The New York herald., 1879-07-31
THE SUMMER FLEET.
Lazy Sail Of the Atlantic Club from
GreenpOrt to Newport.
COAXING THE COY BREEZES.
Mild Competitions on Slow Time. with
Crowded Canvas.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE HEaALD.1

NEWPORT. Il. l.. July go 1879.
Tho yachtsmen passed very quiet evening at
Greenport ana gave the citizens exhibition of
fireworks that attracted crowds Of spectators to the
dock and the vantage points along the shore. All
the yachts were anchored off the town with the
ception of the Aalanta which lay opposite the Man
ahansett House. During the evening it was decided
to start at five A. NJ. for Newport.
The evening passed for the most part by the
yacht owners and their guests in making social
visits from yacht to yacht. There slight ex-
citement during the night board the yachts
Agnes and Peerless they dragged unpleasantly
damage.
STEALING
The first gun fired ut five A. NJ. and the Sec
ond class sloops prepared to get under way. Gar
diners Bay had slight ripple over its surface.
caused by light southwcsterly breeze. Everything
quiet the yachts stole away, the only sounds
to be heard being the clankclank Of the iron chains
as the men hove in the anchors. The citizens of
Greenport were still asleep and. two solitary
spectators the main dock no one saw the Atlantic
fleet leave tho harbor. The winsome got away
first. followed couple Of minutes later by the
Stella. The Peerless then got under way. with
the Sadie close behind and the Vision and
Agnes working at their anchors. The second
gun was then fired from the Vision and the Agnes.
and the Vision fled after the Peerless. while the
Atalanta came across from the Manahansett House
and joined in the chase. The Orion got away last in
the fleet. but soon crept up among the rest. The
sloop Annie Captain Joe Ellsworth started with the
fleet and kept pushing the foremost sloops. The
tide running lood and the yachts found it
pretty hard work stemming the strong tide. The
Winsome had good lead and the Sadie closed up
rapidly on the Stella. The Vision also closed up
the Peerless, and the Agnes with her staysai.
slipping through the water at lively gait As
the yachts rounded the point the Winsome led the
heet followed by the stella, Sadie and Annie in the
order named. The Peerless led the schooners. pur-
sued by the Vision with the Agnes in her wake and
the Atalanta and the sloop Orion bringing up the
rear The latter did not stop very long in the rear.
but went by the Agnes and Vision. There
very little air in Gardiner Bay and the fleet moved
very slowly through the water. The Orion pres
emily passed the Peerless and the Agnes aud Vision
came up, that the three schooners almost in
q line.
BREEZE AHEAD
There was hardly breath of wind, but there ap-
peared to be slight breeze ahead The Orion
walked through the feet after the leading
sloops. while the schooners were appar-
emily standing still. The Winsome caught
the first of the breeze and moved ahead, closely fol-
lowed by the Stella. Annie. Sadie and Orion. The
Atalanta came up between the Vision and Peerless,
forging ahead of the latter. The Agnes caught tho
breeze FIRST and then the jb topsail on the Vision
filled. and the Atalanta also began to move. The
Peerless. being to leeward of them ALL got started
last and fair hunt before her. BY the time tho
Peerless caught the breeze the leading soops were
hull down. The Agnes two miles ahead with
the Vision of her weather quarter and the Atalanta
crowdng along under press of canvas. good mile
- bal s..rla alf
the yachts had a scupper breeze and were strung
along the bay in long line, with about four miles
between the Orion and the Peerless. This good luck
did not last very long, about A. NJ. the
breeze began to die away and, although 1t did not
disappear entirely; there wa, Was not much left At
OF GARDENERS Island moving along about three
four knots an hour. The Peerless was still in the
of the 1ect, with the Atalanta about half mile
ahead. and the leading soops hull down.
DIsCoURAGlNG PROSPECTS,.
The prospect OF MI early arrival ut Newport was
not very promising as at the present rate OF loco
motion the trip would take about twcntyfv hours.
The breeze appeared to be dying out ahead. and the
Peerless slowly crawled up with the fleet. The wind
off the starboard quarter. ana the Peerless
whisked ont her jibtopsa stretch of canvas that
Orion about mile ahead of the Stella and VIM
some. with the Sadie and Gena close up and fol-
again. The Ataianta had the starboard posi-
tion. the Peerless next. then the Vision aud
the Agnes on the extreme left It was
ageway. About eleven A. NJ. breeze sprang up
from the south. and the fleet. trimming i'll their
sheets. began to jog along. The AtalaLta had the
lead of the schooners with the Peerless closing up
her weather quarter. The Orion and Stella
Off to leeward OF the Atalanta and the Vision fol-
lowed in the wake of the Peerless, with the Agnes
Sadio aud Gcnia down to iccward. In about half
hour tine Atalanta was going about five knots. with
lcech. These two then started luffing
match; and ran up ABOUT pnr,s four points
Ataanta close that they up another jb on the
latter and then the captain OF the Peerless rose away
under the lee quarter OF the Atalanta and steered
his course. In the meantime the Agnes. Vision and
tho sloops had been jogging steadily along and I'M
proving their position. They also succeeded in
holding their breeze while the Ataanta anu Peerless
had run out OF the streak. At noon the Agnes had
rather the best OF the schooners. with the Vision
doing well on her weather quarter. ami the Atalanta
and the Peerless up to windward abeaui.
CLOSE But MoNoIoSoUs CHASE.
The sail was becoming very mohotonous. as the
yachts not travelling more than three or four
knots hour. At Que Il. NJ. then about eight miles
south of Watch Hill. the Orion and Stella
The Agnes led the schooncrs. with tho Peerless.
Vision and Atalanta almost in line. The breeze
very light, and there was u long, rolling swell from
the "south ard that kept the yachts tossing about
in manner which was far from pleasant. About
ten minutes past one p. NJ the breeze began to
freshen again, and the Agnes. edging up to the east
ward. came out about quarter of mile ahead of
the Peerless Tie Ataanta began to show at the
front. and rapidly dropped the Vision gaming also
the Peerless The Ataanta passed the Sadie and then
closed up ON the Winsonie. The Peerless presently
began to improve her gait and holding the Ataanta
OIL in shore. leading tho fleet, and the Stella
along off the lee quarter OF the Peerless. with the
Gcnia half mile to windwsrd. At quarter past
two Y. M. the Ataanta and Peerless passed to lee
ward of the Wiusonc. They were both carrying u
balloon jib and stay sail and sailing regards speed,
very closely. with the wind ON their quarter. 1t
quite y crcditabo performance for the Peerless ns
the Atalanta had u decided advantage In length Of
water line.
OFF POINT JUDITH.
At sixteen minutes past two 2. NJ tho Point
Judith light was sighted under the lee bow of the
Peerless, about live miles distant The Agnes was
sailing remarkably well and apparently holding her
lead on the Peerless and Ataianta The Sadie. of
the weather bow Of the Vision, was coming up fast
and looked like catching the Wnsomc. The Peer
less and Atalanta were having very close contest
although the after appeared to gain slightly. and
the Stella coming along just to lecward OF the
Peerless. The Agnes was calling remarkably well
and holding her lead the Peerless, although the
Atalanta was outfooting them both.
bounding Point judith ut threo L. NJ. the Agnes
led the way, with the Atalanta of her weather quar-
ter coming up fast The Peerless followed In tho
wake OF the Agnes about couple OF hundred yards
astcrn. After passing the point the schoonors
squared away before the wind. and booming out