New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-07
THE CUP COURSE.

An effort is being made to have the races for
the Americas Cup sailed off Newport. Those
who are thus proposing TO change the venue
apparently forget that the Sandy Hook course
has already been agreed TO by the New-York
Yacht Club The challenge terms, contained
in the Royal Ulster Yacht Club secretary's let
ter, are: Il am requested by Sir Thomas J.
Upton TO forward you this challenge for the
"Americas Cup subject as to starts and courses
land other details. to the same conditions as
upon the occasion Of the last race, which were
found so satisfactory" The club then ca bled
in reply: Your challenge accepted. Conditions
same as they stood at close Of last years
races" That compact closed the subject ex-
cept so far as Sir Thomas might be induced TO
consent TO abandon the course asked for by
him and settled upon in the agreement. But
still 1t may be as well TO consider some points
which present themselves when such a change
ia proposed
1t is, we believe, generally admitted by mar
liners that the nearer the regions where Gulf
Stream warmth meets northerly currents the
greater is the chance Of running into fog. and
it often happens, AS II did last year that vessels
from New-York encounter no fog until they get
into that region between Block Island and
Newport whore the local New York Yacht Club
racing courses begin Last summer yachtsmen
dreading fog every day and on July - the con-
test Of the 70-footers had 10 he postponed On
August 10 the committee had to meet to con-
slider an all day postponement on account Of
calm, and certainly Newport was not free from
the most trying kinds of Upton weather"
But it chiefly owing to the too great value
of local knowledge that the regular club courses
proved undesirable for strangers In the first
race OF July II the four seventies had to beat
on southwest wind to near Point Judith from
| the start. st BrentOns Reef Lightship. and the
Yankee and the Virginia at once stood in for
| the shore. while the English skppers Of tho
! Rainbow and the Mineola stood seward. These
| two were hopelessly beaten inside of the frat
| half hour. The tide was running westerly for
| all, but nearer the curve Of the shore wss an
! parently running much faster giving the Ameri
can shippers an immediate and supreme advan
| tage. This was first rate fun for Mr. Duryea
who has raced in Newport waters between
thirty and fifty times a season, but there natu
rally would be dellcacy in asking Sir Thorna 9
Upton TO 90 to that locality for the America q
Cup.
The new proposed course is described as ton
miles east-southeast of Block Island. II can
| be ascertained on the little club chart tho+ n
| mark lying ten miles eastsoutheast Of RIocr
! Island Light would be at least thirteen and q
| half or fourteen miles from Brenton's REQ,
Lightship To this would have to be added +be
further miles from the lightshp TO the anchor.
ages, close TO Newport, which mean a long sat,
for yacht beating out, so that the total die.
lance to the starting point Of the pronosed
course would not much differ from the distance
between the Battery and Sandy Hook Point
The ease with which the starting point oorId
De reached is said to be a chief advantage
oHereo by the Newport course, but the differ
ence would not materially exceed five miles
NEWCOMERS would therefore have to tato q
night steamer trip and arrive in Newport nj n n
awkward hour, go to a hotel, get ND as early nc
at New-York. find the right excursion steamer
and do all this 10 save few extra minutes on
the steamer. Newport has no accommodations
Tor large crowd, and even If sufficient mum.
Der or steamers could he brought from distant
cities to carry the people the inability To pro.