The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-11-17

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the reins Of power without break for twenty
years TO come.
THO Americas Yacht Race AGREES sAe At
laatso.
The public interest In the approaching yacht
race from New York TO the Isle Of Wight APP
pears to be steadily increasing. The newspA-
pers discuss II every day and the people talk
and argue about II atall their places Of resort.
Two questions In regard to the race now az
tract the most general attention. The first Is
whether tho owner will 60 with their yachts,
and the second Is whether any other yachts be-
sides the Fleetwing, Vesta and Henrietta are
to be permitted TO enter The arguments upon
both sides Of these questions are certainly very
strong. II is very truly said, on the one hand. that
the race WAS arranged between three private
gentlemen, who consequently have the right TO
settle ell the details; but it IL just as truly as
serted, on the other hand, that such an ocean
race is . national affair, involving our national
reputation, and that it ought to he so con-
Quoted in every way a. to reflect credit upon
the country. Both sides thus being in the
right, it would seem that the whole matter
ought to be turned over TO that honorable
member Of Congress who SPARED of with him
self" for further elucidstion; but we think
that, upon candid consideration Of the whole
subject, all differences of opinion may be har
monized.
In regard to the first question, contempo-
rary takes the ground that the yacht owners
ought certainly to sail in their own boats.
'In sight of society, and, indeed, Of the law"
it argues, ian American yacht is something
more than continuance for amusing Its owner
or enabling him 10 win money. The conces-
sions which discriminate q yacht from trading
schooner require of the owner that he should
bear in mind the credit Of the flag which he is
permitted TO carry and the interests Of the
nation which grants him certain and valuable
claim upon the hospitality and the respect OF
other nations. As the conditions of the pro-
jected ocean race between three yachts OF the
New York squadron are now known and un-
derstood, it must be admitted that the intended
contest bears a much closer resemblance to
The raindrop wagers Of the fribbles Of the time
Vi OcOTk0 Ii duV W tuC Uctb VI tuc OutCuOIU VI
Yorkshire than is quite becoming" In this
view our contemporary proceeds TO term the
ocean race "a merely personal and sordid COM
petition" 20 merely vulgar contest for pecu-
MARY prize" and "a scramble for sixty
thousand dollars All this criticism strikes
us as too severe. The gentlemen who origi-
mated the race certainly deserve gentler treat
ment than this. To say that their object is
merely to win money Is quite absurd. We
must remember that they could have bet upon
q raindrop, or the proves Of q butcher, or the
chances Of game, had that sort Of speculation
been their only motive. They arranged an ocean
yacht race because Of their pride in American
yachting, and the money, which is only an
incidental feature, Ia to be used 10 defray their
expenses or etaked against the best English
yachts by the winner Of this race. Under
these circumstances, therefore, We adhere to
our former opinion, that whether or not the
owners shall go with their boats is a matter
for them to decide. December is a stormy
month, pleas of business and family duty are
often imperative, and people who do not intend
to sail in yacht races ought not TO attempt to
decide whether other people shall cross the
ocean in mid-winter.
Upon the second point we are able TO agree
with our contemporary better. There really
appears to be no reason why any yacht now
belonging TO the New York Yacht Club should
not be allowed to sail In the race, except the
very obvious reason that only three yachts
were included In the original agreement The
owners Of the vesta, Fleetwing and Henrietta
met and arranged the race, and no other yacht
was taken In because no other yacht owner
proposed to join in the contest. But now
after all the preliminsries are completed, 1t ID
stated that the owners OF other yachts, and
particularly Of L'Hirondelle, are anxious to be
represented in this great American contest
The difficulty Is that, In order 10 admit
these gentlemen, new arrangement would
have TO be made and the whole sub
ject reopened. Just ~ some gentlemen
desire more than three yachts TO sail, 80 other
gentlemen might suggesta different month for
the start, and others still might wish to in
crease or decrease the amount Of the wager.
Here would be ample room for z year Of de-
bate, and the race might be Indefinitely post
poned. The public has been too recently dis
appointed In the expected meteoric shower TO
have much patience with such procrastination,
and 1t Is as well to sail the race promptly with
the yachts already entered. This is the argu-
mcnt Of many leading yachtsmen, and II has it,
weight; but we think that II IL OVERCOME by
the national phase which the contest has AS
sumed and BY the fact that every yachtsmsn
ought TO wish 10 see the best boats entered, 70
that the best yacht may win. n LEIirondelle
has beaten the other three yachts, 30 much the
better for our national reputation, since the
winner Of this race IL 10 challenge the British
squadron, and should be able 10 beat the fastest