The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-27
AMERICA NOW HAS
A MEDITERRANEAN
Gulf of Mexico Takes on Fea-
lures of Old Sea.
UNITED STATES PREEMPTS IT
It's Waters in Winter FIecked by
Yachts of American MilIiOnaireS.
Havana Becomes Social Center OF
the New Inland WateFs-Acquizi-
ton "A Social Movement.


Thousands Of Americans are now en-
gagged in a bigger task, in one sense at
least. though calling for less physical
labor than the digging of the Panama
canal They are making a new sea.
Already. the work is practically COM
pleted and the new American sea, or as
il might better be called. the American
Mediterranean. is as clearly defined as
body of water bounded in part by another
body OF water can be
Seas entirely surrounded by water are
not unknown. as for example the Carib-
bean sea, which with the coming OF the
new one. Of which it is a part. will
achieve the distinction of being sea
within IN a sea.
Americans Preempt Sea.
The new sea which Americans have
pre-empted will. however, have more def
mite limits than the Caribbean. It reaches
from the lily-felded Bermudas on the
north from which come every Easter
millions of blossoms, TO the northern
coast Of South America on the south,
and from the coast of the United States
and Mexico on the west to the eastern
boundary of the West Indies on the east.
That. in brief, is the extent of the Amer
lean Mediterranean, which apprOXimaJes
in area that Of its European predecessor.
whose popularity, among Americans. at
least, it is rapidly usurping.
The parallel indeed, is striking. Just
as the Mediterranean is Europe's winter
America. Like the Mediterranean its
waters are warm and blue. The civiliza-
ton of its islands is both ancient and
modern. And corresponding TO the Ri
viera is the Florida coast. In many re-
spects the new sea far surpasses its older
rival It's manageable islands make il
a most alluring cruising ground. while
the attractions for the sportsman are
unsurpassed. Romance too is every
where.
It's Acquisition Social
The making or pre-empting OF this new
sea has not of course. come by way of
treaty or seizure. It's accomplishment
has been largely social. Whether or not
Cuba is ever actually annexed TO the
United States. the fact remains that
socially speaking. the whole Of the West
Indies has already been annexed and
pre-empted. In this annexation was laid
the beginning of the movement which
through the enthusiasm OF yachtsmen,
tourists, and permanent winter visitors
has resulted in the creation of the new
sea.
For its achievement large share Of
credit must naturally go to yachtsmen
since they IN the role of Argonauts. first
appreciated the attractions offered. Ten
or a dozen years ago nine out OF every
ten persons owning yachts big enough
TO make the passage made a European
winter cruise. Now, four-fifths. at least,
go to the new American Mediterranean,
and while il is an almost daily occur
renee TO read that Mr.. So and So has
sailed on his yacht with a party OF friends
for a cruise in these waters, the report
Of a clearance for Europe is rapidly be-
coming rarity. The annual rare Of
power boats from New York TO Bermuda
has had marked effect on the trend OF
winter cruising.
At any rate, il is estimated on good au-
thority that more than 600 is spent
every winter in such cruises by New
York yacht owners, alone. OF course,
not every one can visit the new sea in his
own private yacht. since the cost Of such
a cruise may vary from s., 900 to $500 or
$1,000 depending on the size of the boat,
and the length Of the cruise, for Of all
costly Injuries, the steam yacht Is GER
tainly entitled to first place.
Some Go without Yachts.
AS a result has come a new and novel
development which has been called the
cooperative" yacht. by means Of which
the person who neither owns a yacht
himself nor is acquainted with any one
who does can make his winter cruise to
the American Mediterranean under con-
ditions of comfort and safety. superior
even to those enjoyed by the owner of the
largest yacht afioat And this. too. at
only very small fraction OF the cost.
This new achievement is made possible
by several of the largest transatlantic
steamship lines having adopted the prac.
tice of diverting from their regular winter
service one or more OF their largest boats.
such as the "Moltke." which Is booked
10 leave New York on February % to
be used for winter cruises of two weeks
20 the waters OF the West Indies. The
cruises are not a mad dash from point TO
point but cruises in every sense of the
word. just as one would make them in
ones own yacht Stops of varying lengths
are made al different points of interest
and the passengers or party making the
trip have the satisfaction OF knowing that
at n very moderate cost they are DOING
in an ocean liner what the yacht owner
at far greater cost is doing in a smaller
vessel without the same absolute safety
Each person during the cruise is part
proprietor Of the vessel. as L were. How
popular these communal cruises have be-
come is evidenced by the statement of an
official of the neutrality-suspicious. line
that including the bookings already made
FOR the Easter trip, this line. alone, will
have carried this winter hundreds of
communal yachtsmen to Americas new
sea. Many, indeed, he added, take these
trips each winter.
Sail Boats Join Fleet.
Next to visitors Of this class come the
owners of small sail boats, who may
elect TO put in the whole winter. making
various short cruises from a fixed base
They, of course, see only a small part of
the territory but are. nevertheless. ex-
tremely numerous their small white sails
always dotting the horizon.
Society. too, has made the American
Mediterranean. with its center at Havana,
a fixture. and in so doing. brought about
a queer reversal of affairs. Years ago,
Saratoga Springs during the summer was
the mecca Of wealthy Cuban visitors, who
came to take the waters, and for the