The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-17
AFLOAT, BUT NEVER SAILS.
Astonishing Life of Bayard Brown
of New York.
From the New York Press.


From the New York Press.
Mr.. Bayard Brown, not contented with
a reputation as the most remarkable her
nit in the world, has been getting his
name into the English papers again
through a recently contracted habit of
giving city halls and things to small Eng
lish towns.
McEvers Bayard Brown is a New York
man; a cousin of the Browns who COM
pose the firm of Brown Bros. of this city,
and an interested person in the firm of
Brown, Shipman & Co. of London. His
home is in a yacht anchored in Come, a
little river that comes down to the North
Sea on the Essex coast. Here this mil
lionaire hermit has lived for seven years.
He belongs to many clubs in New York,
but 20 no yacht club. His yacht is named
the Valfreia, and, although she has never
seen the shores of the United States, her
mailing port" as painted on her stern,
is New York. On this yacht Mr.. Brown
lives in sumptuous luxury. The yacht has
never been to sea since Mr.. Brown bought
her. 1t is now about nine years ago since
he started out for cruise around the
world in the yacht VaAfreia l. He hap
pened to go into Brightlingsea once for
repairs after a struggle with storm in
waterways and the ancient villages which
lie along that part of the English coast
and, anchoring his boat out in the stream
concluded to stay there for the rest of his
life.
Mr.. Browns New York address is No.
80 Nassau street. He is a lawyer there, OF
rather was. Mr.. Brown is member Oh
the Union, Knickerbockef, Tuxedo, Rid
ing and South Side Sportsmen's and of
the bar association Mr.. Browns old
home was at No. l West Twenty-first
street.
The first Valfrefa which Mr.. Brown took
into the Colne was not large enough for the
abode of an American millionaire, so he
sold her to the brother of the late car
more stanch steam yacht. Mr.. Brown
kept the name of Valfreia. however, and
refusing to sell 1t along with the old boat
transferred 1t to his new yacht. The
Valfreia III came into the mouth of the
Colne and the stores of Valfreia l were
transferred to her in midstream. The
only time she moves is when she swings
20 the tide.
For seven years the yacht has swung
there, and the people of the Essex coast
have made comfortable fortunes for the
boatmen of villages along the Colne by
hiring them TO go on TO the Valfreia. II
a widow loses a COW the first thing she
init on the Valfreia. She goes to the near
est boatman and pays him to row hei
out to the Valfreia. When she states ths
case to Mr.. Brown she generally goes
ashore again with twice or three times this
price of the cow The towns of Colches
ter and Brightlingsea were In need of pub
lie parks. Mr. Brown bought them fol
the villages and built town halls for one
or two neighboring places. He has also
seen to 1t that all the villages on the Es
sex coast have public Libraries wei
supplied with books On the Valferia hi
! has a remarkably well stocked library. Ii
the great saloon of the Valfreia, uphols
tered in plush and fitted with superbly
carved woodwork, Mr.. Brwon has a din
ing table where forty people can sit and
eat in comfort. Seldom does he have q
guest. however. Now and again a mar
comes from London and takes luncheon
with him. Then the man from Londor
goes back to the British metropolis with
sound financial advice
1t Is Mr. Browns chief delight to sit and
smoke and think while his yacht swings
idly at her anchor. To relieve the mo-
notony of this he plays practical jokes
upon his crew. He insists that every