The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-27
WATCHING OFF TIE COAST.
Haiiug Inward Bound vessels-A Heavy
StOrm-Waiting for s'Something to Turn
Up''-The Yachts Expected Hourly.


On BOARD "THE LIGHrsHIpu)
OFF sANDY HOOK, July 20, 1870. !
Another day gone and the racers are still at sea-
From dawn till night the anxiety which has hitherto
prevailed is renewed with greater intensity. Bright
hopes will gladden. the prospects OF the yachtmen
who have 80 vigiiantly maintained the lookout. 1t
is thought, and with reason. that either of the
yachts Will surely hail the Ightshp tonight or
carly in the morning. "Any sign OF the yachtss, is
the great question Of the hour demanded OF nearly
every vessel bound inward. The reply Is invaribly
the same from all. That the contestants have gone
wide OF the steamer track is generally admitted but
as to the course pursued by either very little is really
known. In any case they cannot now be very far
out, AZ the time allowed by experienced
seamen has expired. Yet 1t is affirmed
by "old men Of the sea" that twenty
five days will be capital time. Up to the
past two or three days the wind favored q southern
course; that Is so far as learn from inward
bound crafts and the condition OF AFFAIRS here. 1t is
to be regretted. however, that during yesterday nd
| to-day head winds have extensively prevailed and
| should either OF the yachts be even only hundred
| miles from the lightship she may be detained for
| considerable time A
| HEAVY sQUALL
| came on last night, accompanied by loud pca!s OF
! thunder The flashes OF Lightning were extremely
! vivid and beautiful Towards the lightship heavy
sea kept running and a storm was imminent AT
intervals the sky was illumned by the nuid, and
| now and then the glare showed the hull Of some
| fulriggcd ship far out ON the ocean. For
| o time the scene was grand, especially
when the lightning displayed some vessel tossing on
the pillows But for moment the spectacle was
| occasnally seen, and then all was dark and gloom
again. Fortunately the squall lasted only hour;
but the wind continued as before, almost due west.
There Is but little to-day, and 1t seems II it
growing weaker. 1t Is hoped that the winning
yacht will come I'm triumphantly uncer full cloud
OF sail In order that her entrance into the bay Will
give the thousands who await her an opportunity OF
witnessing the victorious craft in all her glorious
array. 1t Is idle to speculate at this stage as to
which OF the yachts will first speak the ightship,
as 1t is indeed useless to assert when either both
Of them will arrive. Betting can hardly influence
the opinions Of thorough seamen in regard
to q contest like this Nobody really knows
which yacht will win. and all the prejudces and bets
In the world could not move either OF them an Inch
one way or the other. SO we must wait with patient
expectation to see the result.
Perhaps contest ever created more genuine in.
terest or excitement than that now going on be-
tween the DauntleSs and Cambria. 1t Is an nterna-
tional affair and will open the way, perhaps, to
nual ocean races, and the time may come when our
yachtmen Will think little Of crossing the ocean
in large numbers and competing In the
prize races on the other side. The present
beneficial interest yachting circles already mani
tested py almost every yachtman on the American
e. res the e are % 100 WIN ~
yachting must be regarded solely an aristocrahc
enjoyment. Within the past few years IL has be-
come extremely popular, especially in this country.
The International race between tile Dauntess and
the Cambria has given rise to more discussion re-
than any that has ever taken place. And even IN
that light setting aside the race improvements
and new IDEAS must necessarily como into
vogue. Since the yachts started from DauEt's
Head lively conversations have everywhere been