The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-19
TnE OCEAN YACHT RiCE.
Widely Differing Courses Of the Daunt-
less and Cambria.
The Cambria Forty Miles Nearer Sandy
Hook Than tho Dauntless at
Noon on tho 9th Inst.

AAo VdMOIAH CVICy muoo N0dAoA 0onuy
Hook Than tho Dauntless at
Noon on tho 9th Inst.
Exact Position Of tho Ewo Yachts
When Last Heard From.
The ocean yacht race Is now exciting good deal
Of interest as Its termination Is watched for with no
little anxiety Since the rival schooners sailed from
Old Kinsale Head, on the 4th instant, they have
been spoken but twice. as the public informed by
the Atlantic cable. 1t appears from the dispatches
that the Cambria was spoken by the steamer Sido-
man pound for Glasgow on the 9th instant at meri
dian In latitude "a deg 80 min. north, and longitude
20 dec. IS min. west.
THE CAMBRIA
was therefore considerably to the northward OF the
great circle course between Old Kinsals Head and
Cape Race, tho shortest distance between the two
coast lines. II will also DO seen By any one who
viii take tho trouble to examine the charts of the
Atlantic Ocean that the Cambria was exactly In the
steamship track OF vessels plying between this port
ana Glasgow.
Experienced and skiiful navigators. who have
carefully computed the OF the great circle be-
tween Old Kinsae Head and Cape Race, tx
min. So Sec, north, and, In determining
this point the set Of currents has been considered
the probable character Of the prevailing winds and
all those delicate influences which would be apt to
accelerate or retard the speed OF vessel relying
upon the winds for ner only motive power. 1t viii
thus be seen that the Cambria Is nearly three de.
qrees to northward Of the arc OF the great circle
upon which all navigators on this side OF
the water declare she should have sailed;
/ or, to speak with mathematical precision, the
| Cambria was, on the 9th day OF July,
at noon, 1872 miles to northward Of her best and
safest course A. TINS n.-,r~"s y Syitany I'M
to tell now tile Cambria reached that posi-
ton, which Dcais by compass nears west-norrhwess
from Old Kinsalo Head, the starting point Of the
rival scnooners. She may have stood pp to this
latitude and longitude me port tack close Anled.
in which event 1t were necessary to have the VIM
at least as far southeriy a. west-southwest, half
west, thus allowing the Cambria to sail within three
aud one-half points Of the wind.
Itwould be folly to suppose that the Cambria
tackled into any such position where she was re-
ported, and 1t must therefore be assumed that she
reached the point named by stretch to northward
But there Is phase OF this problem In navigation
that every one familiar with ocean courses will
readily recognize. 1t Is well known that the Gulf
Stream. which takes Wide circuit and
flows toward the western coast OF Iceland,
is q retarding force to all vessels trying
TO make way against IT, and the great
circle course alluded 70 above In manner gets rid
Of this otherwise insurmountable barrier to neet
sailing. That n0rtherly course is also pursued to
take advantage Of the westerly set OF currents to
northward OF the Gulf Stream, and 1t Is highly pro-
bable that the Cambria Ia the track reported. in
order to accelerate her speed by this means but 1t
Ia still o fact that she was, by nearly three
degrees, to nortnward Of the highest course
approached By expert men. Possibly she
may havc tackled ana sailed southery
and easterly course tho starb0ard tack,
shortly alter she was sighted, In order to decrease
her degrees OF latitude, or she may have stood on
her course, about west-northwest, with the inten.
ton Of lacking when much nearer the Atlantic sea.
coast
1t Is plain that the nearer the Cambria is to the
seacoast Of America ON her present course with the
winds remaining unchanged. the easier it will be for
her TO stand down to sandy Hook on the starboard
her navigator.
summed up the position Of the Cambria is I'M
doubtedly good from all that Is known at pre-
sent; but the fact still remains that she Is consdera-
by out OF her track OF course It Is impossible TO
day sighted, or what course she has shaped or her
position now II is enough and II Is strictly just 10
say that she has been %sn DOM, I1sr well:
was reported by the Devereaux bound from Charles.
ton for LverpOOl after nightfal on the 9Th inst
being in latitude 40 degrees IL minutes north, lOng
| tude 1S degrees west The telegram aid not give
her or the direction Of the wind but the lat
terly.
the longitude Of Fastnet Rock is degrees 80
minutes west. and the latitude 81 degrees "a min
| utes north, Fastnet Rock being fory.three miles
from Ola kinsale head. 1t will thus be seen that the
Danntless was l56 miles to southwark OF the parallel
! OF latitude from which she sailed. while the Cambria
| was 342 miles to nOrthward OF the Dauntiess. The
Dauntless was $50 miles to southwark OF the arc Of
But it must be borne in mind that the Dauntless
was spoken on the sth inst and the Cambria on the
in the night time Of the st inst. and We viii allow
at midnight. The Dauntess, 1t will appear from the
49, Rso ssS n o her
course sailed, though Il she tackled she actually
sailed more distance the reason Tor tmis soaiaerly
the Tn1es:-
We have stated hsreofoe y. had long err ~
land to take Command Of the Daunes. lie then commun
% s 81 :. hs ss 70
appreciate yachts had sailed or
sd ss
si ~ .as ~:
leading wind hs meant to steer ssr.gh, for New
wh head % a:
an &c made
difference q latitude between xins s and Sandy HOOK
ns We Ss. he % :oandns
West by south until she reached parallel Of
north She would then be southwark OF ths steam
ship routes either and there reasonable expectation
that latitude this Of the the prevailing
passage winds would the southwest and
sieadr than farther north, where they generally
nearer west.
From this extract IL will appear that the Daunt-
less Is pursuing O carefully planned and well con-
sldered course, and 1t would now be premature to
venture an opinion as TO whether or not 1t will prove
successful In making the Dauntless the victor.
We Will now give the
EXACT DISTANCE OF THE YACHTS FROM SANDY HOOK,
that is the distance Of The Cambria on the 9th and
the Dauntless OH the Still
DAUNTLEss
Deg Mn.
Lat July &c.. ........4y IL Mtdd,o ia, AZ a.r
Lat. Sandy Hook.............40 "a 'N'' '"'' -" 1es'
Long. on July g.. 00W.