New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-10-04
REVIEW or THE YAOHTING SEASON.
THE INTERNATIONAL RACES-THE GALATEA
To CONE OVER NEXT YEAR

The Yachting season 10 over and though many
yachts will be kept in commission for some time
lonycr the number which going ont of commits
SION proclans the fact that the season OF 1855 ~
past tor the major part of the United States. The
southern Yacht Club. which sails ia boats on
waters that bisk in perpetual summer. has no be-
ginning or end to its season. aud yacht-owners in
" the wonderful climate of California" are equally
favored. Bat the fleets of tho two great clubs Of
the country the Eastern and Now York. must lay
np in winter quarters sailing to the Med
iterranean or tho West Indies. OF all pleasant
cruising grounds none can equal the latter. There
the constant trade winds wait the yachts from port
to port. and the happy y2chtsman sails on from
island nto island at the gatoways of the day" The
islands are cur lous and beautiful the harbors are
good there are tropic fruits the spendor Of trop-
cal vegetation. and sparkling in the SUM ght
by day and cleaning with phoSpho esceucc by
night Few Of the sails which whiten orr waters
in the Yachting season WILL however. DO famed by
winds that blow from 81. Lucia or the shores of
Italy Most Of them, unbent and packed in sail
lofts will forgot the and the shaDcly spars and
graceful hulls they drew the waters.
There has been more Interest in yachting in this
country this season than for long time. account
Of the international races for tho Americas Cup
between the cutter Gencsla and the sOOp Puritan.
Not only were the races for celebrated trophy
the possession of which has long been source Of
pride to Americans, bat il was bcsween two of the
swiftest yachts IN the world. The Genesta was
the representative OF the English dea-th cutter
and the Puritan was exponent of thecen ire board
sloop idea. L. may he true or it may not that the
Irex is a better boat than the Gcnesta bat in any
event he difference is slight and the cutter which
Sir Richard sutton brought over TO sail for the
with may be considered represent atty of Engand's
u II Lao ala hat ha
Puritan is not built the plan of the old American
sloop, bat 1t cannot he denied that she is Amer
lean board sovp and represents the best type
OF that boat which has ever been built. The
teneSta aud fur,tan were both owned by men OF
we.ltn and social position, who spent their time
and money in the races Tor the honor OF the Hags
the racers flew and tho countries 10 which they be-
lOnged.
At the opening of the season tie usual regattas OF
the New York, Atlantic, Seawanhaka and Larch-
mont clubs took place. The first really important
incident Of the Yachting season was the race for he
the fleet of the Ncw-Y York Yacht Club was on its
eastern crdise. The cup Tor schOoners was won by
the Fortuna and that for soopss by the Puritan 1t
was in this race that the qualities of the Puritan
irst became apparent. and the committee on the
international decided at once that IN ess tho
sloop would be the defender Of tn: cup. The fur-
tan was a revelation. surprise and delight.
Before this the Priscilla had been bnilt and had
been taken quietly away beyond the sight of nquis-
tive reporters and au anxious pubic, and had
dennnstraf ell her wonderful abilities. But all that
the Priscilla had done became as nothing when the
Puritan sailed in tho race for the Goelet Cups.
The next occurrence IN which the Yachting world
took especial interest the trial races between
the Priscilla and Puritan to which yacht should
have the honor of defending the Americas Cup
The Priscilla hal had her mast cut down. and it
was expected that she wOuld do much better than
she did on the eastern cruise. She ord do better
hut not enough better to counterbaance the merits
OF the Puritan The three trial races proved that
in extremely light winds and II smooth the Pris-
ella was the equal Of the Yankee slOOp, but that
nnder all other conditions the Puritan was much
the faster. SO the Puritan was chosen to defend
the cup.
After four unsuccessful attempts the first race for
the cup of tho ROYAL Squadron was sailed over the
New-York Yacht Club course and resulted in the
victory of the Puritan. Never before at any Yacht
race ia the world was there sn" h marine pageant
as at this race. Steamers and Tugs crowded with
peope covered the waters OF the Lower Bay, and
IL has been estimated that 90, 900 people saw
the race. The shores of tho Narrows were black
with people on that day and the Puritan finished
amid such din of hurrahs whistling aud cannon
aiding as never before in any waters greeted q win
ming yacht The next race was twenty miles TO
windward and return. The start from the
Scotland lghtship, and there a stiff breeze and
a lumpy sea. The Puritan was again successful. in
suite of bad sailing, and saved the cup. Then took
place the lace for tho COmmodores' Cups over a
tr an gular course outside Sandy Hook. 1t was
IN st un fortunate The course was improperly
given ont, and through some inadvertence the buoy
sc one of the angles of the demOraliZed triangle
taken nm before all tho yachts had rounded 1t.
The Gcncsta took the prize for sloops In thus