The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-12
OLD CONVICT SHIP
ENDS STAY HERE
Turnstilc Records Show That
4S,5o0 People Boarded Her
in Richmond.
BOUND FOR SAN FRANCISCO
Captain Smith Will Take Ancient
Hulk to Big Exposition
on Coast.

After she has throbbed to the tramp
/ here. the old British convict ship Sue
cess will start tomorrow morning on
her long journey to tho Pacific Coast.
| where she will be exhibited at the
! Panama Exposition. The ship will
! leave the dock at the foot OF Eigh
| teenth Street on high tide this after.
/ noon at $3.50 o'clock, and will rest at
! the City Dock until she proceeds down
the river to Norfolk in convoy of a tug
! to he sent for her by the Clark Tow
beat Company. She will go into dry
| dock at Newport News to be repaired
and fitted with n now copper bottom.
preparatory to her hazardous trip at
! sea.
During her stay IN Richmond, the
/ old convict ship was visited by 4S,550
! people. On the Sunday before Christ
mas. Captain ID. Fl. Smith, owner. turn
| ed her over to the Community Christ
mas Tree committee, donating all the
| receipts TO the Christmas tree fund.
More than $500 was taken In that day.
Gnd every cent was given to the big
charity
! In Norfolk the Success was visited
! by 4S.36l people, and in New York
| stained decks, and marveled at the ter
rible relics OF torture and lnhumanity
| which were used on the criminals
once Imprisoned between her walls
TO stop in Jacksonville.
From here the Success will go first
, to Jacksonville Fla, from where she
Will gradually work her way to the
! Golden Gate To avoid as far as pos
sible the dangerous voyage around
Cape Hatteras known by all mariners
rs the graveyard of the Atlantic, Cap
| tain Smith will point the ships nose
! straight to the east and drive her 500
miles out to sea. SO far from land She
! will have plenty OF sea room, and may
! Re expected TO ride out the tcryibls
| winter storms that lash the Carolina
coast Otherwise. the ancient hulk
| would never live to get around Cane
| Hnttcras
! The Success is the oldest ship in all
! the world having celebrated her 1881
| birthday in Richmond Euil; as a Iner-
/ chairman for the East India trade, the
| Success was once one OF the proudest
| ships that ever set sail from British
port Later she was bought by the
british government, and was used as
a convict transport. In still later
years she was used as a prison ship,
until the world cried out Mt the muir
|
! and felons between her decks, when ali
ships Of her class wero sold by the
British government. with the proviso
that they he broken up and never sail
cd again.
| Scuttled in Melbourne.
The Success escaped being wreck ed
! through soIne techricality, but one
night while she was riding in the Mel
| bourne harbor, a gang of men, whose
! fathers had suffered pitiless torture in
her cells boarded and scuttled the an
, cient vessel. Captain Smith bought
aid raised her, sailed her 20 England.
! and then brought her to American
shores. 1t took him three months and
q day 10 cross tho Atlantic. She will
remain on this side until after the
! Panama Exposition
| Captain Smith, the owner said yes
terday that in all his travels, he never
visited 4 port where he was more cor
| daily. received tran in Richmond. lie
! said the same thing in speaking for his
crew. "aptnin Smith made hundreds OF
friends during his stay in this city.
Hundreds OF orphans, who were enter
tainod or the Success will never for
get his kindness.