The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-18
ANDREws's PHANTOM SHIP.
A Small Craft That Braved the Sea
for Thirty-FOur Days.
Washington Times.

Washington Times.
after having dared the terrors of the
in my little cocklesheil. without having
tasted a mOuthful of warm food or drink
during that time ard with what provisions
/ had on hand modify and unfit to eat,
had reached that stage where nothing but
the best of weather and fair winds would
save me and none but the Lord could"
These were the words of Capt. William
A. Andrews. inventor and navigator of
the thirteen-foot canvas-covered folding
boat, Phantom Ship as he stood on the
deck of the German bark Fiede at Phila-
delphia.
Captain Andrews in his tiny craft, left
Atlantic city in August last with the
avOwed intention of crossing the Atlantic
and visiting the Paris exposition in 1900
and for the purpose of showing. that men
of modern days can discount in another
of many lines the great achievements of the
past.
AT that time throngs of pleasure-seekers
curiousy watched the preparations being
made for the perilous trip and wondered
If such a tiny shell could successfully ac-
compliSh the work cut out for her. Captain
Andrews was deluged with many queries.
such as Where do you sleep?" and How
can you breathe and carry enough 70 eatY
Aren't you afraid?" while many remarked
Why she looks like coffin But the
captain was confident of his ability to reach
his destination having made four previous
trips of a like nature successfully.
On Aug. "A, every detail having been
completed the tiny boat. with but one
soul on board himself the captain. him
w,
ocean, set out on her perilous voyage.
That start had been scheduled for noon
of that day. but was postponed until ,
p: m, owing to the storm which preValled
all day. At that hour. although it was
still Storming, Captain Andrews decided
to sail, and with confident wave of his
hand to the assembled crowd. stepped In
to the boat and with the remark: Il will
get there" put to sea.
Later developments however show that
for once Captain Andrews reckoned with
out his host. as he was forced to abandon
his expedition when within $50 miles of the
Azore islands, after being thirty-four days
at sea in the September gales. This was
however. through fault If his for he
went as far as conditions would permit, and
disappointed, but not disheartened, reached
Philadelphia in time to enjoy the peace
In speaking of his experience, Captain
Andrews stated that If the boat had been
constructed according to his own instruc-
tions. and good material had been used he
would undoubtedly have accomplished his
purpose. From the day he set sail the craft
leaked badly and often as much as twenty
four buckets of water would he bail from
it in a day. The leaking of the boat wet his
provisions. causing them TO sour and mold,
thus rendering them unfit for food. In addi-
ton the lack of proper paints on the boat
he said, permitted barnacleS to form more
rapidly, which greatly retarded his prog
ress.
During the entire Nnirty-four days he en-
countered rough weather and spoke but
three ships prior TO sighting the Friede
From the first week he was out the captain
was obliged to throw away his stores. on
Sept. 4. when in latitude IS north and longi-
tude 60 west he sighted and spoke the
whaling brig Canton, Captain Gretchen. of
New Bedford. To use Captain Andrews's
own words After / spoke the Canton her
captain gave me a bucket of water and
big war talk. He was anxious for old news
papers so that he might read of General
Blanco and the progress our Nation was
making in doing the Dons.
Save for stormy veal her and failure TO
sight or speak any vessels. the voyage
was without note until Sept 26.
ION that dav." said the captain. Il
found that OF all my provisions l had but
six pounds of crackers, three cans of
corned beef and three cans of salmon
left The crackers had nodded into paste
in the bottom of the tins. and / had no
means of drying them as the wind would
put out the only light had, small spirit
lamp. The moisture had rusted the tins of
the corned beef and salmon, causing the
contents 10 swell and sour. THESE conditions
did not warrant rislxing life by going farther.