The New York herald., 1873-10-10
The OCEAN REGATTA.
From Owls Head to Cape May for
Cup and Purse and Glory.
THE CLIO LEADING, AT SANDY HOOK.
The Pilot Boats and the TOilerS Of the Sea
Struggling BrOadside to BrOadside.
BRILLIANT SCENE AT BAY RIDGE.
The Fishing Schooner Blackford and Her
Walk Over the Course.
TIE CLIO LEADING,AT SANDY HOOK.
BRILLIANT SCENE AT BAY RIDGE.
"Crowding' at the Narrows and "Bunch.
ing'' at the Southwest Spit.

The great ocean yacht race, from Owls Head
Point around the Southwest Spit to Cape May
Lighthouse In New Jersey and back to the Sandy
Hook Lightship. distance OF about 40 miles as
the bird flies, and probably $50 miles when the
boats are going free and with tacks for wind,
began yesterday afternoon, at thirteen minutes
alter three O'Clock. No more beautiful day than
Thursday, october 0, 1873, has ever been vouch-
safed to the yachtsmen OF this or any neighboring
city in the United States. The air at early hour
OF the morning was as delightful the dream OF q
young girl; the sky was clear and OF a piercing
blue, and the sun, which in the beginning denied
an appearance to its worsnippers, came later to
gladden. all hearts and to gild the white
canvas OF the boats as they lay on
the blue expanse of water between the villa
crowned eminences OF Staten Island and the
autumnal leaves OF the crest Of Bay Ridge. The
upper bay was swarming with the salts OF numer-
GUS craft gadding about, toying and tossing and
flirting with sun and air, their crews shouting with
enthusiasm and their breasts 1led with the ozone
that made the taintest sound or the lghtest laugh
distinct the booming of pell the waters OF
the bay. At about eleven O'Clock the HERALD
steam yacht bearing the Regatta Committee, con.
sisting OF Messrs. Fletcher Westray William Krebs
Edward E. Chase ana Charles A. Mnton together
with the representatives OF The press, left the Bat
terry and passed down the bay, with the red cross,
white star and blue ground on her bun ting and
was hailed on her track by many welcome saluta-
tions from the shipping and by deafening screams
from the whistles Of steamboats, which tore by with
the rapidlty OF demons.
'oFF OWLS HEAD.n
At this point the sight was charming one.
Given the same number OF boats, with their snowy
canvas and their tall, unpainted masts and fairy
"a
pies or the Golden Horn, nor yet the Golden Gate
of San Francisco, could furnish surrounding or
framework so deliciousy still, calm, so full of
nobleness and grandeur. October had brought to
the perspective all her purple and russet and fading
emerald glories to fill out the seasons picture the
centre Of which was a breathing flame OF gold from
the sun, million OF miles above in the great dome OF
the sky. AS Is usual where number OF yachts are
to contest a race, they came slowly, some lying in
at the verge Of the shore OF Staten Island,
others looming down ntfully upon the
middle point or concentration, and surging
through the foam, rising from their bows in the
blue water like so many sea birds. The Herald,
under the judcious management OF Captain
Robinson, was obedient to every command OF the
Regatta Committee, and was buslly engaged in
delivering instructions to the different yachts,
pilot boats and working schooners which had been
entered for the race. Rockets and blue lights TO
r and a, the scarlet iron sides Of e sandy
Hook iogship were distributed 70 eacd contesting
boat by Young Mr. Minton as the Herald yacht
william Fletcher, Arrowsmith and other marine
caravanseries came down from the city wharves
vantage ground for the spectacle OF a sea fight.
THE CONTESTANTS.
The Bennett Cup, valued at 81, ,0O0 was offered
to schooner yachts OF any organized yacht club in
the United states, and three purses, amounting
respectively to the sums OF $1,000. $500 and $3.50,
were offered also by Commodore Bennett to pilot
boats working schooners oil not less than 25
800 tons, old measurement, and to fishing schooner
smacKs. And now to tell OF the entries to this
ocean regatta, which was probably better favored
by wind and weather than any previous regatta
chonep tn there te the En-
chantress, j. T. Loubat 276 tons; Alarm, A. G.
Klngsland 225 tons; Clo I; B. Asten !, and M z. T:
tons, and the Dreadnaught, A. b. StocSwell, 240
tons.
No 10, lo6 tons; Edmund Blunt, No. ., III tons;
James w. Elwell, No. 4 1877 tons; Thomas s. Negus,
No. l, 13o TONS and Mary L. Fish, No. 4, 100 tops
The working sch0oners, instead OF being desg-
mated by numerals, had large letters OF the alpha
bet, nearly ten eet high placed on their mansails.
letter on her mainsail, rated at 140 tons and
halls from Staten Island. This is magnificent
boat, painted black, and her crew boasted before
starting that there was not pilot boat in the race
equal TO her in model and solldity OF timber. she
is owned by Mr.. W. Il. Van Name, and any person
yesterday must acknowledge that she is 1T to CON-
pete with any vessel that sails out OF New York
harbor.
Next the list OF working schooners was the
Reindeer painted white, with the letter on her
Cold spring, n. Y. The Reindeer is a brick sloop,
and Is stanch enough and with breadth OF beam
enough to dismantle u stone fort.
Last, but not least, OF all In the SCHOONER
smack" class, came the little Wallace Blackford OF
eighty tons, owned by II. {. Rogers 4 Co. This
boat had enough hamper on her deck to satisfy the
mind OF captan of the Black Bali line. she bore
the letter on her mansai and the Backford
was considered the pride OF Fulton Market fish
mongers.
Captain Baillie sailed the widgeon, Bob Fish and
Captain Pete kof were on board the Enchanress
Captain DICK Brown sailed the Mary FISH Captain
sam Greenwood twho sailed the Sappho in her
races VIII, Win M sns LCna3 stood on the quarter ter deSk
ing smack Blackord, Captain Warner the Elwe,
Captain Lewis the Negus and Captain Johnson the
The Regatta Committee distributed the Judges of
the board the different boats in the follow
on the Enchantress, Mr.. Stockwell and Mr..
Henry steers on the Dreadnaught, Mr.. Asten on
Parsons on the Alarm, and Mr.. r. a. smith on
the Negus. TO make the race more interesting
private match TOR cup MP valued ns at $3.50 was made
Iul steam yacht Day Dream, the police boat
Seth Low, and dramatic looking and feroclous
@ sssn es% Ss yash ,vsr with big ana
ground ana added 70 the brilliant spectacle. : ''
OUTWARD BOUND FOR THE sTART.n
y was now three O'Clock. aud the hour was ap-
the Regatta Committee. Two stakeboats, with
the American colors flying from their masts, were
stationed on Owls Head Point. mile dts
tant from the shore. Near the stakeboaJs.
and with fifty yards distance between them,
the yachts Enchantress Alarm, Clio and
Dreadnaught were lying at anchor. The Atalanta
had rot yet been seen. The pilot boats with thelr
big figures staQding out vvdly on their mainsaIls
we nardy-o0kihg Working schooners, having their
alpnabetical designation, and the solitary hshing
smack from Fulton Market were oil In line, wait
ing for the first whistle to prepare Ior action The
whistle was blown for preparation on board the
HERALD steam yacht where the committee were
engaged closely watching the movements OF the
different craft. The red-cross signal fell at this
moment and then there was fmmedia hustle on
the deck Of every one OF the thirteen boats about
to take part In the great Ocean regatta.
Ten minutes elapsed and then the last whistle, the