The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1905-07-06

ure in yachting.
Such are the figures quoted by Arthur
f. Aldridge. in Parsons Magazine for
June, to support the declaration that
is the costliest sport in the
world. The expenditures given are
for the United States. There are now
more than 800 yacht clubs in this
country, with more than 10000 mem.
bers and a total of BIB carefully re-
corded yachts.
Mr.. Aldridge deals only with the
boats of record. There are perhaps
10000 very small launches and motor
boats and an unknown number OF tiny
sailboats which Go not enter into his
field of consideration.
Among the recorded yachts 512 are
steamers, 1919 are auxiliaries (having
small power engines to use when winds
fall light or when working into har-
bors), 205 are schooners, 1922 sioops
and cutters, 226 yawls, 146 catboats,
3OS launches with gas, electric or
naphtha motors.
Of the steamers 357 are built of
wood, twenty-five are composite struc-
lures Of wood and metal and 129 are
built entirely of steel. These steel
vessels are worth $17,294, 900. All
modern boats are built of steel, and the
seven that are over 800 feet long are
among the handsomest in the world.
These are w. K. Vanderbilts Valiant,
James Gordon BENEFITS Lysistrata, A.
j. DrexePs Margarita, Mrs. Robert
Goelet's Nahma, J. Pierpont Morgan's
Corsair, Eugene Higgins Varuna and
Colonel Oliver H. Payne's Aphrodite.
The average price for these seven has
been placed at half a million dollars
each.
In the next class are T. W. Wander
bits Warrior and Howard Gouid's
Niagara, each worth S36O,OO0.
The twenty-five vessels of composite
build are worth 1869, 1000, and the
wooden vessels are worth 81 ,099, COO.
This makes a total for the steam
yachts owned by American yachtspen
of S25,362, 600.
If the 311S American yachts Of rec
ord were arranged in a line up the
Hudson from the Battery, at ordinary
anchoring distances, Mr.. Aldridge finds
they would reach to the Poughkeet,sie
bridge
The steamers over 200 feet long,
headed by w. X. Vanderbilt's Valiant,
332 feet, would make the line to West
Sixteenth street, about three miles.
Boats between $50 and 200 feet would
extend two miles; those between 125
and $50 feet, four miles.
Finally, there would be ga line sew
enty-seven miles long made up OF YES
sells used only for pleasure. Then there
are thousands of small craft unreg1S-
tered, and if these could be accounted
for the line would reach as far as AL
bany."
Some vessels are in commission only
for month or six weeks in a season;
others are in use nearly the whole year,
their owners cruising in warm waters
in winter. Mr.. Aldridge thinks it fair
to put the average time for a boats
service at five months each season. IN
years sixty per cent. of TIE
yachts are in commission and on SUI h
basis the Pearson's writer goes inc0
figures of cost.
Big vessels like the Valiant, Varuna.
Corsair and others require crews &C
sixty men. 1t would take $3.50 men -
handle the steamers and auxiliaries,
1917 for the schooners,, APO for tbs
yawls, 1915 for the sloops and 600 foc
the power boats, making a total o.
9OO2 men.
The pay of an ordinary sailor is $50
a month. Many owners add to this SIS
a month for good conduct Quarter.
masters get a little more than sailors
mates $50 to 500 a month, assistant
engineers the same as mates, and cap
tains and engineers from $75 a month
for these 1000 men might be put at $40
a month each. This would mean $780,
900 month, or $1,SO000O for the five
months.
These men have to be fed. Fifty
cents day is allowed for each man.
i Liz ACulso DIOo,OOO Il uluutu lOI lOOus
or $665,000 for the five months.
Each sailor must be provided with
one blue uniform, two suits of duck,
caps, rubber boots, etc., and these cost
SIS for each man, another outlay OF
S135, 900.
The overhauling and fitting out Of
the vessels will mean an expenditure
Of $1,50O,OO0.
A wealthy yachtsman will spend
thousands Of dollars a month, accord
ing to the way he entertains. Conser-
vative figures put the amount spent In
owners quarters at $2,5O0,OOO.
The New York Yacht Club house is
worth $1,O00,00O. Other club houses,
like the Larchmont, Atlantic, Eastern
of Boston, Columbia of Chicago, are
worth 100000 each.