The Bessemer indicator., 1893-12-09
YACHTING COMES HIGH.
FIGURES THAT WILL MAKE
LANDSMEN STARE.
The visiiaat Coat About 800. 900. the
v.lkyris gomsthin9 Lsss-Ths Am.ri-
cas- Cup and the ship That Captured
II In 1854

cas- Cup and the ship That Captured
II In 1884
A half million dollars was spent in
this years contest over the America q
cup by the time the Valkyrie had
reached New York. This included
the cost OF the four American Gun
defenders and OF the valkyrie. The
Colonia, Pilgrim and Jubilee cost
about 10000 apiece to build and
equip. The Vigilant cost about $780,
0Ou This Is moro than has over be-
fore been spent upon yacht of her
sizo. The added cost OF the Vigilant
was because OF her bronze hull below
the water line. This bronze is said
to have cost 800 for each plate, and
it was built on the frame like the
plates OF stool put on man-of- war.
Tho bronze hull, which is said by this
New York World to have added a
fraction Of second to the yachts
speed in a mile, cost $4,000. The
cost OF the Valkyrie was somewhat
less than that OF any OF the other
four boats. The Volunteer cost
about S3o,0oa although built OF
steel. and tho schooners which raced
before tho days of tho big sloops
cost about the same amount
For tho first time in recent con-
tests over this historic trophy prom
inent members OF New York society
wore actively represented. William
X. Vanderbilt and his brother Fred
are among those who put up money
to build the Colonia. and among tho
owners OF the Vigilant are Perry
Belmont. Oliver H. p. Belmont,
August Belmont. Charles X. Flint,
w. Butler Duncan, Jr, G. o. Isclin
and T. d. Morgan. Several other
prominent New York society men
arc Interested in the boats. The SO
as rule did not content themselv es
with the simple patriotic duty OF
producing tho cash to build the
boats. In tho triul races c. Oliver
Isolin and w. Butler Duncan were
aboard the Vigilant and took an
active part In hor management. Mr..
Morgan was on his steam yacht, the
MAY. He is commodore of tho New
York yacht club, position to which
no man can aspire who cannot spend
at least $l5).0)0 year on yachts.
Mono OF the Vanderbilts has put on
rubber-soled shoes and an oil-ssin
cap to take part in the management
OF the Colonia or obey the orders of
the sailing master, as any owner
would have to do. That is said to
have boon ono cause of trouble on
the Vigilant-there wero too many
men in authority on board, owners
differing in opinion from sailing
master, with consequent weakness
OF policy and the possibility of u
conflict OF orders.
Lord Dunraven. it has been fgur-
cd, could not send the Yalkyrie over
here in the way he did at less cost
than 1900 per week. This includes
the wages of the crew. provisions,
wear and tear on the yacht, with
docking charges and transportation.
She was absent from England al
together about ten weeks, and to
make the race at the lowest possible
estimate, cost Lord Dunraven 5000
and probably more, leaving out the
boats cost. The contest cost a
great deal more than $4,000 before
1t decided, and the intrinsic value of
tho Americas cup at the present
price OF silver is about 5000.
Tho Americas cup is not cup at
ALL 1t is an ugly jug of no possible
use or beauty, and it is shaped like
an old-fashioned vinegar bottle.
Nevertheless. 1t is the most precious
yachting trophy in existence. as it
represents the yachting supremacy
OF the world. and has long and in
teresting history. 1t has never been
in Europe since it was captured by
tho America in 1851. The old Amer
lea. it may be remarked. is still
yacht in commission. She is n fast
boat even in these days of modern
improvements. For long time she
belonged to Ben Butler, and Is now
tho property of Paul Butler. When
Ben Butler was In the South during
the war he heard OF the America be-
ing sunk In river. After the war
was over he returned South and
bought the America for song, had
her raised and equipped and used her
US u yacht lie afterwnrd discovered
that while she was sunk the pores of
her wood became impregnated with
q kind OF fine sand, and that this
rendered her impervious to any kind
of marino insect. In Southern waters
she needed no copper sheathing, and
the simlet-polnted worms that at
tackled her found the edge quickly
taken off their boring apparatus.
About forty men were on board
the Vigilant in race. The crew
numbered about thirty-fve. 1t may
be remarked that the great majority
of these were not Americans and
that some of them could not speak
tho English language. The crow
are mostly Swedes and Norwegians.
The Vallyrie, on tho contrary, had
crew OF Englishmen. A crew of ton
or twelve men could handle the Vigi-
liant under ordinary conditions. but
forty men are needed in race, not
only for pulling and hauling hut to
act as ballast In tho Inter capacity
they simply sit up to windward, with
their legs stuck out over the edge as
far aa is compatible with safety.
A Pastoral Episode.
II know where they's an elegant
swimmin' place." said Meandering
Mike.