The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-15
THE MOTOR
By Frederic ]. Iisskin.

| ~ f The National Mctsr Boat show opsns
 this evening at Madison Square Garden In New York City. under the patronage of the Nationai Association of Engine and Boat Manufacturers. It will close on the evening of February 2s. Motor boat enthusiasts in the United States
 will display their entries for blue rib
 hons with the satisfaction of know
 ing that during the year just passed
 this country forged ahead of European
 rivals in the matter of speed. At the
 head of the Madison Square Garden
 show Is U A.. H. Dressel, manager,
 his assistant in the preparations hav-
 ine been H s. Gamble, secretary of
 the association.
 To a degree greater than ever be-
 fore, the show this year will demon
 strate that che motor boat is no longer
 a thing for sport, toy of million
 aires that is used solely for pleasure
 riding. As the automobile was once
 within reach only of the man of wealth,
 but now is used as an American farm
 vehicle, as substitute for the oid-
 time dray and express wagon. and
 even as supplanter of street cars. so the motor boat has come from the ex- elusive possession of the rich to take it's place as one of the necessities of social intercourse, and is multiplying in numbers as well as in practical utilization. Five years ago. the motor boat was Bcornea by nautical men. It was looked upon as 8 mere plaything, and masters of steam craft and sail vessels induIgea ia quite as determined opposition to it as horsenaen once did to the motor car.
 So high a degree of perfection has been attained in the development of motor boats. that even those devotees of the historic sailing craft who made Provincefown, Gloucester and other Maesaehusetts ports possessors of un- rivalied clipper fleets of fishing boats. have today Abandoned the sail for the power dory. Fishing vessels propelled by gasoline engines dependable in storm ana calm, now get the fish catch from the Highlands of Cape Cod to the Boston market on schedule time. or the Pfovincetown clipper sailing feet which once numbered more than one hundred swift fishing sehooners. less than thirty remain. The gasoline en- zine has snppianked the sail among class which naturally would be ex- pected to be most tenacious of the sail- or's traditions and slowest to adopt any device calculated to invade that romantic realm which from time im- memorial was ruled by the masters of sails and epars.
 me Madison Square Garden show this year will exhibit motor boats ranging from the converted rowboat with half a hu1se power developed by the tiny engine, to the superb racing craft hav- In% two engines of 3O0S horse power each, and capable of running Q mile in less than two minutes. There will be boats so cheapiy built that clerk on a salary of seventy-ave dollars 8 month may indulge in one as his recre- ation, and there wifi be boats like the gorgeous product for the millionaire, finish ed in mahogany and silk plush. the wheel-house upholstered in richest velvet.
 Heretofore. the motor boat has been looked on as useful only for light coastwise cruising and for inland wat ers. Yet a motor boat-7the Gregory was built in this country and sent across the Atlantic in January. q craft ninety feet overall, twelve foot beam. four foot draft, carrying 1000 gallons of gasoline and capable of running. on that supply, E,060 miles at six and miles an hours or $500 miles at twelve miles an hour. It has . potential speed of 2a.1ss miles an hour. at which 1t can run 400 miles on the 1000 gallons of gasoline.
 Hernpstead, Long Island holds the worlds record for 1908 mile faces for motor boats. The Dixie there estab- lished the record of sS.s miles in one hour, or faster than mile in. two Europe holds its greatest motor boat meets ct Monaco. France. and last year the record established was. 3314 miles an hourj although at Monaco the preceding year the Pan- ran 12S miles on sea course at the rate of thIrty-five miles an hour. Palm Beach. Fla, followed 7empstead in 1908 with the record of 29.91. The worlds record for cabin 1 motor boats Is twenty-five miles an hour.
 The three most -important motor boat race meets of America are at Long Island. Palm Beach, l Fla, and on the St. Lawrence at Thousand Islands. The last named meet attracts boats from Toronto, on- tario. and all ports on the Great Lakes
 ;. :