New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-06
A TREASURE IN A TRAMP.
BOUGHT. RECONSTRUCTED. LIVED IN
AND NAvIGATED BY A WOMAN.

AND NAvIGATED BY A WOMAN.
THE YACHT OF MISS SUSAN DE FOREST DAY MAY
PROVE THE PIONEER or NEW FASHION
A DEVELOPMENT or THE HoUsEBoAT
IpEA-A -FOUR STORY HOME AFLoAT
Captain Jabez c. Norton. the skipper OF the yacht
scythian has received orders from the owner MISS
Susan de Forest Day. to have the yacht reaoy io'
ocean cruising He had the craft down the Bay
yesterday testing compasses 1t Is understoou
that she will leave for Bermuda soon
few years ago the idea OF the housepoat fouho
great favor on large barges or sauare-ehdea
freight scows bought for song were buiit sum
mer cottages commodlous and airy That coniu DC
moved about from place TO place ana mooreu u"
the pleasantos spots. Miss Day improved on 'ni'
She got comparatively cheap craft that couio
travel to any part OF the world. and then CON
verified II into n womGn's home. whether auuih6
an unnumbered house to a Venetian street or an
chored of the Ydiz Kiosk. this craft - Always
home II is built Of thick steel. is as strong as
the Sandy Hook Igh,ship and can Ride IN the
worst storm that ever blew.
She has made n floating art gallery out OF a
tramp steamer. In Miss Days boat the walls OF
the staircases are lined with pictures, some OF
which arc quite old There n lot OF Durer 3
studies. and her collection OF wa'er-colors Is con-
tnually increasing Spacious old Dutch hrepiaces
provide a CHEEKY and companlohabIe baze III thc
larger living rooms. The antique lronwork ana
Dutch tiles Of these frcpaces are highly orna-
mental.
The whole character OF the craft was changed
and rendered more yachty when the unmistakaoie
low waist of the tramp steamer was bull; up with
decks and Lighthouses. But the chief interest docs
not lie in the bluffness OF those bows. that would
knock a cork mile before they'd hit II. nor IN
any outside part of the vessel. The s'ythsn's
charm is in its showing just what woman "ouid
do with a large vessel when the interior was 10 oe
designed to suit herself With the exception OF
the outside shell of steel. this may DO called
new boat All the rooms for sleeping dining. read
ing and for general gatherings, etc. were designed
by Miss Day herself with the skill OF profess
sonal draughtsman This craft has probably four
times wardrobe room and bureau-ura"eF
storage room than any yacht In American waters.
For instance in the two guest chambers at the
foot of the after companionway. which are calied
the pink room and tho blue ROOM, a line OF
bureau drawers extends for twenty feet or more.
the entire length Of each apartment You DON'T
see this entering. because a lght-nowered cur
tanning hides the handles Of ali the drawers ON
top it Is "a long dressing table twenty rect III
length. with the Powered material fued on It, ana
a little mahogany buwark along the outside edge
to keep things from rolling on in a seaway. The
hundred and twerty different uniforms OF the Ger
man Emperor could here he slowed away COM
pletcly out of sight. The fun outfit Of a woman
Of fashion. ball dresses and all could so Disappear
that II would take a search warrant TO ma them'
and each of these rooms Is the same. .,
Close by n large bathroom and another
guests room. and back of the companiorway Is
tho library, not intended for q slttlns-rooin, pu'
simply to hold the shelves Of books. which sur
round the compartment and extend TO the cclllng.
This little den Is OF the most interesting parts
owner a wide range in literature will mere have
TO by dealt with There is ono set Of about thirty
ton ancient and modern The works OF Darwin
and Huxley seem 10 be on easy terms win New-
M on
to Faith and Aids 10 Navigation" supply good
ieeeta Dew ESTABLISHMENT Of 5 Europe. WITH The SINH
lar work by Lecky, and with Emerson. M3caGlay
research beyond the ordinary noyel-reading OF tho
day. And the books showed the marks of usage.
They were not in the uniform leather and gold OF
the ready-rsde library and It was difficult to
understand. i've minutes view Of the books.
But the femininiy, Of the scyihIan comes to the
front more markedly in ne BIZ linen cupDoarI:
IS marked with exquisitey worked monogram,
system OF curves and whirgigs. making letters
which may be easier guessed at than read
The owners rooms are forward. First comes
wIItb OF ibe sbS cxrep; narrow passase on
each side within the original buwnrHs. Next aft
ment adjoining the dining room where one OF the
CID Dutch 1repIaces is fitted across one corner.
upper deck, pIlot-kouse and bridge; and as she
has ed hG n out 5rouGm a pSh sflay ahd ef
probable that this staircase Was intended to be
on the lower deck are five guest chambers OF
good size. one or which is usually occupied by
MIS- be ca rs Mas ha RSa c han w 1t
t m lie as many any FII as the huge vessel
though. instead Of being 800 feet long the scythan
result OF good designing The scythian's 2lis foot
Of width, extends down ID feet below the surface.
and. with her Lighthouses she is really four
story house. tho lowest story holding chiefly coal
The rooms Of Captain J9bez c; Norton are In
the forward deckhouse. which also contains the
piothouse. chartroom. smok!ng-room. etc. In tho
''sociaI hall" from which stairs lead down TO the
library and guest chambers. The Scythian carries
twenty-four DAYS steamlns-about ono hundred q nd
twenty tons. Her best speed is eleven ana one
half KNOTS. and her ordinary cruising trot Is ten
knots an hour She has never met any weather in
which she could not make her 20 knots a day
coal!ng. Originally built FOR ocean iowlna as well
deck still indicates her former uses. The enor-
nous strength Of this kind OK vessel carries great
though not speedy. have the lifting power that
makes the Scythian dry boat IN heavy head
sea Tier Whter-tanks carry thirty-lve tons or
Probably other people will initiate Miss DAYS
methods. She may not be tho last. hut she was
The Scythlan has been provided with n new laubch
that Is quite unlike any other I'm this country. II
Is a short boa: looking all the shorter by reason
of It's great beam 1t is also Iifeboat, having air
brought TO a point. The shaft of the naphtha APP
ps9ratus works through the after compartment.
keeping the flying spray from the passengers looks
like those on the launches of the royal yachts.
This hood IS Oh galvanized iron frame and folds
down sidewise. while thu, hoods on the royal
launches raise fore and aft like the cover Of a
the same-short, deep and broad. II tho boat were
enamelled in blue. TO shine like Jewel. it could
and if It were blazoned here and there with ram
pant animals from the heraldlc menagerie any one
from the Victoria and Albert.