat tlist we know noihHs
about II, but Inc Norton. weighted with steam h&tuies
and cargo was far lcSs able 10 Gght cyclone t"ai
She when fitted simply with sails she wea'hefed
tile gale OIL Hattei4s. s hard added Mr. wilson.
TO face an unwecomc tIuth. but in this case ieas
We mEst.'
There is one loyal soul IN Captain NoftohS cdl'
ploy however, who refuses TO give h friend and en-
p!oyer up for lost. At the Offices Of the HieDost
Construction company lie labors pacdly DAY arc,
usy, sercnely cOnhdsni that some day the dOoi VIII
ope and his old friend will walk In fresh from some
"'S and strange adventure ,.,
They are all pessimists but me- be said quietly
~Ihe Tribune reporter. They don't know the cap