The record-union., 1893-11-08
AMERICAN JOURNALISM.
The Means Employed In Some of Its
Triumphs.
Graphic Description of Row the News
of the Great Yacht Race Was
Gathered and Received.

Especial Corresp ondence RECORD-UNIoE.l
New YORK. Oct. Each stage of the
progress of all the yacht races for the
Americas cup was reported in this city,
and telegraphed over the country, within
half-hour after the change of position or
advantage was observed at the scene of
the great and beautiful contest. And
within forty-five minutes after the close
OF each race running account and
clearly written description of the race
was published and for sale in the streets
of New York. The way in which this
was done was an interest little less than
the races themselves, and the energy, in
genuity and the eagerness OF newspapers
to serve well their readers, are worth tell
ing about.
The races all were started at Sandy
Hook Lightship, eight miles from the
nearest point Of land, and all but one
were sailed over course fifteen miles to
windw ard and back. The exception was
the TT angular race. ten miles to wind
ward, ten miles to sea and ten miles back
to the lightsnip. Thus the races were
practically out of sight of land. On fair
days, when the wind came up the coast,
the yachts could be kept in sight through
a telescope Of great power, and glass OF
a maximum capacity of 400 was one
OF the means used in reporting the races,
twice to advantage. On those occasions
bulletins giving ViSable facts, were easily
obtained the only circumstances worthy
OF note being the great expense of getting
the glass and mounting ii at an available
point, and OF having an expert observer
to see and an expert yachtSman to inter-
pret and express the news.
But by this means little could be learned
beyond the mere facts of start estimated
speed, advantage, sail carried and finish.
il one of the yachts lost ground sud-
denly, the glass only told that fact, and
the yachtSman could telegraph only that
the Nalkyrie or Nlgilant seemed to have
something the matter. This difficulty
was foreseen and the probability of the
failure OF the telescope was prepared
against.
Two tugs were engaged (by the news
paper with which l am cOnnected), one to
follow the yachts from start to finish, the
other to carry the written accounts of
each stage to the shore. Both tugs had
to be seaworthy and of great speed. On
the first was posted a reporter to write
an expert yachtsman to give points, and
typewriter. This tug carried also wig
Wag signal-men and twenty homing
pigeons. The second tug likewise car
ried a writer and an expert sailor, and
had, beside, four rapid telegraph oper
ators, assistant reporters, surl-boat and
a lifeline cannon.
Along both the Jersey shore south to
the Long Island shore north, at intervals
wherever a landing could be made, re-
pOrterS were stationed with boats. They, !
too, had expert operators, and, where the
wires were distant, messengers with
horses to carry landed manuscript, or
copy" to the nearest point where the
III no fn1a Cd
municating orders between tug and tug
and the tugs and the shore a system Of
MOrse-code signals was devised for the
tugs whistles. Such were the prepara-
tions.
The tugs Joined the yacths early in the
morning at their anchorage in the upper
bay, and the reporters began at once to
write their accounts. Who were aboard, |
who went ashore and what the crew were
doing was noted. When the racers cot
under way and were tOwed down the har-
Dor, one tug put boy ashore to carry to
the office the first batch of copy. As the
little fleet pressed out beyond the Hook |
another batch Of description giving con-
ditiOns of wind and sea was put ashore
this time to be telegraphed from some
good pier. After that the difficulties be-
gan.
Maneuvering for the start was a beauti-
ful sight, and each move and feint had to
be told on one tug while the other de-
scribed the scene in general. The spectator
fleet like floating city, as it swept grace
fully up around the yachts and lay to on
the heavlng waters, made a beautiful
picture in itself, and the behavior of the
pilots was always a matter of interest in
the story as well as to the Inconvenience |
yachts.
When the course was signaled from the
flagship pigeon Huttered up and sped |
away to its cote on Staten Island with
typewriter message on tissue paper
giving as much of an account as the bird
could carry on its tail. At the starting
gun another carrier was let loose with
the time and the positions OF the yachts
Then the whole fleet moved OFT after the
racers, and on the tugs there was busy
work of watching and writing, noting
changes of canvas and of tack, with a
description of the race and the fleet.
Twenty minu:es after the start the tugs
Joined and the faster one, with no small
difficulty IN the heavy sea, got the
others copy and headed for the near
est point OF shore where landing could
be made. AS it left the course the re-
porter aboard continued his account of
the race until he could no longer describe
with precision. Then all went forward
and surf boat land cannon were made
ready.
The shore was scanned with the glass
When he was visible the question was,
had he a boat? If he had, all went well;
he was signaled to come out. lie some
times had great difficulty i'll having
boat put out, for the surf was high if
there was wind for a race. Sometimes,
too. he could not get a boat. Then the
surf-boat and fisherman on board had TO
be resorted to, to send a reporter with
copy ashore. This could be done, more
over, when the waves were too high for a
boat to come out; for it is safer and easier
to land in pounding surf than to put off
in one.
When this could not be done the next
resort was the lifeline cannon. This in
strument is such as is used for getting
line from the shore or lifeboat to a ship
in danger. 1t is about ten feet long, two
feet barrel and eight for the butt or brace.
The brace is sharply pointed and was
stabbed into the deck of the tug, \ thick,
clumsy blank cartridge is inserted in the