The record-union., 1899-10-11
THE YACHTS IN
HARD LUCK.
Another Sailing Day Passes, and
Still No Race.
A Dense Fog 0yerhung the Racing Course
Off Sandy Hook,
Preventing the Columbia and
Shamrock From Even Leaving
Their Mooring Buoys Inside the
Spit Of Land at the Entrance Of
the Lower Bay.

NEW YORK. Oct. 10.-Hard luck
continues to pursue the big Single
stickers On the three days last week
when the yachts made attempts to sail
light fuky winds left them stranded
on the course when the time limit ex-
pired. To-day's fog bank prevented
them from even leaving their mooring
buoys inside the spit of land which
forms the Sandy Hook at the entrance
of the lower bay.
This was by far the most dismal fias-
co of all. City and bay were done up
in gray swathing clothes of impene-
trable mists, when the yachtsmen
jumped out of bed this morning to get
a look at the weather and there was
gloom and dismay along the water
front The old salts shifted, saw the
mist wreaths and shook their heads
was their verdict
But the Weather Bureau, with it's
scientific meteorological methods, had
predicted fair weather with freshening
winds for to-day, and a few clung vain
ly to the hope that the Weather Bu-
reau representations would turn out
true for once.
c. course the poor, misguided public
went like lambs to the slaughter. They
backed Uncle Sans weather oracle,
and put to sea. But not in such num-
bers as last week Many of the sight
seers who witnessed the three fiukes
at an average cost per ffuke of from So
to $50 had lost their interest, and it
viii take a race to restore it.
Meantime the racers lay tied to their
big buoys inside the Horseshoe. The
fog had let down its gray curtain all
around them. The circle of vision was
barely 200 yards in diameter. The
yachts We're as completely shut off
from the rest of the world as if they
had been inside big circus tent The
gray water matched the gray mist, and
blotted out sky and sea line The sun
tried to bore into the gloom, and once
or twice it's dim outlines, looking like
shining silver dollar, could just be
discerned through the haze.
There was no wind to lift the cloud
of mist that literally rested on the
water. If anything, the curtain seemed
to grow denser as the time for the
yachts to get underway approached. 1t
was manifestly impossible for the
yachts to put to sea in such weather.
Sir Thomas and Mr.. Iselin had agreed
at O'Clock not to sail until the fog
lifted, and there was a suitable breeze.
So the big sloops lay idly at their
moorings. Their crews loafed about
the decks, with nothing to do but wait.
The prospect of a race was never at
any time good enough to even Justify
them in removing the covers from the
mainsails. About them lay the little
fiotilla of bottle holders who attend
upon the fighters of the deep-tenders.
barges and launches.
Sir Thomas and his guests aboard
the Erin and the flagship of the New
York Yacht Club, the Corsair, with
Commodore Morgan and his guests.
were within hailing distance of ,be
yachts. Through the mists came the
muff1ed clang of the great fog bell at
the Hook, tolling it's warning TO mari
ners, while from the distance f1oated
in the deep wall of the fog horns of
the excursion steamers as they felt
their way out toward the starting line.
Shortly before Il o'clock the com
take a last look around, returned and
reported no indications of a change in
the weather, so the formal announce
ment was made that there would be no
race to-day. Soon afterward the ships
of the excursion fleet, which had been
drifting about in the vicinity of the
lightship, got wind Of the decision of
the committee, and one by one they
hnOqn m in, +1a ~
racers lay, looking like ghost ships as
they struggled through the mist in In
dian file. By 80 a perfect mob of
vessels were milling around the yachts.
Big steamers like the Grand Duchess.
the Jefferson of the Old Dominion line:
the Plymouth. City of Lowell and Mon
mouth plowed their way through the
smaller craft in the most reckless fash
ion, saluting the yachts and keeping
their bands going In a vain endeavor to
make their passengers believe they
were getting something for their
money.
Aboard the Erin the Englishmen
were in the dumps. A f1uke or two
they could stand, but such beastly luck
crushed them. Some of them have en-
gagged passage on the Oceanic, which
they will go home without having seen
race. Sir Thomas, disappointed as he
was, maintained an outward show of
good humor.
"I thought you clever Yankees could
do anything" he shouted over the
rail to some of his newspaper acuuain-
tances, "but you don't seem able to
propitiate old Boreas. When you come
on the other side next year to bring
back the cup, I'll guarantee you at
least two races a week, and more if
you want them
Shortly after l o'clock, after consult
ing with Sir Thomas and Mr.. Iselin. it
was decided to abide by the decision of
yesterday not to sail a race tomorrow.
The next attempt, therefore, will be
made on Thursday, and thereafter daily
until the series is completed.
Half an hour before the excursion
fleet had started for home the sun
struggled through the gloom for a few
minutes, but the effort seemed to have
been too much for the old boy, and he
went back. Later in the day. how
ever, it cleared up, and though the
Weather Bureaus prediction of a fresh
breeze was not realized, there was