The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-29
HARD TO FIND BOATS
TO FOLLOW CUP RACES
New Laws Limit Passenger Ca
pacity Of Steamers Used
in Former Years.
YACHT CLUBS HUNT FAILS
Committee Of N. Y. Y. G. Re-
ports Futile Search for Boat
to Accommodate Members.

While AL the preparations for the
Americas Cup races are progressing and
the racing yachts are nearing completion
many yachtsmen are wondering how they
are going to witness the contests OF
Sandy Hook next September. Those who
own steam yachts or large motor yachts
or those who are intimately acquainted
with yacht owners have little cause for
worry. but those who expect to be on
board some big excursion steamer are
doubling II there will be vessels enough
to carry the crowd In former years the
fleet has been enormous and such vessels
as the Monmouth. Sandy Hook and As
bury Park OF the Sandy Hook Line the
Plymouth. Pilgrim. Puritan. Richard Peck
and others of the Sound lines. the river
steamers, steamers from Boston and
from Southern ports and several of the
coastwise steamers. In addition to the
harbor fleet and hundreds of tugs. have
gone outside loaded with thousands of
enthusiasts anxious to witness the marine
battle.
This year things will be different. A
new law governs all steamers and they
are licensed to carry only small per-
centage OF the number that they were
allowed TO carry eleven years ago. The
Monmouth, which usua ~ was chartered
by the New York Yacht Club to follow the
races for the cup. had about LOO mem
bers OF the club and their guests on
board in the old days. Under the present
law the Monmouth Is licensed TO carry
only 400 passengers II II goes outside
Sandy Hook, and should bi ! now pend
ing before Congress become law the Mon
mouth will be limited to $50 passengers
The Central Railroad of New Jersey
officials, who control the Sandy Hook
tt,at ha
so-called seamen's bill, now before Con-
gress, is passed the Sandy Hook route
will be abandoned and the steamers laid
up. This law applies to other vessels
just as harshly as II does to the sandy
Hook boats. Tugs OF about 100 feet in
length, that n few years ago were licensed
TO carry seventy passengers. are now
limited TO nineteen or twenty. The num-
Der carried according to the prescn, law
Is graded according to the lifeboat ca
pacity of the steamers. and should
vessel like the Monmouth carry lifeboats
sufficient to accommodate 1000 passengers
there would be no room on the upper
decks for those passengers 10 occupy sta
tons To watch the yachts
The Department OF Commerce has con-
tro, OF all steamships used by the pub
lie, and its laws are enforced by the
Steamship Inspection Service. OF which
Gen. George Uhler Is the head. In former
years Il has been customary, in many
cas- g. to allow vessels having Bay or
Sound licenses TO go outside the Hook
for the cup races and to carry their
usual number OF passengers. but because
OF the many marine disasters or the last
few years Gen. Chler has announced mat
there will he no modification Of the regu-
ladons this year.
The New York Yacht Club some time
ago appointed "A committee 10 obtain q
: E,al, no clnh'a NEXT fall
The members OF this committee. Eugene
/ A. Robinson, James n. Sparkman and
! Henry T. Maury hav" spent two months
| looking ut steamers here. in Boston and
| in some other ports. bur so far have beer
| unable to find vesse! TO carry the usual
| number OF club members and guests.
The committee went TO Washington and
| consulted with Gen. Uhler. and at IN,
l meeting OF the club on Thursday reported
/ what had been done. After the situa'
, tion had been thoroughly explained TO the
/ members. on a motion made by Commo'
dore George NJ. Pynchon II was resolved
| that such vessel AZ the club might charter
] this wear for the cup races would be foi
/ the use OF club members only. II beinl
understood that the committee should en-
/ deavor TO procure a vessel suita BILE FOL
/ guests as well for members.
The steamboat inspectors realize that
there will be an enormous fleet outside
! Sandy Hook next fan IN spite or nj
regulations. The course over which tbs
yachts will race Is to he patrolled By
revenue cutters and torpedo boat dc
stroyers. and I'm former race years II hat
always been difficult task to keep III,
following fleet away from the rac.ni
Yachts so that they are not interferet
with Since the last series OF races thu
motor beat has become popular. and there
are thousands of these craft along IL,
Atlantic coast. These are nearly all owned
privately There are some that will h
used az public excursion boats and a.
such will have 10 apply 10 the steamboa
inspectors for licenses. The requirement.
OF the Federal authorities 3 to the outfl
and equipment OF these vessels VIII 1T
rigidly enforced, and everything Will b
| done to Keep the fleet as small as possible
In the same way private vessels will b.
examined ana those that have not IN,
proper outfit OF life prcservers. fire eN
| tinguishers. lights, whistles. fog horns an,
| similar eouiprnent on board will I've ken