Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-12
FLOATING PALACES
Cost of Putting Big Yachts in
Commission.
AMERICAN MONEY BURNERS
Modern Pleasure Vessels Vastly Diff
ferent From the Old.
KEEPING THEM IN GOOD ORDER
Private Passenger Steamers That
Need 5000 Worth of overhauling
Before They Turn a Propeller.
KEEPING THEM IN GOOD ORDER
Written for The Star.

Written for The Star
"Petticoats! Automobiles. Art! That's
what yachting is coming to. Blamed If
don't think I'll haul ashore and raise
'taters for a living pretty soon"
He was first mate on a crack steam
yacht going in commission in one of the
big yacht basins of New York And he
was only Just old enough to remember the
first cup races from personal experience
But young as he was he had seen a great
change come over the aspect of yachting
in his twenty-five years at sea in pleasure
vessels
II amt sailoring a all any more in these
big fellows" he complained. casting a
weary eye at the flock OF women who were
coming toward the gang plank from the
automobile hen l first went yachting
before the mast in the old Oracle before
she was rebuilt (she was a big one. too-eo
feet over AID her owners attended to nut
ting her Into commission themselves And
they knew what they wanted and how to
do It. II was some fun in being a yacht
sailor then.
Now there's more money in It. leastways
for the captain and the mate, and the stew
ard but the fun isn't there. I'll bet that
not one in six OF these twenty-odd steam
ers that are lying here will go into COM
mission under the personal orders of her
owner. Agents and marine architects and
engineers and riggers and contractors of
all kinds will be down here giving orders
And about the only thing that the owner
Will look after himself (and q good thing
too, for the ship. because It's probably the
only thing that he knows anything about
will be the decora tons and rugs and gilt
clocks and art furniture and pianos and
stlverware!
Curiosity Shops Afioat
Don't laugh, shipmate," continued the
sailor man plainuvely 81 tell you honest
That's the kind of truck that's coming
aboard this packet. Why. shIpmate, / feel
as II was one of them old curiosity shop
keepers every time we go into commission
and out again. Now that there lady Just
stepping aboard Is the owners wife and the
one behind her is his sister and the big fat
old lady is his wife's aunt. and If you expect
that ever a one of them will even notice
our standing rigging with them brand new
patent turnbuckles or the rake that we
gave the masts since last season you lose
Bless you, matey. they won't See a thing
on deck They won't even notice the way
I've served them grommets and covered
them with leather. and you'll allow that It
amt many Il sailor man in the feet that
can beat it.
Lord. no. They're a-going to dive right
below (only the fat lady will call it down
htairs) and do you know what they re
a-golng to 1abber about? Honest, now,
shipmate they've been and had the saloon
and all the cabins decora ted by O whole lot
OF tony chaps that decorate houses. Tho
painting US common sailor men do on ships
amt good enough any more for them not
by a long shot. And when We are In
commission and the owners pennant is
flying he'll do Just the same thing when
guests come alongside. He won't keep EN-
on deck the way old Bronson used to do in
all kinds OF weather TO show EN- The set
OF the rigging or a new pinnacle or some
other continuance of his own or ours. No.
af no Of .fo bot to
get his guests right down below and show
'em decorations. If he was ever to lie
down on his back under the keel when
she's in dry dock, the way our old man did
old Pioneer. we'd fall on our backs our
selves and never get up again, because the
establishment would kill US sure"
Going In Commission.
The brown mate waved his arm con-
temptuously around at the beautiful ships
that lay on both sides Of the long pier
each beginning to deck herself out In snowy
clothes. buff stacks and gallant gilt figure
heads
Truly enough the scene was different
from the days before steam yachts had
become young transatlantic liners and
when sailing yachts were still something
smaller than clipper ship. There were
plenty Of keen sailor men around. There
was plenty Of the delicious hustle that
spells heaven to lover OF the ocean
when he watches a ship laying on her
arnor for a fight with the faithless old
sea. But there were no groups of ex-
cited. eager boylshly enthusiastic men
comparing the merits OF their craft peer
ing with craftsmen's eyes at spars and
lines and keels, cheering on their crews to
dress the pet boats IN their best and de-
batting to the quarrel point over oft-deba ted
theories OF naval construction or practice.
Here and there was a man. evidently an
owner. who viewed matters with a cold
business eye. and rushed" through the
things to which he had 10 give attention