The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-16
EACH WENT BY HIS OWN ROUTE
PASSENGER on THE NORMA Al
MOST FORESAW DISASTER.

The Yacht Picked Up in the Red Sea
by a British Cruiser, But Was Lost
Again-Started out in 1896 to Go
Around the World. Hut She Was
Unfit for the Trip-A Woman From
North Carolina AbOard-Yacht's
Captain Left Her.
Washington, March 16.-United States
Consul Cunningham. at Alden, Arabia,
reports to the state department that the
commander of II. NJ. S. Brisko has picked
up, but lost again, small American
yacht or schooner, after towing her about
200 to $50 miles in the western part of
the Red sea.
There was afterward rough weather, and
1t was believed to be possible that the
yacht had gone aground somewhere, as
she was much overdue. Her name was
unknown but the British officer said
she had aboard a man from New York
named Weaver.
The consul, on Feb. %, received a cable
gram from one Percival, at Colombo, Cey-
Ion, asking for news of the yacht Norma.
Started Around the world.
New York, March 15.-The American
yacht referred to in the dispatch from
Washington as having been picked up
and lost again in the western part of the
Red sea by the British cruiser Brisko, is
undoubtedly~the old racing schooner Nor
ma, designed by A. Cary 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 writ
ing up" foreign countries and photograph
ing picturesque scenes.
X. A. Norris, a Nova Scotian, was given
charge of the Norma, and she hoisted the
nag of the Atlantic Yacht Club and sail
ed on her long voyage on Nov. 2, 1896.
The party on board the Norma. In addI-
ton TO Mr.. N. j. Weaver, a New Eng
lander, who engineered the scheme, CON
sisted of Mrs. c. C. Collins of Green's
boro, N. c., DR.. T. A. Worrell of North
east Indiana. A. G, Danforth, Jr., of ST.
Louis; Harry P. Taber of Buffalo ". Y.
and w. P. Newcome.
Not Fit to Make Such a Trip.
The Norma reached Fayal, Azores.
about March IS. At the time the Norma
sailed from New York statements were
published to the effect that from the point
of view of expert sailors the schooner
was not exactly fitted for her trip around
the world. II was said that she looked
more fit to sail in a regatta than to en-
counter an Atlantic gale. Her storm sails
were reported to be few In number, and il
was added that she had only a main
storm sail to bend If IL blew hard
one of the passengers on the Norma Is
reported to have said TO a reporter on
Oct. 10. 1896:
Each of us goes to hades our own road.
and darn the expense"
Capt Norris is understood to have left
the Norma before she sailed. and 1t is pre-
summed that his reason for doing so was
that he did not believe her to be equal TO
the task of fighting her way around the
world.
The Yachts Itinerary
When the schooner sailed her itinerary
was roughly as follows: She was to touch
at Baltimore, Charleston and JacksonviIle
thence to the Bermudas and Azores Is
lands, and thence to Cadlz and Tangier
through the Straits of Gibraltar to the
Balaerlc Islands, Corsica and SARDINIA
The Adriatic Sea was next to be visited
and the Norma was then to cruise around
the coast of Greece and the Aegean sea,
the Bosphorus, the Black sea- Southern
Russia, Asia Minor, Egypt and Tunis. the
north coast 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 on the habitable globe.
The Norma Is a wooden schooner OF
about IS tons. She is 105 feet inches long
over all, and 50 feet inches on the water
line. She has q feet inches beam. and
draws II feet inches of water. N. J.
Weaver is registered as her owner.
The Norma Was MT Norfolk.
Norfolk, Va, March 15.-Late in 1896 or
early in 1897 the yacht Norma touched
at Norfolk. Here she got In trouble and
was lbelled for repairs and for provisions
furnished. She was released, the matter
fixed up, and after a couple of weeks
delay the yacht proceeded.
Commodore Weaver married a lady from
Suffolk, and Mrs. Weaver was, at the
time the yacht was here. a passenger
aboard her.
Subscriptions were taken for a book of
art and descriptive writing by the news
paper men in the party, which was TO be
delivered through the American News
Company. Whether or not this contract
was carried out is not known
Numbers of newspaper men were enter
tanned aboard the Norma, and the papers
at the time were filled with sensational
accounts of the commodore's affairs and
the yachts experiences.
New York, March ia dispatch to the