The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-09-01
AMERICAN ship
A WORLD BEATER

ing IN the morning sun the American
ship Erskine NJ. Phelps, champion
wind-jammer of the world swung a.
round Diamond Head yesterday morn
ing and in to the finish OF her long
voyage from Philadelphia to this port.
One hundred and ten days were re-
quired to make the passage which is
not up to the Phelps own record but
| is considerably better than most of her
rivals can do. Captain Graham is a
| remarka bic seaman and has reputa-
ton for getting there when other cap
| tains are telling how they We're delay
| ed by storms and Gains. One after
| the other the sailing records of the
world are being added to the already
flong list in the cabin of the Phelps I'M
| til Americans should be proud of the
triumphs that Captain Graham and his
good ship have achieved for the Amer
lean merchant navy.
The story of the ships building and
career is full of interest. She was de-
signed by Arthur Sewall, the Maine
shipbuilder who ran for vice-president
on the ticket with Bryan in 1896 and
was built in his yards in 1898. The.
Phelps was the first big steel ship to
be built entirely of American materi-
ais. An English designer was brought
over and after some time produced
wooden model of a very bluff bowed
ship with a square stern. This he
left on the table in the draughtin;y room
while he went out for his supper Dur
ing; his absence Sewall and his son
sauntered into the room and CHANGED
to see the model. The old man picked
it up and squinted along its awkward
lines and then burst out with. sThun-
der, Sam, we can't build thing like
that. Why, she won't get out of her
own wayi''
CHANGING around the room the mill
1ionaire shipbuilder spied the mallet
and chisel with which the Enghshman
had been at work and siezing them
proceeded to slice off big pieces of
the model aronad the bow and stern.
Then he looked at it critically and
split off some more. After several at
tacks on the block of wood he said
with approval, well I guess that will
do AT this juncture the eminent
English designer put in an appearance
and when he saw what had been done
his wrath knew no bounds. why
he protested, 81 had designed a boat
that would have been great cargo
carrier ant a fair sailer'' Well" re-
piled Sewan, never mind if she don't
carry so much cargo, I want boat
that will 60 1 guess that model win
do now The eminent designer de-
parted for his native heaths in high
dudgeon and the world-beater was
built on the lines cut by Sewalfs
chiseI
Some of the remarkable records
made by this remarkable ship are of
interest. Not only do they surpass the
performances of every other ship
af1oat but in many cases they rival the
of steam freighters, The voy-
age from Norfolk to Ombay Straits, |
which are between the Indian and Pa
ciic oceans was accomplished in 76 |
lays, an average for the entire voy- |
age of 200 miles per day. Shortly after |
his performance the ship made the |
from New York to Batavia, |
lava, in so days. During this voyage,
n the Indian Ocean the Phelps made |
IN average of $50 miles per day for
wenty-six consecutive days. During |
his period the longest days run was
90 miles and the shortest 200 a record |
which is little short of marvellous. The
passage from Batavia to Talta,. Chile,
vas accomplished in SO days, an aver
lge of 200 miles per day. The Norfolk
honolulu record. 81 days, is also held
~ the Phelps. All the records given
ire the worlds records for the trips
famed.
Last year the ship left this port
hirty-ive days after the Dirigo. her
lister ship. and arrived at Delaware
only one hour after her.
IN this trip the Phelps left Philadel-
,hia three days after the Dirfgo left
Jew York. On the fourteenth day out
he overhauled her and passed her.
,aptain Graham says that the Dirigo is
he hardest antagonist he has met.
IN July u the Phelps sighted the FIVE
nasted German ship Potosi bound in
he same direction. The Potosi has a
equation for being one of the fast
st ships afioat So her defeat was a
Instinct feather in the cap Of the
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