The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, September 29, 1901, Page 12

12 THE SUNDAY OCALL RUNNING Free_ . OW as to this matter of yacht rase ing. It is a sport in which a large number of people profess to take and in which a still larger num assume a pleasure though These last be also t provoking questions as value of a fin keel over a or just wherein a8 gybe ballean jib. rpose of this effort to give xpert some few hints Flsh him oF her with & ai of the game. At me no more eomplicated and there ie a eers ’ For the to=day is as much a result & its prototype of the as a devotee has will trace the pedigree of his tween the twe turf A yachtemar racer back through the Gloriana, Magic, and name the exact points which she has obtained from has given windward qualities, stiffness, one beauty, and long list since the t home the famous cup.” hose who follow yachting ing blue and not from behind desks that these qualities most The slight points of difference in ging machines—points apparently 1 those fairly familiar stants have difficulty in dis- em, and which to the casual wholly hidden—are to the as plain as are the forest signs woodsman. For instance, the nd Columbia so closely ughout a covering resembl® each other that few outside the initiated c tell one from the other. Both have the me marble white hull, the same great towering Just forward of amidships, the same great bowsp ing out from forward, the of canvas. One unfa- the two might have before technical description of each of both and the search the pictorial m in vain for identification of chances are representati either. Points of Difference. And yet there are points of dissimilarity, trained eye will distinguish as can see. The one distinguishing which all who sail is the double spreader of the Constitution, whereas the Columbia car- ries only ngle spreader. To make plain what a spreader is, it may be well to ex- plain that it is a small spar extending laterally on either side of the mast for the purpose of “‘spreading” the shrouds and in 50 doing giving them greater strength and resisting power. As between the chal- lenger and the defender there will be no need of searching out the points of dif- ferences, as the color of the hull will in- dicate which is which—the one being em- erald green, the other milk white. But he or she who goes down to -the course in an excursion craft may still be all at sea as to which is winning the race or which comes in victorious across the finish line, as there are rules which complicate results. One yacht, for instance, will have to give the other a time allowance and the one which to all appearances may seem the winner may, when the count is done, these two, show up loser by so many seconds or min-g. utes, as the case may be, There doubtless are few finer or more inspiriting marine spectacles than that afforded by two high-class racing yachts struggling neck and neck for the finish line. But that is a sight one seldom has the good fortune to see, although many such heart disease finishes are promised in the coming contest; this by reason of the general belief that challenger and de- fender are more evenly matched than any other two that ever fought out the battle for the trophy. Even drifting matches have an exciting interest for some, but the writer, who has drifted on the flank of many of these, has never been able to extract any excitement from contests.of that kind. : ' How the Courses Differ. Coming now to the projected races these will be run over what is known as the Bandy Hook course, the victor being the yacht which wins three out of five events. The races are tp be a fifteen-mile straight- away beat or run to an outer mark and back to the finish line, and a contest over a triangular course with ten miles to each leg. Like racing thoroughbreds of the turf, racing yachts have thelir speclalties, but in the case of the latter these may be broadly summarized under the head of pointing, reaching and running. Unquestionably a racing yacht's most le quality is her ability to lie close wind, and to sall fast when going mainmast stepped _ lirection from which the wind is This is technically known as “pointing,” ana the yacht which can sail straightest and quickest toward the wind Will, of course, beat any competitor which has not this quality of footing fast when pointing high. In pointing the main boom is laid as nearly parallel with the keel as possible, and the sheets (ropes which con- trol the salls) are hauled aft until the salls are taut as'drum heads, in which po- sition the yacht is saild to be ‘‘close hauled,” and if good at this sort of going she will “eat” her way into the wind and make slanting approaches to her destina- tion at an angle well within four com- pass points, or forty-five degrees. Suppose then that at the time the first race is called the outer mark is placed due south of the starting line, and that the wind is straigitt from the southwvard. The first part of the contest would naturally bé a beat to te outer mark, in which- cz the conteStants would have an Cpporty- nity of showing thelt respective merits'in this matter of pointing. The one which can sail closest to the wind and maintafii good speed will naturally around the mark. Thenceé on will be a run, by which is meant that sheets (al- ready explainecd) can be eased off or loos- ened, with the main boom at a broad an- -gle to the hull. Then if the wind is not too strong the immense balloon jibs and spin- nakers, great expanses of silk-like sails, are flung to the impelling breeze, and with be the firsth ‘“‘every stitch showing,” ‘the yachts drive ~hefore the wind to the. finish line. Faster Than the Wind. " But it is In golng over the triangular courge thats the best. all-Around qualifes of a yacht.are hrought out. ' The wind holding fair, she ‘must show her.paces in every point ‘ot sailing—pointing, running and Feaching. In reaching, the hoom is cased: off ‘at an angle, the acutencss of Which;,is determined by the. angle which the wind makes to the direction of the course. In a close reach it Is little more than for pointing; in a broad reach a lij- tle less ‘than in’runnir; In reaching a yacht, though salling against the wind, di¢plays greater gpeed than she does In going dead before it. This may sound in- credible, but it is nevertheless true. , For instdnce, it is Inconcelyable that’a yacht going ‘before. a ten-knot breeze can go faster'than ten knots, whereas one reach- ing cn.a ten-knot breéze might consider- ably exceed, that gait. +, Although ‘very simple, the terms “star- beard ‘tack” and ‘“port tack'! confuse many. Apy salling vessel i3 said to be on the starhtard tack*when the wind is com- ing from ‘the starhoard, or right hand side. and on the port tack when the wind is coming from'.over the left, or port side, The term “‘runnirg" Is so plain as to tell its 6Wn story, meaning just what it says. that a vessel is “running,” and, of course, before. the wind, as a sailing craft can run n no ether direction. The question of keeping the course clear thie’vear as it was done at the time when Sir Thomas made his first effort to lift the cup has been discussed, and arrange-, merts bave’ been’'made ‘whereby the ex- cursion fleet—expected to be mord’ than/ usually large this year by reason of the great interest attaching to the contest— will be kept clear of the course of the racing yachts. Lord Dunraven, it will be recalled, bitterly complained of blanketing and interference on the part of.excursion vessels. £ 1t was never shown that the challenger Continued from Page Ten. the especial use of their Royal High- nesses; the compartment car Canada, and the sleeping cars Australla, Indfa and | South Africa, together with cars for bag- gage and railway employes. The long, heéavy train is hauled by locomotives of the Atlantic and- consolidation - type of passenger engines of the Canadian Pacific Rallway. The train is truly a marvel of elegance. It is finished outside in natural mahogany. At either end of each car and on both sides of the long train are the armorial bearings of the Duke of Corn- wall and York. The train is'lighted from end to end with eélectricity by- the Gould system, the lamps being concealed behind ornamental shades of cut glass set in the cellings. 5 . The Cornwall is placed as the rearmost coach of the train, so that their High- nesses may have an uninterrupted view.of the scenery along the northern shore of Lake Superior and the vast crags of the Selkirk Mountains and the gorge of the Fraser River. The Cornwall is seventy- eight feet in length, with a width of ten feet and a height of fourteen feet. It ‘weighs =ixty tons and contains a recep- tion-room, ' boudoir, dining-room = and kitchen. The reception-room opens from the large observation platform on the rear and is the largest room of the suite, It is paneled in Circassian walnut and gives an effect of supreme richness and r The Visit of the Duke of Cornwall. admirable taste: in dead gold. Theé hangings and drapings are of dark blue velvet, while the floor is carpeted with a heavy Wilton of a quiet gray-green shade, into the very tex- ture of which the foot slips soundlessly. The sofa, armchairs, escritoire and other articles of furniture are upholstered in blue velvet to match the hangings. The plano is of Canadian manufacture and is The ceilings are finished tures casts a subdued light upon a din-“cloth of pearl gray. ing table which will accommodate e'ght persons. & Adjoining the dining-room are a pantry, kitchen and storeroom, perfect in.all their. arrangements, and In. reality-a model kitchen, smaller in"size than those fouhd® in palaces, but not a bit less complete.” | The chinaware is so exquisite that a con- ' noissetr would:£b Into raptures over Aty a very perfect nstrument. The Duchess' although it is perfectly plaih, not evens boudelr is between'the receptlon and din-, bearing the ducalerest. The silver ser- ing rooms, half-way along the corridor which joins them. Its prgwniling shade is pearl gray. The panels are painted a la Watteau. The lattice work of the ceiling, by which ventilation is secured, as well as_size as the Cornyall. A ;chridor extends for the the ornaments of.the panels, are touched, its entire length. The centzal portion of dining-room, pantry and kitchen. - lightly with gold. The draperies are of. the York is occupled by two ‘royal; bed- light blue moire silk, and the divans,: rooms, and on elther side of theni-» vice is almost of the from the same 1aker as the one who sup- plied the Ophir. © The Tight“coach York i of ‘the same are chairs and table match. This little bou-# bedrooms,-gne for the gentleman in wait- doir on wheels will be the envy of every woman who sees it. For the size nothing more perfect could be imagined. Adjoin-. gray enamel and pandled in silk to matéh- ing it is a complete toilet room, contain- ing a’cheval glass reaching to the floor. T The front of the car is devéted to the dining-room, which is finished in African coromandel, ornamental cartouches in bas relief dieplaying at one end the armorial bearings of the King and at the other the blended coats-of-arms of the Duke and Duchess. A candelabrum of electric fix- ing-and the"other for the lady in"waliting. The royal bedrooms are finished in pearl . the draperies. Each contains a brass be stead, wardrobe, dressing table and L .jmirror. | THe draperies in the Duke’s gpom ‘are of crimson silk armure, and those “in same design andis” the Vestibules of the train have their dja- - ¥ ples. cloth, and heavy curtains of a similar material. The Canada, Wwhich is the third -car from the rear of the train, is a compart- ment car, confgining six staterooms, a large smoking-room, a lavatory, bath- room and shower bath, which is,3 novelty even in royal trains. The shower bath is installed in a small chamber and is up- /holstered in gray waterproof cloth. .A11 phragms protected by velveteen curtairis, matching in shade the green-tinted carpet. The Sandringham is the dining-car staff, and consists of the main The sides are paneled with red mahogany, the’ ceilings embosseq with old gold and the’ floor carpeted with'a soft green Brussels; Ten large windows light the car by day, andat night twenty-eight electric lights. Thirty pérsons can be seated at the ta- In oné of the other cars forward a “consulting 'and dispensing réom have been provided for the use of his‘Highness' medical attendant and his;assistant. - All the Duches’ of pale blue moire. The'fur- - the latest ‘surgical appliances and‘a.com- niture is all of satinwood. Each of the royal bedrooms has its own bathroom at- tached. These are unique, being uphol- stered in a soft, tasseled, waterproof plete ‘stock of drugs are here arranged for immediate use. Three regular sleep- ing cars and two baggage cars, in one of which is a cold-storage plant, complete | The bath¥are of full’ size,” upholstered round the borders with, (the same waterproof have. & . the train, which' has been’ used on the royal progress from Quebec to Van- couver and will on their return carry them clear through to Halifax, where the Ophir is now awaiting them. As much as possible of the wild side of the Northwest has been exhibited to his Highness. A day was spent by him at Calgary, near the foot of. the Rocky Mountain, in Alberta, watching a great assembly of the Indian tribes, in inspect- ing the Northwest mounted ploice, and In. observing a typical Northwestern exhibi- tion of steer roping, bronco rough-riding, cowboy races and other sports of the plains. To-morrow is planned to be spent in Vancouver and the two succeeding days in Victorfa, where there will be another rounding up of the Indians who will give a war dance. After leaving Victoria the royal party will return with alt speed to the Ophir at Halifax and thence to Eng- land, npt setting foot in America, as it Is purely and solely a royal progress through British territory which is being made, in no sense other than that, a tour of the ‘world. . D o — It is calculated that the respectable sum of 360,000,000 is spent annually by about 270,000, visitors who frequent the Riviera * during the winter season, which lasts about 150 days. This makes an average of $400 per day. Of these visitors ‘_nbout one- third, or 90,000, are of the English-speak- ing race—60,000 British and 30,000 Ameri- can. A £ ReacHire . STARmcAmo TAac e, was more hindered than was the defende or, but to prevent any possible recrimina« tion on that score the Natlonal Governs ment, at the time of the Shamroeck I-Cos lumbia contest, detalled a flotilla of tors pedo-hoats and revenue ecutters and Ine strueted the offieer in echarse, Captain, now Rear Admiral, Robley D, Hvans, to employ this farce for the purpe: 1t Keep~ fng the course eclear., The course heing outslde the three-mile limit and, theres fore, on the high seas and outslde tha Jurisdietion of the United Htates, thers was no legal warrant for sueh prodeads ings. But the establishment of the patrel met with that enthusiastie pepular ape proval which is a law unte Itself and which was, In this case, a universal testls mony to a wish to see fair play accorded both yachts, As a result of this patrelling of the eoirse there was no reason for complaint on the part of either racer, and this year the same system will be adopted. Cap- tain Walker of the revenue marine ser- vice has been detailed for this duty and & number of vessels, sufficient to see that his orders are obeyed, will be placed ander his command. ‘What Cup-Defenders Cost. The cost of an attempt to “lift"” the cup and the price of fending off such effort are particularly interesting. The state- ment that this cup attaining ambition of 8ir Themas will cost him in the neighbor- hood of a round million for this present effort alone may seem Incredible at first reading, but it is not likely that his ex- penses will fall much below that figure, if any. The building of the Shamrock, the pay and maintenance of her crew, the cost and maintenance of the magnificent steam yacht, the Erin; the charter of the Porto Rico, a big ocean going steamship, which is to be used as a tender for the Shamrock; the charter of the yacht Til- lie, a pretentious steam yacht which will be employed by Sir Thomas for the use and convenience of his many guests; the charter of the big James A. Lawrence and of the launch Dufferin, must all be counted in the cost. Writing in McClure's after the last in- ternational yacht race, Ray Stannard Baker gave some interesting figures con- cerning the egét of cup defenders. Speak- ing of the Columbia, he said: “It is probable that no one outside of the bufld- ers and owners of the Columbia knows exactly what she cost. She could be constructed, so a well-known butlder told me, for $80,000. But the Herreshoffs were given carte blanche, and the very best of everything was used in her construce tion, so that she probably cost, includ- ing the services of the designer, Captaln ‘Nat’ Herreshoff, fully double that sum. The cost of the Defender was about 00,000, a striking contrast with the old America, which was built for about $20,- The: famous cup -defender Puritan, bullt in 1885, cost about $30,000, so George Lawley, her bullder, told me. It will be seen that the price of cup defenders has gone up marvelously in fourteen years. A substantial merchant vessel of the same length of water line as the Colum- bia, first class in every particular, can be built and fully rigged for $12,000 or $14,000. Adopted American Sails. “The Columbia's mainsafl cost some- thing more than $2000, and it required ten mer, working twelve and one-half days, to sew its long seams. The full suft of sails for the great racér cost fully $12,000, a sum quite sufficient to purchase out- right a good, full-rigged cruising - yacht. The making of these sails so that they Will curve and catch the wind like a bird’s wing. drawing perfectly and yet without wrinkling or straining the can- Vas, requires a degree of art and ac- curacy not easily appreciated without a Vvisit, such as I made, to the lofts of the Wilsons, who have rigged many a famous racer. Indeed, the snowy cétton sails of American ships are famous the world over. Up to the time when the Genesta came cup-seeking in the °eighties the English had used hempen sails exclusive- ly. The English yachtsmen of the Ge- nesta, wondering at the marvelous work of the American canvas, took back with them the material for a new . suit of sails. Since then American cotton has been widely adopted by all grades of British ships, as well as the American system of attaching the sails to the spars—both being a curious outgrowth of the cup races.” The superb suit of racing canvas which the Shamrock II will wear in the com~ ing contest was cut and fitted by Mr. Ratsey, reputed to be the best sailmaker in Great Britain. He accompanied Sir Thomas here, as did George L. Watso: the eminent designer, who construct the challenger, I d