New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-04
EVANS'S WORK WE'LL DONE.
THE CAPTAIN GIVES THE YACHTS A
CLEAR AND WIDE COURSE.
HOW THE AFFAIR SEEMED TO AN OBJ
sERvEP OK THE MANNING-TROUBLE
FOR a FEW CAPTAINS

/ is impossible to sail an International race In
/ New-York waters without the yachts being I'M
/ duly nterfered with by excursion steamers.
/ Lord Dunraven's contention that no fair contest
for the Cup could be fought in the waters OF
/ New-York because Of the crowding Of the pleas
ure craft. and the consequent banketng Of the
racers. had the bottom knocked out of it alto
gether yesterday. Captain Robley y. Evans
proved that It is by no means difficult task to
keep a big fleet Of steamers in order, and that It
is perfectly possible to secure as fair and as
! true race in these waters as anywhere.
But once Yesterday We're either Of the yachts
impeded for a moment. and out Of the scores
Of vessels ranging from an ocean going steamer
/ 10 a catboat only four dsobeyed Captain
/ Evanss instructions and poked their way sec
ond time within the patrol line These deln-
/ quents were the Glen Island. the Magenta the
| Idlewild and an English visiting yacht, the
White Ladye
! In fact. aside from the race itself the great
| feature Of the day the policing OF the
! course by the revenue cutters and torp'd" noa's
! and the excellent order maintained 10y the VISIT
! ing craft It was the first time that such a
thing had ever been attempted by Government
vessels and there was some curiosity as to
what could be accomplished. The experiment.
was in every way successful No yacht race
| was ever Sdlled uNifT ldh'i '''i'i'''
satisfactory result was obtained first by the
efficient service of the patrol boats. which were
under the command Of Captain Evans, ana sec
ond by the prompt obedience Of the shippers OF
the excursion boats and the private yachts
ALL HANDS MEANT WELL.
The disposition displayed by every one OF
,bor, uith the exception Of the pilots Of the
four vessels already named, was admirable But
]
competitors a clear course in the Nalkyrle ana
Defender series. The difference between yester-
| dave gratifying behavior Of the crowds ana the
conduct Of the excursion boats in years past
was in the handling
In the Valkyrie- Defender races there was no
such vigorous character as Captain Evans
backed UP by Government authority. 10 take
charge Of affairs: there was nothing but -"
police squads. with no power OF enforcing '"e'r
commands Captain Evans started to Keep an
omen course. and he kept II. No favors were
shown All vessels were treated alike. Little
steamers and million dollar yachts were ordered
| ont Of the way I'm the same polite but trm IAN
| guaRe whenever their captains became careless
Of their positions The revenue cutters Manning
Window. Onondaga. Gresham and Algonquin
were first out and they kept the space apout
the line clear for good while on either SIDE
Then came the fleet Of torpedo boats Which
cor,o down with n rush and I'm fine line from
the Navy Yard The Porter was in the lead'
and she was the flagship Of the feet which con-
sisted Of the Cushing, the Morris the Nlhso"'
the Dupont and the Stiletto.
Once the course was signalled from the COM
n,ittee boat the little black squadron went about
its business At the preparatory gun the course
was clear. the cutters lining up on the fleet and
~fyhf al
the Jersey coast There were no big steamers
to blanket the racers, and there were no small
craft to get in the way. The speedy Porter
with Lieutenant Commander Fremont on
beard. did particularly good work in keeping
the pleasure craft behind the patrol lines. She
was here. there and everywhere
SIGNALS PROMPTLY NEEDED.
All hands recognized her authority and her
orders we're quickly obeyed. Whenever she
signalled for the big feet to move farther away
from the line. the movement took the form OF
naval manPuvre. so prompt and unanimous was
the response A clear space was also kept about
! the outer mark and so far az racing was con-
cerned the yachts on the beat home found clear
wafer everywhere and no Interference whatever.
The naval militia yacht Aileen also proved
useful aid while the press boats each Of which
a
guard boat. were commended by Captain Evans
for the effective service they gave him captain
Evans was particularly pleased with the sue
Gee which had attended his efforts Il want 70
thank everybody" he said TO a Tribune reporter
ofter tho race who helped me In keeping order
rverv one did we'll and I want 10 specially
thank the press boats. One thing has been
demonstrated to-day and that is that a clear
course can be kept when the Government takes
hold NJ the work The police tried 70 do it and
failed They we're only a few captains who did
not obey orders. have their names. and VIII
see to it that their licenses are suspended"
MUST OBEY ORDERS.
When It was pointed out 10 him that one Of
the offenders was an English captain. Captain
Evans. with characteristic emphasis. said: Il
will make everybody In these waters obey or
ders whether they be American. English or
Dutch"
Commander Fremont. also commenting on
the davis conditions said. Il wish 70 commend
most cordially the good natured and prompt at
tention paid the patrol fleet by the excursion
boat captains They showed a willingness to
| obey every suggestion at once, and 70 this more
than anything else a clean course was due.
The system Of patrol has worked admirably, and
should be adopted at all big cup races II It Is
there will never again be any complaint OF eN-
cursion boat interference
When Captain Evans put of from Tompkins-
Vile on the revenue cutter Manning soon after
9 o'clock in the morning, there was already an
almost continuous line Of excursion steamers
most Of them with their decks black with people;
private yachts and sailing and steam craft gen.
orally. Of every size and form. making us way
10 the starting point. When the Manning ar
rived at the Sandy Hook Lightshp Captain
Evans began at once 10 marshal the excursion
fleet Into two great divisions ne mad then
formed one TO the eastward ana tho other 10
the westward with three full miles Of sailing
coo. hst,veen ANY attempt on the part OF a