Posted inAviation Engineering Maritime & Naval History Travelers' Tales

“Sea Flea” Begins Its Hop to Spain Preliminary to Trip Across Atlantic

Illustration of the Sea Flea from popular Mechanics magazine 1928, captioned "It Won't Sink If It Lands on Water: the "Sea Flea" for Transatlantic Flights"

By the Associated Press.

MARSEILLE, France, May 13.

M. de Gasenko, French aviator, accompanied by Mechanician Bion, left Marseille at 9 o’clock this morning in his water glider, the Sea Flea, for Barcelona, Spain, and Oran, Algeria. The weather was unfavorable but the apparatus worked satisfactorily.

If the voyage is successful, de Gasenko will continue to Dakar, West Africa, and then across the South Atlantic to Buenos Aires. The aviators hoped to arrive at Barcelona within two hours and to reach Oran this evening.

Posted inMaritime & Naval History Natural World Ship Histories

Gallant Captain Saves Ship From Volcano’s Wrath

The St. Lucia correspondent of the New York Journal sends a graphic interview with the captain of the steamship Roddam, which was the only vessel saved when the awful visitation fell upon St. Pierre.

He states that they had only recently arrived, and that they still had steam up though the vessel was anchored. Then he describes the catastrophe :

“A burning mass thrown up by the volcano struck my steamer broadside. The shock was so terrible that it nearly capsized the vessel, big as she is. On hearing the awful explosion that had preceded the shock to ourselves, and seeing what looked like a great wall of flame rapidly approaching us from the volcano, all of us on board sought shelter wherever it was possible to get away from the terrible hail which then began to fall around us.

Posted inMaritime & Naval History Shipwrecks & Nautical Disasters

Awful Steam-Boat Explosion

It is our melancholy duty to record the most fearful and fatal steam-boat explosion which has ever taken place on the waters of the Chesapeake. The Medora was just completed, and, preparatory to being turned out of the hands of the machinist, a number of persons were invited to go in her on an experimental trip. The day being pleasant, it is supposed that probably 100 or more were on board, including some of the directors of the steam-boat company and their friends, and a number of the hands engaged in finishing the vessel, putting in the machinery, &c., and otherwise connected with the construction or sailing of the boat.

Posted inDaily News Labor & Unions Maritime & Naval History

British Strike May Affect Big Tourist Service On Atlantic

New York, May 3.—(AP)—Disruption of what promises to be a record trans-Atlantic tourist service may result if the general strike in England, scheduled to go into effect at midnight, extends through the month of May, shipping line officials and representatives of British seamen said here tonight.

Estimates of the number of tourists going to Europe this summer based on advance bookings, reach as high as a half million persons.

Bookings have been so heavy that several of the larger lines are already sailing ships on an average of one a day.

Posted inDaily News Maritime & Naval History True Crime

Serious Insubordination on American Clipper

LONDON, April 24—The American clipper-ship Sovereign of the Seas, Warner, of New York, from Melbourne, reports that a serious affray occurred on board during the passage from Melbourne, arising from the insubordination of some of the crew, who are at present confined on board in irons.

On the 17th March, the ship on the Equator, long. 32, a quarrel took place between two of the steerage passengers, of whom there were seventy-six on board, and one of the crew. The mate interfered, and ordered the seaman on deck, but he refused, and became abusive, when he was put into irons by direction of the captain. After the lapse of about fifteen or twenty minutes, all the crew mustered aft, and demanded of the captain the immediate release of the man, an Englishman, or they said they would take the ship from him, amid loud murmurings and threats. Previously, it should be mentioned, reports had reached the captain of a contemplated attack to seize the ship.

Posted inDaily News Maritime & Naval History

Norseman Sails for America in 40-Foot Vessel Patterned After Viking’s Boat

Viking Replica of Leif Ericson ship, August 12, 1926 (Source: Naval History and Heritage Command)

BY BJORN BUNKHOLDT.

By cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.

OSLO. April 27.—A new viking voyage across the Atlantic has been started by Capt. Folgeroe of Sandnessjoen, who, after careful studies, built a viking ship, which is a copy in every respect of the viking ships of old—from beautiful curved stern and stem to exquisitely carved dragons’ heads alongside. The ship is 40 feet long and 13 feet wide.

Capt. Kolgeroe’s aim is “to fly the colors of Norway at the Philadelphia exposition.” The hearty send-off he was given shows that he is backed by the entire nation, although economic conditions prevented official representation of Norway at the Philadelphia Sesquicentennial.

Posted inDaily News Maritime & Naval History Transportation

British Syndicate To Acquire Control Of White Star Line

New York April 23.—(AP)—The famous White Star fleet of trans-Atlantic liners, including one of the world’s largest ships, the Majestic, probably will pass to the control of British interests, who have submitted an offer for the line to the International Mercantile Marine corporation. The transaction, it is understood. will involve approximately $35,000,000 and will eventually place the White Star ships under the operation of the Cunard Line, although the Furness-Withy interests also were reported to be bidders.

Directors of the Marine Corporation considered the offer today, but J. H. Thomas, vice president, announced after the meeting that there were no developments which called for comment.

Posted inDaily News Maritime & Naval History

12 Sailors Hurt On Submarine S-49

After Battery Blows Up While Charging at Her New London Berth.

By the Associated Press.

NEW LONDON. Conn.. April 20.—Twelve men, members of the S-49, which was moored at a dock at the submarine base, were injured this morning when the after battery in the submersible exploded. All the men were taken to the base hospital. One man may die.

The submarine, which returned from the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Portsmouth, N. H., two weeks ago, had been moored at her berth and her battery was under process of being charged throughout the night. Escaping gas fumes are believed to have been the cause of the explosion.