The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-17
A NOTED YACHT MISSING
The NOrna Supposed to
Be Wrecked.
LOST IN THE RED SEA
In Tow by a British Steamer, bnt Lost
Sight of Just Before a Storm-Not
since Heard of-On a Three Years
Cruise Around the world With a
Pleasure Party on Board One Of the
Party is a Lady From Greensboro,

Washington, March 15.-United
States Consul Cunningham at Alden,
Arabia, reports to the state depart
ment that the commander of her maj
esty's ship Brisko has picked up, but
lost again, a small American yacht or
schooner after towing her about 250
miles il the western part of the Red
sea. There was afterwards rough
weather and it was believed to be pos
sible that the yacht had gone aground
somewhere, as she was much overdue.
Her name was unknown, r. the Brit
ish officer said she had aboard a man
from New York named Weaver. The
consul on February 22nd received a
cablegram from one Percival at Colon
bo, Ceylon, asking for news of the
yacht Norma.
New York, March 15.-The Ameri-
can yacht referred to in the dispatch
from Washington as having been pick
ed up and lost again in the western
part of the Red sea by the British
cruiser Brisko. is undoubtedly the old
racing schooner Norma, designed by
A. Carry Smith in 1888 and at one time
known as one of the "wettest' yachts
in the New York yacht squadron.
In October 1896 the Norma was fitted
out for a cruise around the world, her
passengers having the intention Of
writing up foreign countries and
photographing picturesque scenes.
R. A. Morris, Nova Scotian, was
given charge of the Norma. She hoist
ED Vie flag of the Atlantic Yacht Club
and sailed on her long voyage on No
vember 2, 1896. The party on board
the Norma, in addition to Mr.. N. j.
Weaver, a New Englander, who engi-
neered the scheme, consisted of Mrs. G.
C. Collins, of Greensboro, N. c.; DR.. T.
A. Worrall, of Northeast, Indiana; A.
c. Danforth, Jr, of ST. Louis, Mo-;
Harry P Taber, of Buffalo, N. Y. and
K. P. Newcome.
At the time the Norma sailed from
New York statements were published
to the effect that from the point of view
Of an expert sailor the schooner was
not exactly fitted for her trip around
the world
One of the passengers on the Norma
is reported to have said to a reporter
on October 10, 1896: Each Of us goes
to hades our own road, and darn the
expense"
Captain Morris is understood to have
left the Norma before she sailed and it
is presumed that his reason for doing
so was that he did not believe her % be
equal to the task of fighting her way
around the world.
When the schooner sailed her timer
ary was, roughly as following: She
was to touch at Baltimore, Charleston
and Jacksonville thence to the Bermu-
DIS and Azores islands and thence to
Cadiz and Tangier, through the straits
of Gibraltar to the Balearic islands,
Corsica and Sardinia. The Adriatic
sea was next to be visited and the Nor
ma was then to cruise around the coast
Of Greece to the Aegean sea, the Bos-
phorus, the Black sea, Southern Rus
sia, Asia Minor, Egypt and Tunis, the
north east Of Africa, the Cape Of Good
Hope, Madagascar, the Indian ocean.
the Gulf of Alden, the Arabian sea,
Ceylon, Sumatra, Java, Australia, the
South Sea islands, China, Japan and
nearly every other place Of the habi-
table globe
The Norma is wooden schooner OF
about eighty-five tons. She is 105 feet,
inches long over all and 95 feet in
ches on the water line. She has Fl
feet, 7 inches beam and draws IL feet,
inches of water. n. ]. Weaver is reg
istered as her owner.