The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-04-27
Towing The Caravels.

voyage of discovery, the REgta- and
Nina, were built by MeA& Frank
Park and Miguel Cordona, an Barcelo
ma, Spain, for the United States gov
eminent, under an act of appropriation
passed at the first session of the Fifty
second Congress. Their construction,
from the most authentic plans and de-
scriptions that could be procured, was
supervised by Lieutensnt William
McC. Little, U. s. N. The Pintd is
of about no tons and the Nina about
100 tons displacement The two cost
about $4,000 as they left the con.
tractors hands.
They were towed to Cadz and
Huelva, Spain, by the United States
gunboat Bennington, and took part in
the Columbus festivities at the latter
place, October 10, 1892. They were
regularly commissioned as vessels of
the United States navy, and two COM
missioned line officers with ten men
were assigned to each from the crews
Of the United States cruiser Neaodrk
and the gunboat Bennington. While
lying at Cadiz their sailing qualities
we're tried, and, after some necessary
alterations we're made in their steering
arrangement, they we're fitted out for
their voyage across the Atlantic.
On February IS, 1893, the United
States cruiser Ne7oayk, flagship of
Rear-Admiral A. E. K. Benham, U. S.
NJ, took the Nina in tow, and in
company with the United States gun
boat Bennington, with the PiRtd, teft
Cadiz. "Buen viaje" pheasant voyage)
wishes we're signalled from the Spanish
flagship PdleyO, anchored in the har-
Dor. Lieutenant Thomas B. Howard,
U. S. N, was in charge of the Pinta,
and Lieutenant John c. Colwell, U. S.
NJ, with Ensign Charles A. Brand, U.
S. NJ, was in charge of the Nina.
The first day out from Cadiz a
strong southeasterly wind was encoun.
tered, which caused short choppy sea
that seemed to exactly fit the caravels,
but had little effect on the larger YES
sells. The small vessels bobbed around
like corks, with very quick uncertain
motion, much to the discomfort of
theircrews. This lasted for one day only,
when indications of the northeast,
trade winds were met with, as had been
expected On February 22d the fleet
anchoreS off Las Palmas, Grand Canary
Island, and it being Washington's birth
day, the vessels were dressed with the
national colors, and a national salute was
fired at noon, couple of small Spanish
gunboats assisting in the ceremonies.
Here the Ne10ark and Bennington
filled up with coal and water, and on
February 18TH they again set sail, with
their respective charges in tow. The
course was set for the island of St.
Thomas, Danish West Indies, thus
following a course little more south
erly than the one originally taken by
Columbus. Light irregular winds were
met with, the prevailing direction be.
ing from the northeast, but at times
coming from the northwest Several
sail were sighted. One, the American
ship 9ohn Mcdonald, of New York,
bound probably around the Horn,
changed her course and bore down to
get closer view Of what probably first
appeared to her as couple of derelicts,
or possibly pirates. During the night
before reaching St. Thomas a short
cboppy head sea was met with, which
carried away the head boom of the Nina
and made it necessary to reduce the sail
ing speed to about four knots per hour
On Sunday afternoon, March 18th,
St. Thomas was reached. The harbol
was crowded with vessels of all des
criptions, most of them having put in
on account of bad weather The first
appearance of the caravels created nc
little excitement, the suppositon being
that they were wrecks which had beer
picked up in mid-ocean. They were
soon surrounded by small boats of al
kinds, containing curious crowds o.
whites, blacks, and intermediate shade!
of humanity, making inquiries as tc
"what they were," "where FROM" anc
"where for" Several foreign men.of
war were in port. National and per
Sonal salutes and visits were exchanged
and all things together, as local pape
remarked the next day, "made a very
exciting Sunday afternoon, long to bt
remembered" Coal and water wer'
here again taken by the Ne7oayk anc
Bennington, and on March I4th, thu
vessels left for Havana.
The course taken was south of tn,
islands of Porto Rico and Haiti, VI
through the Windward Channel, ant
then along the north coast of Cub, ar
irving at Havana on the morning O
the 2Ist of March, and thus ending
what the writer believes to be the long
est tour in regard to time and distanc
on record. The total distances an,
time travelled were as follows:
Knots, Days. Hour
From Cadiz to Canary Isl. 7Io 20
From Canary Isl. to St.
Thomas ....,,,.....,. 2o4o IS 10
From St, Thomas to Havana 1900 c
Total .............. 1850 10
For the whole voyage this gives a
average speed of 7.8 knots per hou
Exceptionally fine towing weather wa
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