494 
It is a fact that intefnational racing for the America 
'Cup is barred to all save men of exceptional wealth, or 
to syndicates, from which defend us! In this country 
there are no men who possess, at the same time the 
taeans and the inclination to build a racing 90-iooter. It 
is true that Mr. W. K. Vanderbilt did build and run 
Defender in the last contest for the Cup, bearing prac- 
tically all of the expense, but this was purely a matter of 
■abstract patriotism"; apart from the generous financial aid 
<he has extended in this and similar cases, Mr. Vander- 
bilt has no interest in j^acht racing, and has never owned 
■a. sailing 3'acht. In Great Britain there are none among 
the true yachtsmen and devoted patrons of the sport who 
both can and will bnild a goft. challenger; and all the 
proposals made of late years have been based either on 
ignorance of the magnitude of the task or on a desire to 
Secure free advertising for business purposes. 
In these days, when fortunes boldly spent in placarding 
the virtues of some nostrum or alleged panacea bring 
back a return a hundred-fold, the America Cup is certain 
to be a shining mark. With a positive assurance of suc- 
cess, as either challenger or defender of the Cup, the 
fortunate owner of a brand of whisky, beer or cigars, pink 
pills, magnetic liver-pad, or "penny-dreadful" periodical, 
could well afford to build a racing 90-footer that would 
outdo Defender and Valkyrie III. in cost. Even though 
he did stop short of the extreme of parading his wares 
on the sails, the value of such an advertisement would 
be incalculalale. 
It is men of this class who are to be Eeared in inter- 
national yachting, as events plainly show; the men of 
true yachting and sporting spirit, who have graduated 
from the smaller classes after years of practical experi- 
ence, being barred by the 'excessive outlaj' and the ab- 
sence of any financial return, thus leaving the field free 
to those who can enter it purely as a promising business 
venture. 
Certainlj'^ no one imagines that the modern daily 
journal is run upon purely philanthropic and eleemos- 
ynary principles, for the free distribution of advertising 
in the interests of wealthy but deserving promoters and 
pillists; on the other hand, the highest possible value is 
placed upon each square inch of space. Let one of this 
gentry come forward, however, with the unsupported 
statement that he proposes to challenge for the America 
Cup, or that he has offered a preposterous figure for 
some famous yacht, and the astute and business-like 
editor throws open column after column, with bold head- 
lines, portrait of the challenger and of his yacht, not yet 
designed; list of clubs he is going to join, and details 
without end as to the source of his wealth and origin of 
■his title. 
A contest for the America Cup was never more needed 
on this side of the water than at the present time, when 
yachting in all save the small classes is in a state of ut- 
ter stagnation, with no relief in sight. We would ask 
nothing better for j^achting to-day 'than that the two dis- 
graceful episodes of the new Deed of Gift and its sequel, 
the deal with Lord Dunraven. and his subsequent con- 
duct, could be forgotten on both sides, and matters re- 
stored to the condition of 1885-6 and 7, when true yachts- 
men and sailormen, like Sir Richard Sutton, Lt. Henn 
and the Roj^al Clyde representatives, sailed for the Cup 
and took their defeat like men. 
Apart from other difficulties, however, there is no hope 
whatever of a renewal of racing in yachts of goft. l.w.l., 
or of anywhere near that size. Even with the certainty 
of winning, there are very few real yachtsmen to-day 
who can individually bear the expense of outbuilding De- 
fender and sailing a series of trial and international races; 
and when the chances of being again defeated are con- 
sidered, there is hardly the shadow of an inducement 
to theJBritish yachtsmen, from whom the initiative must 
of necessity come, to move for a renewal of international 
racing. 
The largest of the established classes in Great Britain 
to-day is that of 65ft. linear rating,_ giving a much larger 
and faster yacht than the old American 70-footer. Above 
this class there is no limit of size, save indirectly through 
the new time scale, and yachts of over 65ft. (Soft., goft.. 
looft.' etc.) make an open class with time allowance. 
There is no indication just now that a class as large as 
65ft. rating could be established and maintained per- 
manently in this country, though it would make an ad- 
mirable size, and it is an absolute certainty that the 
,goft. class can never be restored, save temporarily in 
isome emergency like the last, and even that is most un- 
llikely. 
Corinthian Fleet, Special Regatta. 
NEW ROCHELLE— LONG ISL.A.ND SOUND. 
Saturday, ^u^e JJ, 
The annual regatta of the Corinthian fleet of New 
Rochelle was scheduled for June 11, but as it was mani- 
festly impossible to secure any general turnout of the 
Sound fleet on that date it was decided to postpone the 
regatta, and give a special race for such classes as 
promised a reasonable number of entries. These were 
the 2oft. class, the 30ft. and 25ft. cabin cat classes, the 
knockabouts, two classes of open cats, and the new one- 
design dories. Saturday morning was very unpromising 
and disagreeable, cloudy, with a close atmosphere and 
light showers, with a Hght easterly wind. Though it 
cleared by noon, there was no wind at 2 P. M. to speak 
of. Shortly before 3 o'clock, however, a nice S.W. breeze 
came in, and with a clear sky and bright sunshine the 
weather was all that could be asked. The 30ft. catboat 
Kit was present, in the expectation of meetiuR- the new 
cat building for Mr. C. T. Pierce at City Island, but the 
latter was still on the ways, her mast having been stepped 
the same morning, she being over a month behind the 
promised date of completion, so that Kit had no compe- 
titor. 
In the 2oft. class were last year's Keneu and Akabo, a 
new Huntington boat, owned by Mr. Clark A. Miller, 
quite a different craft from Keneu and Skate. Instead of 
being circular, as in these two, the fore end is cut off 
square across on deck, the plank ends finishing on a 
vertical piece shaped like half of a barrel-head. The 
counter is quite wide, there is no sheer, and the deck is 
crowned considerably in the middle, sloping away in all 
directions. The peculiar nnner-rance of the boat is diffi- 
cult to describe without pictures. ^ 
In the knockabout class was Mongoose, awaiting 
Indianola, which latter boat was not in sight when the 
preparatory signal was given at 3 o'clock. Indianola had 
been delayed from time to time in leaving Boston and 
on the passage around, making a good part of the trip 
under jury rudder, and she only arrived at the line, with 
Mr. F. B. Jones at the stick, after the preparatory had 
sounded for her class, and in season to round up for 
the start. She is a new boat, designed by Crowninshield, 
and built by Eccles. of Nahant, designer and builder of 
Mongoose. The other knocl<abouts of the vicinity were 
racing with the class at Pelham Bay. The starters in the 
25ft. class of cats, Win or Lose and Why Not, are old 
boats, as are Sora and Minnetonka, and well known. 
Lark, in the 15ft. cat class, was designed and built last 
winter by her owner and Corinthian skipper, C. G. Davis, 
who sails her single-handed in the races. She is of the 
scow type so popular about New Rochelle, with flush 
deck, like Question. The Huguenot Y. C. was repre- 
sented by four of its new one-design dories, towed around 
from the club station by Com. Janes, who sailed one of 
them in the race. They are very handy little craft, with a 
picturesque rig; they sail quite fast for such small craft, 
and make a lively sight. 
The race was started off the mouth of Echo Bay, thence 
to the Hen and Chickens buoy and the Execution buoy, 
a four-mile triangle, the dories sailing a smaller triangle 
inside. Owing to the delay in waiting tor wind, but two 
rounds were sailed, the tsft. cat class sailing but one. 
The start was made in a lively breeze, the yachts going 
away well on the reach to first mark. Indianola, though 
at the line only at the last moment, made a good start in- 
side of Mongoose, to windward. The windward work 
was all on the second leg, with a reach in. On the- wind 
Mongoose easily passed Indianola, but at the end of the 
round her balloon jib was allowed to get overboard just 
as she was in close quarters with Why Not in the jibe 
at the mark, causing her quite a delay. She won easily 
from Indianola; it must be said, however, that while 
Mongoose is in her second season and in good condition, 
Mr. Hazen Morse, who is sailing her, having handled 
her for some time, Indianola is entirely new, not yet in 
form, and unknown to her skipper. The official times 
were : 
Open .Sloops— 20ft. Class— Staft, 3:05. 
Elapsed. Corrected. 
Akabo, Clark A. Miller 1 33 08 
Keneu, Montgomery Clark 1 40 41 
Cabin Cat.':— 25Et. Class— Start, 3:10, 
Win or Lose. J. R. Appleby ,...1 43 40 1 41 36 
Why Not, Henry Rohlff 1 50 40 1 50 40 
Knockabouts— 21ft. Waterline — Start, 3:15. 
Mongoose, Simeon Ford 1 40 09 
Indianola, C. R. Alberger 1 44 2G 
Open Catboats— 20ft. Class— Start, 3:25. 
Sora, William Iloey 1 59 52 1 58 22 
Minnetonka, A. B. Alley 2 01 51 2 01 51 
Open Cats— IS-ft. Class— Start, 3:25. 
Lark, C. G. Davis 1 08 46 
Laura Lee, F. S. Ray 1 16 35 
Special Class Dories — Start, 3:20. 
Prize, H. E. Tanes 1 22 02 
Tern, W. B. Greeley 1 27 45 
Harry, T. De W'itt Scoville 1 27 58 
Ketch II., L. C. Ketchum 1 28 58 
Mongoose wins one leg for the Dewar cup, to be won 
twice; Akabo. Win or Lose, Sora, Lark and Price each 
win a club prize. The chairman of the Race Committee, 
W. Irvine Zeraga. was absent, owing to a previous en- 
gagement oft' Guantanamo, his place being taken by J. 
W. Sparkman. The Race Committee, Messrs. O. H. 
Chellborg, W. P. Stephens and J. W. Sjparkman, started 
and timed the yachts from Mr. Chellborg's "'knockabout 
destroyer" Ida. The flagship of the Corinthian fleet this 
year is the historic old cutter Volante, Com. Sweet, de- 
signed hj Robert Center for Messrs. Hitchcock in 1S77. 
She was under way during the race, the same staunch and 
comfortable craft as when she was a novelty as one 
of the first American cutters. 
The Steam Yacht American* 
With a lavish display of bunting, Archibald Watt's 
steel steam yacht American was successfully launched 
yesterday afternoon from the yard of the Jonson En- 
gineering and Foundry Works, foot of East iiSth street. 
The element of luck was very much in evidence, for 
the ways on the port side of the yacht were insecurely 
braced, and spread as the craft rushed toward her ele- 
ment For a few minutes the water was full of flying 
timbers, but fortunately no damage was done. 
The unusually flat floor of the yacht and the momen- 
tum she had attained carried her quickly out into clear 
water, although she heeled over considerably before she 
was completely waterborne. 
In addition to this insecure bracing of the ways, there 
was no line leading from her stern to warp her around 
when in the stream, and the tugs which were depended 
upon to check her headway were so tardy that she drifted 
almost over to the flats on Randall's Island and let go 
an anchor before they took charge of her and brought 
her alongside the piles where she was finally made 
fast. 
Nearly one thousand guests of Commodore Watt were 
in the yard when the signal to wedge up was given, and 
numerous opinions were advanced as lu the merits of 
the yacht as compared with other pleasure vessels that 
have been recently launched. 
She is an American production throughout, being built 
of American material, by American workmen and chris- 
tened with a bottle of AiTier,ican champagne, that rested 
in voluminous ribbons of red, white and blue._ 
As she appeared on the cradle the impression created 
.was that of strength and seaAvorthy qualities rather than 
speed and the usual sharp rakish lines of the average 
steam yacht. Her clipper bow, which will be finished 
with a long bowsprit and jibboom, is almost a straight 
line, and carried to the turn of the forefoot at an angle 
of about forty-five degrees. Her entrance is too rounded 
to admit of great speed, her floors are almost flat at the 
midship section, and the turn of her bilges are as full 
as those of the average ocean freight steamer. Her run 
is somewhat finer than the lines forward of the midship 
section, and the screws lead from channels under either 
quarter far enough away from the rudder post to work 
in solid water. Broad bilge keels extend nearly two- 
thirds of her length to keep her from rolling in a seaway, 
and. as a whole she will doubtless exhibit great stability. 
The yacht is the only pleasure craft flying the American 
flag that has three square rigged masts, with their accom- 
panying sails for an auxiliary power, and only one other 
yacht in the world — the Valhalla, now owned by the 
Count de Castellane — is a full rigged ship. The primary 
motive power of Mr. Watt's yacht includes two specially 
designed engines of 1,600 H. P. each, and steam will be 
supplied from four up-to-date water tube boilers. Her 
owner expects to develop a speed of fifteen knots with 
steam alone. 
The accommodations are sufficient to satisfy the most 
fastidious, and the interior arrangements have been care- 
fully planned by Mr. Watt, whose pencil designed the en- 
tire craft from keel to truck. She will be decorated and 
upholstered in the most lavish style, while the comfort 
of the crew and officers has also been arranged in a 
satisfactory manner. Above the high bulwarks, which 
are surrounded by a polished mahogany rail, are two 
deck houses, the forward one being very large. Its roof 
forms the bridge deck, from which the vessel will be 
steered. 
Mrs. Watt, wife of the owner, shattered the bottle of 
champagne across the forefoot of the craft as she began 
to move toward the water, and at the same instant a mili- 
tary band, which had been stationed near the platform, 
began to play "My Country, 'Tis of Thee." Hats were 
waved, and until the craft was brought up by her anchor 
there were volleys of cheers, and the ladies displayed 
their entlitisiasm by waving handkerchiefs and parasols. 
A collation was served afterward in the mould loft. 
The dimensions of the new yacht are: Length over all, 
254ft.; length on water line, 200ft.; moulded beam, 34ft. 
6in., and draft, 12ft. 6in. — New York Herald, June 9. 
The Seawanhaka Knockabout Race. 
The race of the Seawanhaka knockabout class to New 
London and return promises to be one of the interesting 
events of the early season. The arrangements are as 
follows: Prizes — Commodore Rouse has offered the fol- 
lowing prizes for this cruise for the Seawanhaka knock- 
about class: First prize, value $150; second prize, $100; 
third prize (provided 15 or more yachts start), $50. These 
three prizes will be awarded according to the cumulative 
time for all the runs of the cruise: First prizes for daily 
runs from port to port, each $40; second prizes for daily 
runs from port to port (provided 20 or more yachts 
start), each $20. 
The prizes are now on exhibition at the Oyster Bay 
club house. 
All yachts in the Seawanhaka knockabout class, 
whether owned by members of the club or others, are 
eligible to participate in this cruise. While the formal 
racing for prizes will be confined to this class, all yachts 
belonging to the club are invited to make the cruise. 
Rendezvous. — As directed by the commodore in the 
accompanjdng General Order No. 3, the rendezvous will 
take place at Seawanhaka Harbor, Oyster Bay, on 
Saturday, June 18. and in the afternoon of that day a race 
of the series for the Benedict prizes will be sailed. 
At the meeting of captains, on the flagship, on Sun- 
day afternoon, details of the runs to New London will 
be decided upon and the necessary regulations an- 
nounced. 
Subject to change, the following is the probable pro- 
gramme: Mondaj-, June 20 — Run from Oyster Bay to 
Morris Cove, anchoring off the Yale-Corinthian Yacht 
Club. Tuesday, June 21 — Run from Morris Cove to New 
London. Wednesday and Thursday, June 22 and 23— 
The squadron will lie at anchor at incw London to af- 
ford an opportunity of seeing the Yale-Harvard-Corneli 
boat races. Friday and Saturday, June 24 and 25 — Re- 
turn runs to Oyster Bay. 
A tug will accompany the squadron for its protection 
and to insure prompt arrival at New London. 
In view of the value and character of the prizes offered 
and of the interest attaching to a visit to New London 
at the time of the college boat races, it is confidently ex- 
pected that not less than fifteen knockabouts will start. 
Should there be less than ten, however, the committee 
reserve the right to modify this programme, as they tuay 
think proper. AH captains, and especially captains of 
the knockabouts, intending to participate in the cruise, 
are requested to notify the secretary of the committee at 
their earliest convenience, 
OLIVER E. CROMWELL, Chairman, 
C. W. WETMORE, 
W. C. KERR, 
D. Le ROY DRESSER, 
C. A. SHERMAN, Secretary, 
Race Coitittiittee. 
General Orders No. 3. On Board Flagship Iroquois, 
S. C. Y. C, Seawanhaka Harbor, June 10, 1898. 
I. All knockabouts entered for the racing cruise to 
New London, and accompanying yachts, will rendezvous 
at the club anchorage in Seawanhaka Harbor, Oyster 
Bay, on Saturday, June 18. 
II. At five o'clock on Sunday afternoon, Jiune 1(3, a 
meeting of captains of knockabouts, and all other yachts 
intending to accompany the squadron to New London, 
will be held on board the flagship, when the hour of 
starting for the run to Morris Cove on Monday, Jime 
20, will be determined. 
III. Regulations to govern the daily runs will be an- 
nounced by the Race Committee. 
By order of Commodore ROUSE. 
H. L= SATTERLEE, Fleet Captain. 
Detroit Y. C 
DETROIT — LAKE ST. d.-VIR. 
VVednesday yune 1. 
The Detroit Y. C. sailed a race of the catboat series on 
June I in a light breeze and rpin, the times being: 
Eirst Race. 
Boat Start. Finish. Elapsed. 
2.. William Moebs 3 51 16 4 33 10 0 41 54 
4...\. C. Kramer 3 51 13 4 34 30 0 43 18 
3 W Granger 3 50 15 4 34 26 0 44 11 
l.'.'C. F. Crowlev 3 51 10 4 35 25 0 44 15 
5..C. E. Mussey 3 5117 Disqualified. 
Second Race. 
4 M A Kramer- 5 04 56 5 52 00 0 47 04 
2' A Wendell 5 04 05 5 53 10 0 49 05 
3"V Field 5 03 29 5 53 20 0 49 51 
5.'.'m'. Smedley* 5 04 27 5-54 20 
1..E. B. Wendell* 5 03 55 5 53 40 
* Disqualified. 
