New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-28
YACHTSMEN HEED
NAVY AID CALL
Waterways League to Or
GAME Auxiliary Fleet
as Coast Defence.
JAMAICA BAY REGATTA
CLOAKS BIG SCHEME
COmmOdores of 400 Clubs Will
Discuss Project at Meeting
Called for Tomorrow.

Beneath the holiday appearance OF
the yachts that will gather this after
noon off the Jamaica Bay Yacht Club at
Rockaway Beach to participate in the an
nual regatta of the Waterways League
of New York there will lurk a serious
martial purpose. At a meeting at 10
o'clock tomorrow morning at the club
house, at which the commOdores of the
200 yacht clubs which form the league
will be present. plans will be drafted
for forming a secondary coast defence
in time of war.
What the military instruction camp
at Plattsburg is to the army those III
terested in the Waterways League say
their organization will be TO the navy
Commodore Matthew J. Harrington. of
the Lifesaving Service of New York
said last night:
"Flying the colors of the yacht clubs
represented by the league are 5000
craft. Probably 10 per cent OF them
would be available for use in warfare.
The navy would find a desperate need
of scout, patrol. supply, auxiliary and
Red Cross boats of small size and light
draft. Why not organize now. SO that
in the event of an emergency which
none of us hope TO see we will know
where we stand?"
Lieutenant Craft, u. S. ~. an aid to
Admiral Usher. will address the COM
modores and yacht captains tomorrow
morning on the possibilities of an
auxiliary feet of yachts and motor
boats for war time purposes. he will
not speak as representative OF the
government, it was made clear, but
merely as one interested in the leagues
project and cognizant of the benefit an
organized feet of small vessels might
be to the navy.
This afternoon the yachts will as
seElble in Jamaica Bay. There " II be
dinners and dances ashore and illumina-
tion of the vessels this evening. To-
morrow there will be races. both boat
and swimming, diving contests and a
lifesaving drill by picked men of the
Lifesaving Service.
Acting Secretary Of the Navy Roose-
welt sent word yesterday that he would
detail torpedo boat destroyer from
the New York Navy Yard to the re-
gatta if it were possible TO take the
craft into Jamaica Bay. Secretary Red
field of the Department of Commerce
gave the event recognition by promis-
ing to send two coast guard cutters.
The Waterways League is flourish
ing organization. with a membership
among practically all the yacht clubs
in greater New York and Long Island.
William s. Boyd. commodore of the
Great Kills Yacht Club, is president,
and II. A. Jackson, jr., commodore of
the feet of the New York Athletic Club,
first vice president. William J. Moran,
commodore of the Jamaica Bay Yacht
Club. is chairman of the board of gov
crnors.
Among the other officials and gov
errors actively interested in the propo-
sition to form a naval reserve among
the pleasure craft are Herman A. Metz
Larchmont Yacht Club; Commodore
William A. Strong, Jamaica Bay Yacht
Club; Commodore q. A. Cooper, Dia-
mond Point Yacht Club; Commodore
a. H. Brook Carnarsie Yacht Club: +.
{. Schifrmacher. Sheepshead Bay Yacht
Club. and Commodore George Chad
wick, Metropolitan Yacht Club.