The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-09-30
Capt. Andrews and Bride to
Attempt 10 Cross The Atlantic
IN A DIMINUrIvE sAIlBOAL.
Expect 10 Csmplsts the Journey 10 Two
Months, aaa Then TO Make Fortune Ex.
hIhltlng Craft and Themselves.

Atlantic City. n. j.. Sept. 3o--Death or
q fortune Is involved I'm the daring ocean
voyage that Captain William Andrews
and his bride of few weeks will begin
today. Both realize the perils that await
them In their lonely. long and dangerous
voyage across 5000 miles of sea In their
I3ls-foot boat. sloop rugged.
Their only object In hazarding their
lives is the fortune they expect to realize
from exhibitions of the boat and them
selves II they should successfully COM
plete the trip
The craft In which they are going to
trust their faith is a novelty in its appear
ance-sharp at both ends and broadened
I'm the middle out OF all ordinary propor-
ton. IL has no resemblance 10 a boat
IN the accepted ideas Of the lines which
should govern the construction OF a sea-
going craft.
The bottom is fat and the sides straight
up and down The mast f. short and
the boom long.
IL Is built on plans furnished by Cap
tain Andrews. ana every seaman here
who has looked at IL declares that II will
Captain Andrews only smiles. and his
wife simply says she has confidence in her
husbands judgment and experience. He
has named. the craft the Dark Secret She
Is painted black and Is constructed of
half-inch cedar and covered with canvas
800 pounds of lead are fastenend TO her
keel, 10 keep her from turning over and
10 right her when she Is struck by a
sea Besides. there is a considerable
quantity OF ballast 10 keep her well in the
water.
WANTS ALL TO SEE.
I've will start in the afternoon" Cap
tain Andrews said, "if the weather be
fair. that no one who wants 10 see us
start shall be disappointed. Our sole OBJ
ject is TO break all records In crossing the
ocean I'm the smallest boat that was ever
put 20 the test. Our course will lie IN the
trade routes. headed for ,ythe Azores
There we will take on provisions for the
run to Palos. Spain. which will be the
end Of the journey. IL is the port from
which Columbus started.
II count on six weeks getting TO the
Azores and three weeks in going 10
Spain We may be two months in making
the entire journey. We are not trying 10
break speed record
''It is our intention TO let our friends
hear from us at sea by throwing bottles
overheard with messages In them stating
where We are and telling the incidents OF
the Journey"
Mrs. Andrews. who was married about
six weeks ago 10 the captain, Is a profes-
sionl nurse. She has determined TO link
her fate with that % her husbands Her
relatives, who reside at Pleasantvile
tried TO dissuade her from attempting the
trip. but In vain. They are coming here
20 bid the Dark Secret bon voyage. Speak
ing of the lourney. she said;
mo. am not I'm the least afraid The
boat seems safe enough Their is not
much room. but we will manage 10 en-
dure the discomfort. When we land on
the other eide | Intend to return. after
having rnade the trip In the smallest boat
in the largest steamer that makes the
transatlantic voyage.
WIFE PACKED THE STORES.
Mrs Andrews supervised the packing
away OF the stores in he cramped space
Speaking OF her clothing she said.
only room lor two suits. One of these
! will wear, the other ! will have packed
away In a tin box TO prevent IL from
getting wet or damp. For use about the
boat intend 10 wear boomers. The rea-
son for their selection is that they will
allow me 10 move around In the con-
fined quarters with moro freedom. There
will be a suit OF oil skins for myself and
the captain.
There will be more stores than
we will use in the time IN which we ex-
pect 20 make the journey. The most
space will be taken up with the a. gallons
OF water We must have.
"They arc packed with excelsior under
the false bottom and in the stern. In
addition we will take one case OF canned
soups two bottles Of matted tablets. some
whiskey, two dozen cans Of condensed
milk. four dozen cans Of baked beans,
et4e-d dozen cans each OF boned turkey and
chicken. one dozen cans OF corned beef.
two gallons OF breakfast food in bottles.
tea. coffee. sugar. salt, some butter and
spices and 80 pounds or so Of ships bis
cult
There will be agate tableware and a
few kitchen things A small alcohol lamp
will serve for the galley purposes II we
run short OF stores we may get help from
passing vessels"
Captain Andrews intends TO carry a
pair OF oars strapped TO the deck. the
American flag. small anchor and fifty
fathoms OF cable and compass and
quadrant. For pleasure he will have a
pipe and five pounds OF tobacco.
The Dark Secret IL decked all over ex-
cept the cockpit and that Is closed by
means OF sliding hatches The cockpit Is
about Is inches wide. the boat itself hav-
ing a width OF FIVE feet and two feet In
depth The cockpit will Just permit one
person lying In II comfortably. Mrs. An
drews Il TO learn how 10 steer and sail, as
this r. her first venture on the water.
and husband and wife viii take turns az
the helm
Captain Andrews Is So years old and a
piano maker by trade. His home is I'm
New England He made his first journey
IN small boat across the ocean IN ISIS.
again In 1901 and In 1904 In 1895 he ala not
complete his trip. being picked up, ex-
hausted at sea by a passing vessel.