The sun., 1893-10-06

| looking strenks OF dead calm water scattered
about on tho riprled surface. Worse yet. tho
ba wiling OF the steam eiren on Sandy Hooe
came over the water to tell OF togs outside. II
there was ANYTHING thnt could have represscd
the eSuberant spirits aloat Mt that hour 1t was
prospect OF n fiat calm with fog But the
spir!!s we're not to bo 80 rarressod.
| Altar rounding the Southwest Spit. n great
schooner yacht. tho old Dauntlcss. was soon
| standing out las; the point Of the Hook with
| every working sail set aud as,crp-eyeiy
thread pulling. That was Z ,,od enough Tor tho
yachtsmen. and when to observation the
| statements OF shippers TINT tho glass ;ba.
| roneter) is rising and everything looks fair
| for nor west breeze were added. thcro was
nothing moro to be said or thought about a
failure OF the race.
AT THE IIGHTsHln
| The point to which all the excursion fleet
| headed was. Of courle. the thick red hulk
known to all sea'arinE folk as the Sandy Hook
Liehtship. She lies seven miles outside the
Hook-n stretch OF water that was yesterday
morning as smooth rs any landsman could
have expected to find II. II the big cyclone or
the Carolinas was kicking up a sea. the swells
failed to reach Sandy Hook There was simply
the usual henve OF the waves to be found there
on q summer day. with q brown ripple over all
to show how the breeze held on. But though n
Huiet stretch. 1t was by no means devoid
Of interest TO either yachtsmen or ordinary ex-
cursionists. A stubby old bark. with all plain
sails set up to topgnllants. was oozing along.
so to speak. while the big ful-rCged ship VIM.
Ii. Connor was getting the rags on her in n
way that called for all the expletives known to
her skipper and mate. The pilot boat Ambrose
Snow. acting rs station boat. was trimmed out
with gorgeous bunting from the waters edge to
the main trupE Rpftar vat tha W n ar h I'd ia r
seemed as populous that early In the day on
any other race day rem emil bered by the elderly
barnacles. 1t seemed rs il the score or moro
OF tugs and steamers that were found about
the lightship must have passed the night
there or at furthest in Sandy Hook Bay. But
most surprising OF all was tho sight soon OBJ
tanned through the mist Of tho foam white cup
defender and the eager black pira to that were
cruising to and fro. say mile and half to
the northeast OF the red hulk.
From the moment they emerged from the
mist interest in all other objects was lost. 1t
was at about 10:45 that the Commodores
steamship May arrived. At that moment tho
Yankee was dressed in her mainsail. two jibs.
and her club topsail. while the British boat
had only her mainsail up and was still in tow
OF the Pulver. The seamen on the British
boat were setting their club topsail. however.
and the yacht sharps noted that there was no
haste about the work.
COMPARING THE YACHTS.
But when at last 1t had been stretched to it's
place. there was not q seafaring man but what
exclaimed in praise Of the beautiful sail 1t is
doubtful II it's superior was ever made. 1t was
certainly better bit Of canvas than the yigi-
liant showed In the same place. But when the
mainsails OF the two boats came under the ex-
pert eyes. the difference in favor ofthe Yankee
was almost painful to those who wanted a
fawless race.
Clew and tack on the Valkyrie we're alike
wretchedly full of wrinkles, while the yiRilant
had a spread OF canvas that was as smooth as
her Tobin bronze bottom. Even the throat Of
the Nalkyrie's sail was wrinkled. but It must
not be supposed that any one really doubted
on that account her ability to go scooting
when the time came. With staysail and lib In
stops she slipped along through the growing
host Of spectators with an easy motion that
thrilled the souls OF all.
A further difference in the canvas that at
tracted the eye OF the sharps was In the battens
on the leaches Of the mainsails The Valkyrie
had adopted the Yankee notion and sewed ON
three ut about equal distances. They were
wider than the Vigilant's. but the Yankee had
four on hers. Another point OF contrast to at
tract attention as they passed each other was
in the length OF what sailor would call tho
doubling OF the mast. The Yigiants doub-
ltngs were longer and the top OF her lower
mast higher. SO that the peak halyard OF the
Yankee led in at a much safer angle than did
those OF tho Valkyrle.
Then the hulls were compared. Much more
beautiful afloat are both Of them than In tho
dry dock. The greater breadth OF the ViRlant
was manifest to every eye. and that was some
thing to appeal to the lover OF the American
n .-lo t.A
ming dish.
1t is likely that not one OF the spectators
present who saw the Volunteer Thistle race
but was reminded Of the Thistle on look
ing at the Valkyrie: especially whom looking
over her stern, the similarity there was re-
markable.
Then. too. the color OF the yachts-the Brit
lsh black and the Yankee white-was a point
for reminder But after all. the similarity to
the old racers was not great, and there were
few Of tho spectators but noticed the great diff
ference In tho spread OF canvas. No such
towering sails as these were evr esesn In u
yacht race here before.
THE SPECTATORS.
While the yachtsmen eyed the racers the ex-
cursion fleet increased In number in q way
that was marvellous. 1t contained every sort
OF steam craft that ever gathered outside the
HOOK to see race. inc magnlncent steel
coaster. the huge Sound steamer. the steam
racer OF the bay. the tug. the lighter. the river
boat-what not with yachts galore. On every
hurricane deck. at every portfolio. In the rig
ging. astride the cfosstrees-w wherever foot
hold and q good view were to be had
there were the spectators. There were tugs
with their dozens, steamships with their hun
dreds. mann moth excursion vessels with their
thousands There were brass bands that
played The Star Spangled Banner" and God
Save the Queen" according as one yacht or tho
other was passed. There was a fluttsr OF
bunting over all and boiling. bubbling en-
thusiasm within.
There was contagon OF good spirits |
caught by all who participated In the excite |
ment OF the few minutes that elapsed between |
the arrival of the May with the Race Commit |
tee ON board and the preliminary signal for
the starting OF the race.
But II there was enthusiasm and excitement |
during that interval. what shall be said OF the |
state of feeling whom, at III :lb o'clock. three |