The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-25
MOTOR BOAT WINS
OVER HEAVY SEAS
six-Day Battle Ends in Victory
for Staunch Craft Nicely
Handled.

The motorboat Berneyo. owned by
S. W. Cranberry. of Newark, N. j., left
Norfolk Va. on Thursday. December
8, bound for Bermuda. The weather
was fair and continued so on Friday,
when Cape Henry was passed in a
moderate sea and northeast wind. and
there was no Indication of the terrific
gale to be encountered On Saturday.
December 10, the wind had shifted
10 the southwest and heavy seas were
beating upon the little ship with in
creaslng fury. Towards noon a ire
mendous sea boarded her, and for If
teen seconds the Berneyo was com
pletely buried. until IT seemed to those
on board that she could not possibly
recover. The ships boat was torn
from ts lashings and the man at the
Wheel was picked up bodily and hurled
across the deck and against the life
boat, which had lodged against-th Ber-
neyo's ran.
The crew labored hesoically to heave
the boat to. and were finally success
ful With broken cabin windows and
havoc from stem to stern, the little
shtp lay 70 the storm for six hours.
facing what seemed must be destruc-
ton. Captain Cranberry finally de-
clded to run before the gale. and the
engine was started. The engineers
were under battered down matches,
their faith pinned to the little piece
of machinery that was TO either pull
them through or fail. Some idea OF
the awful ordeal is gained from the
TACT that not a soul on board had a
mouthful of food or drink from Sat
urday until Tuesday.
More Peril Encountered.
on sunday, December II. the boat
was again hove TO for nearly nine
hours. Late in the day the engine was
started and kept running until the
again heave to on Monday afternoon
December p. On Tue/lay the Ber-
neyo ran four hours all told Captain
Cranberry, who had made an estimate
of the amount of fuel remaining in
the tanks, found that this would only
allow for about thirty hours steady
running. 1t was decided to drop the
sea anchor until more favorable wealth
taken. as the boats exact position was
not known
Early Monday morning the sertant had
been smashed, and one huge wave had
at tho same time tbrowinr Captain Wclton
and Mate Campb-' against the rail. where
they saved themselves by cutching the ris-
cling; Mcdonald was given UP for lost. when
another wave washed him back toward the
boat and he was able to grasp the rigging
and cling there until hauled aboard. on
picked up, and signals were made 10 attract
her attention. torch OF waste soaked in
kerosene. was fastened TO the end OF
broomstick, but although tho steamer hove
to- she apparently could not understand the
fantastical light dancing on the breast of
tho seas. She made of with speed but the
Berneyo the winner OF tho Philadelphia
Havana race was after her with greater
speed, and the steamer was soon overtaken.
Captain CRANBERRY got his bearings from
the frightened crew, who thought that the
little boat with the waviue streak of light
was some new evil afta= them. The Ber-
neyo with htty-sx miles north, half-east
|of Bermuda, and course was at once laid
for st. Georges. which was made al go Thurs
day morning. December 10. The staunchness
OF the boat and the reliability of the ma
c1inery alone carried the boat and crew
through the five and onc-half days of peril.
Captain John Welton. Mate George Camp
bell. Engineer William Soden and Quarter.
masters John r. Mcdonald and H. Ralyea
returned TO New York on the Bermudian.
arriving Monday December 10.
The trip recalls the passage OF Lewis
Nixon's ninety-foot motorboat Gregory from
New York to sevastopol Russia in the wins
ter OF 1866. and the two crews experiences
off Bermuda are almost Identical, and are
OF special interest at this time. when
transatlantic race for next summer is pro-
iected.