New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-06
ON THE FOLLOWING FLEET.
SCORES OF BOATS BEAR THOUSANDS OF
SIGIITSEEIiS.
THERE WAS LOTS OF FUN TO BE HAP EVEN If
THE WIND FAILED-LIVELY SCENES IN
NUT p.v AVN >ROJT THE COURSE.


THE BAY AND ABOUT THE COURSE
Ont Of the thousand hooks and corners along the
water fronts of three cities fotilla OF tugs sue
wheelers lighters. steam yachts and coastng steam
ers came putting and churning in the misty maze Oh
Yesterdays doubtful morning and rushed down
New-York Harbor to the great yacht race Every
thing that had steam power enough to keep her III
view of the racers. and stability enough 10 Keep
her from rolling over twice a minute was presseu
into service. 1t nautical Derby day. ihere
was a race of steam-power down to the hehtshp'
and there was to be of sail-power from
there on-if old Boreas tended TO ms oniclai uu'ie
and supplied the necessary breeze
Down through the Narrows and over the oar
the stream of white black, red. green, yellow ana
rainbow-hued craft poured in long PROCESSION me
three-storled Grand Republic started first, with
every deck loaded. The schooner-rgged sde-
wheeler ST. Johns padded along with 'he p'ouu
consciousness that she bore more condensed yacht
ing knowledge. in the shape OF the members u 'iie
New-York Yacht Club and their friends than any
other craft in the fleet. The tug f. 5. Atwood was
loaded with the jolly yachtsmen of the Larchmoht
club.
GAY EXCURSION STEAMERS.
The Pavonia Yacht Club manned the Cygnus' Inc
GAY Head bore the Atlantic Yacht Clup' me o's
yellow side wheelers Egerton and General Slocuh
had each their full complement OF sightseers. Inc
long high-backed greyhound of the SOUND 'he
p,chard Peck chartered by the Union League Ciup
steamed along with her fellow representatives OF
the Connecticut navy. the old cry OF i-a"i'"'e
of the Norwich Line, and the Block Island
One Of the last boats TO leave her dock anu '"e
ers, N arrive at the lighship the fast steamer
Republic Of the Cape May and Delaware Bay Nav-
CATION Company She sailed triumphantly by every
thing that came within hail. sidewheelers' yachts
ocean steamers.
In the yacht fleet white the dominating color
A graceful navy Of speed and luxury 1t was-a
white squadron Of pleasure Queen of the fleet was
the giant square-rgger Valiant, the latest adj
dition TO the Vanderbilt navy a. Van Santvoords
sidewheeler Clermont-sailed along with Ogden
Coelets White Iadye. G. Warner Loper's Avene!
followed the schooner Yampa owned by Chester
w. Chaplin OF the syndicate which built the
cup defender Vigilant. Ahead Of these were the
little launch Aurela. the Nesta flying the pennant
of the Atlantic Yacht Club. and William r. Sands
Nirvana. The black centreboard yacht Queen Nab
with her owner. Percy r. Chubb, on board, dipped
gracefully In the slow ground swell conscious OF
her importance the winner Of many prizes. f. C.
Benedicts roomy yacht Oneida, on which Pres
dent Cleveland has passed many hours, was con-
spicuous in the fleet f. II. Benefits Trophy. the
Nydia, the Ibis and scores of other shapely pleas
ure craft were all speeding toward the point
the Sandy Hook lightship.
THE SCENE AT THE LIGHTsHIP.
The old lghtshp. with her stubby masts and
terra-cotta colored hull, the witness OF the be-
ginning and ending of scores Of yacht races was
when the excursion boats arrived. The big yacht
May. the flagship Of the yacht fleet, lay off the
lightship. with her three signals futtering in the
breeze and tie red starting ball suspended from
her rigging The fleet Of sightseeing vessels
formed a respectful semicircle about the little
space OF clear water reserved by the exertions
Of fussy little tugs carrying the white police
flag. The dumpy little Aurora with her load OF
police officials, crused leisurely about with be-
coming dignity.
T,to thraa o-riU oal
lazy out to sea- their dirty sails and heavy
lines contrasting with the delicate tracery Of the
spars and shapeiy hus of the fleet of luxury. The
long, black shape Of an inward-bound ocean liner
moved slowly in toward the bar while within the
charmed circle rose the towering scanvases of the
rival racers, whom were fixed the eyes Of the
thousands OF pleasure-seekers. grimy merchantmen
and European travellers.
Till now the shores had been hidden In haze.
on either hand. behind before,
The stretches like a floor:
A level floor OF amethyst
Crowned by golden dome Of mist.
But just before the gun on the flagship doomed
its signal of preparation the haze lifted. The
Long Island shore seemed to rise as by enchant-
ment out OF the sleeping sea. while blue vault Of
clear sky arched over low rampant OF clouds that
south the haze stl fingered but the sunlight siftcd
downward through its thinning curtain and gildcd
the crinkling waters with its glory
MAKING READY FOR THE RACE.
IL was Il SgHt IdHllildT 10 every spectator or
former international yacht races. but that will
bear thousand repettions. And the jewels Of the
yachting world. the clean-imbed racers Of the
Deep which formed the centre Of 1t all. were
worthy Of the setting. One white sail after an
other rolled out Of its stops like piece of muslin
under the def hands of glib-tongued salesman,
broke, like cloud. belying away from the
spar. the halyards ratified throust the blocks
The valkyrie's canvas especially white with
exceeding great whlteness. that fuller on
earth could white IT, while the Vgilants wings
were only trfe of color.
As the yachts went the line before the
wind, with spinnakers set two lofty trianges
Of buging canvas the great fotlla OF observa-
ton got under way follow Scores OF paddles
and screws churned the waters of the astonished
ocean to the mukiest foam. The fleet bore down
on the racers In great horseshoe. like float
ing amphitheatre, a solid wall OF careening hulls.
waving streamers and smoking stacks.
BY the time Of starting the feet had been
inforced by the arrival of the coasting steamer
Olivette. with an industrious band Of music aboard.
the big black propellers New-Orleans and Roanoke.
Of the Old Dominion Line. Lloyd Phoenx's new
schooner yacht Intrepid, fitted With auxiliary
steam power, q. Bourne's pretty yacht Revers.
the fishing steamer Al Foster the fleet Sandy
Hook boat Monmouth. the dapper little mahogany
launch NADIA and tugs irnumerabe. August Bel