National Republican., 1883-07-25
Asron,s MAMMOTH YACHT
To Be Built OF steel, Regardless OF EH-
pense--Tho Longest, widest, and Most
Elegantly Fitted Pleasure Graft I'm the

40 be buut OF Stcei3 hcSNiuhosS VI ANA
pense--Tho Longest, widest, and Most
Elegantly Fitted Pleasure Graft I'm the
World.
Ne,o York World.
The competition among millionairos as to
who shall have the largest and finest steam
yacht appears likely to result in the con-
struction of steam pleasure craft as large as
tho Arizona or Alaska. Tho latest wealthy
man TO enter the lists is Mr.. William Astor,
who has contracted with tho Harlan and
Hollingsworth company, of Delaware, to con-
struct a steam yacht that shall excel in style
and finish, as well as size, anything that has
ever been built in this country. Mr.. Astor's
proposed yacht the keel of which was laid
at Wilmington Saturday, is to bo of steel, ais
tho other boats, tho Polynia, Namouna, Cor
sair, Stranger, and Atalanta being of iron.
The new yacht will be of enormous di-
mcnsions, 2l5 feet over ALL 235 feet on water
line, 80 feet beam, and 20 feet depth OF hold.
The other big ones rank as follows:
Atalanta, over all, 206 feet 3 inches; Ma
mouna, 226 feet 10 inches; Yosemite, 1872
feet Stranger, 100 feet Corsair, 1856 foot,
&c. The cost of Mr.. Astor's yacht will also
be greater than any one of the others by
about 100000. 1t is estimated that Mr..
Gould's Atalanta cost $250,00O. The new
boat, therefore, will cost fully $350,00O.
Mr. Hail. the agent for the Harlan Il Hol-
lingsworth company, said yesterday that as
yet he had received no specifications for tho
new boat and could only give hor general di-
mensions but that it could safely be prom
ised that she would be superior to anything
yet built in this or any other country. Mr..
Astor having given the company carte blanche
ms to. cost aud as its facilities are equal If not
superior to those of John Roach, the Cramps,
or Ward 4 Stanton, it will turn out some.
thing very superior in hull as we'll as in ma
| chinery.
The determination Of Mr.. Astor to have
the largest and finest yacht in the steam
| fleet is characteristic of him, as he has for
many years had the largest and finest yacht
of the sailing fleet Soon after Mr.. Garner
contracted with Mr.. Van Deusen to build the
Mohawk, Mr.. Astor employed Mr.. David
Carl, of City island, to build the Ambassa-
dress, which was trine larger than the Mo-
hawk. Mr. Astor approves of City Island
models, having had first the Atalanta, now
the flagship of the Atlantic Yacht club, then
| the Ambassadress, and lastly this proposed
steam yacht, which has been modelled by Mr..
Hillman, of City Island, who made the lines
| for the Ambassadress. Unless, however, she
| is a greater success than that vessel has been
she will not fulfill tho expectation that is
formed of beating all other vessels. This,
however, according to club gossip is not ne
cessary
"Ali that is required for steam yacht,
said an old member of the New York Yacht
| club yesterday, " is to have an owner that
can brag. Mr.. Gould never comes to ouI
rooms, understand, but he claims to be able
to beat anything that floats. Jahray says
that he can beat tho Atalanta with the
Stranger Lorillard declares that the Rodha
| is the fastest boat that ever turned wheel,
and so with all the rest Why don't they race
and let us Judge which is tho fastest boat
1t is said that 1t is too dangerous, but if we
are to believe them, they do race every time
they meet and they all win every time.
81 was in hopes when this new stegT
yacht club was organized that at last We
should have steam yacht race. 10 tell the
TRUTH continued this gentleman, steam
sailing is not yachting, and there is not one
of the men who own steam yacht to-day, it
| Mr.. Bennett be excepted, that was ever
famous as q yachtsman. Astor, it is true
has owned some sailing vegsels-the Atalanta
formerly the Calypso, and the Ambassadress
He won the regatta of the New York Yach
club one year in the former vessel by q
fluke, and he sailed II race for the Bennett
Cape May cup against the lola, and won that
by another huke. The Ambassadress has
never started in a race and If she had She
would have been beaten.
Mr.. Jatf'ray, of the Stranger, never had
any experien CO in sailing yacht, and tn
same may be said of Messrs. Belden, Loril
lard, and Morgan. With the exception O
Lorillard and Jaffray neither Of them knows
the first thing about an engine, and will be
entirely at the mercy of the engineer and
captain. What should be done now is to ar
range real race between all tho large steam
ers under q time allowance, arranged by Q
board of experts, taking into account power
as well as model and size." ~
| We hear much ab0ut the gnand of Mr..
Gould's Atalanta," said another gentleman,
"but Mr.. Gould and his captain are not in
n racing mood. They sail for pleasure only
If he should start her some evening with one
of the Newport boats test of speed could be
had. 1t is not probable that the Ata'anta
could get to Newport as soon as the steam
boats, they are so much her superior in Eise
but in this way correct idea could be gained
as to what she can do l trust that when
Mr.. Astor's new boat makes her appearance
we shall see her steam fast otherwheres THAI
in the club rooms or the newspapers"