As the squadron passed the flagship Electra, a beautiful picture was presented to the eye. The wind being light, the yachts had all available sails spread, and the view at the start was of an almost solid mass of canvas.
Before going further it will be well to give an explanation regarding the races that took place from New London to Newport, from Newport to Vineyard Haven, from Vineyard Haven to New Bedford and thence to Newport.
DEAD BEFORE THE WIND.
A feature of past cruises has always been this racing from port to port. Until this year, however, the arrangements in connection with it have been eminently unsatisfactory, both as regards methods of starting and the way in which a large yacht arriving first at the common destination would be disqualified on time allowance and the victory awarded to a smaller vessel. The methods of former years having then proved inefficacious in deciding the actual merits of the competing boats, Commodore Gerry, Vice-Commodore C. H. Colt and Rear-Commodore E. D. Morgan resolved this year to present prizes to that yacht in each of the eleven classes which made the best record in the runs from port to port. These prizes consist of handsome lamps of solid silver resting on ebony stands. On one side is an inscription of the names of the donors, while on the other the New York Yacht Club flag is represented. All the eleven prizes are exactly alike. A novelty of the trophy is the fact that the lamp may be lifted from its receptacle, when the stand forms a handsome cup with two handles. These prizes did much to stimulate the energies of the captains, and some fine races resulted.
Twenty minutes instead of the usual ten were allowed as starting time in these contests. Soon after the fleet had started the wind gradually died away, and for half an hour the water was scarcely ruffled, but the Commodore’s proverbial good luck did not desert him long. Soon sufficient breeze returned to carry the yachts bowling merrily into Newport harbor. The following table tells the story of the day’s run:
FIRST CLASS SCHOONERS—THIRTY-FIVE MILES. | ||||||||||||
Start. | Finish. | Elapsed | Corr’d. | |||||||||
NAME. | H. | M. | S. | H. | M. | S. | H. | M. | S. | H. | M. | S. |
| Ambassadress | 11 | 06 | 00 | 5 | 33 | 35 | 6 | 27 | 35 | 6 | 27 | 35 |
| Dauntless | 11 | 09 | 33 | 4 | 42 | 37 | 5 | 33 | 04 | 5 | 33 | 04 |
| Norseman | 11 | 05 | 25 | 4 | 52 | 05 | 5 | 46 | 40 | 5 | 45 | 31 |
| Palmer | 11 | 12 | 54 | 4 | 32 | 05 | 5 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 15 | 34 |
| Wanderer | 11 | 09 | 45 | 5 | 10 | 55 | 6 | 01 | 10 | — | — | — |
| Alarm | 11 | 06 | 00 | 4 | 48 | 30 | 5 | 42 | 30 | — | — | — |
SECOND CLASS SCHOONERS. | ||||||||||||
| Intrepid | 11 | 09 | 45 | 4 | 46 | 27 | 5 | 36 | 42 | 5 | 36 | 42 |
| Gitana | 10 | 56 | 00 | 4 | 43 | 40 | 5 | 47 | 40 | 5 | 46 | 26 |
| Montauk | 11 | 09 | 45 | 4 | 29 | 05 | 5 | 19 | 20 | 5 | 16 | 40 |
| Columbia | 11 | 13 | 30 | 4 | 52 | 58 | 5 | 39 | 28 | — | — | — |
THIRD CLASS SCHOONERS. | ||||||||||||
| Sea Fox | 11 | 01 | 12 | 4 | 10 | 52 | 5 | 09 | 40 | 5 | 09 | 40 |
| Sachem | 11 | 09 | 45 | 4 | 19 | 20 | 5 | 09 | 35 | 5 | 07 | 49 |
| Troubadour | 11 | 00 | 40 | 4 | 24 | 19 | 5 | 23 | 39 | 5 | 21 | 18 |
| Varuna | 11 | 03 | 04 | 5 | 11 | 30 | 6 | 08 | 26 | 6 | 05 | 52 |
| Miranda | 11 | 07 | 58 | 4 | 26 | 14 | 5 | 18 | 12 | 5 | 15 | 26 |
| Grayling | 11 | 00 | 40 | 4 | 24 | 25 | 5 | 23 | 45 | 5 | 18 | 50 |
| Atalanta | 10 | 56 | 30 | 4 | 44 | 33 | 5 | 48 | 03 | — | — | — |
| Elma | 11 | 12 | 30 | 3 | 40 | 33 | 5 | 28 | 03 | — | — | — |
FOURTH CLASS SCHOONERS. | ||||||||||||
| Marguerite | 11 | 02 | 07 | 5 | 51 | 45 | 6 | 49 | 38 | 6 | 49 | 38 |
| Iroquois | 11 | 05 | 03 | 4 | 21 | 48 | 5 | 16 | 45 | 5 | 15 | 36 |
| Magic | 11 | 08 | 35 | 4 | 44 | 29 | 5 | 35 | 54 | 5 | 33 | 44 |
| Halcyon | 10 | 56 | 00 | 4 | 38 | 18 | 5 | 42 | 18 | 5 | 40 | 42 |
| Princess | 11 | 16 | 10 | 5 | 29 | 23 | 6 | 13 | 13 | — | — | — |
FIFTH CLASS SCHOONERS. | ||||||||||||
| Harbinger | 11 | 11 | 32 | 5 | 03 | 14 | 6 | 51 | 42 | — | — | — |
| Triton | 11 | 09 | 40 | 5 | 28 | 27 | 6 | 18 | 47 | — | — | — |
| Lotus | 11 | 17 | 00 | 5 | 05 | 14 | 6 | 48 | 14 | — | — | — |
| Azalea | 11 | 14 | 38 | 5 | 37 | 52 | 6 | 23 | 14 | — | — | — |
| Lydia | 11 | 12 | 08 | 5 | 28 | 27 | 6 | 16 | 19 | — | — | — |
| Whim | 11 | 06 | 00 | 5 | 32 | 40 | 6 | 26 | 40 | — | — | — |
| Clio | 11 | 17 | 00 | 5 | 50 | 37 | 6 | 33 | 37 | — | — | — |
FIRST CLASS SLOOPS. | ||||||||||||
| Volunteer | 11 | 08 | 54 | 4 | 21 | 32 | 5 | 12 | 38 | 5 | 12 | 38 |
| Mayflower | 11 | 50 | 20 | 4 | 16 | 03 | 5 | 10 | 43 | 5 | 09 | 56 |
| Puritan | 11 | 02 | 07 | 4 | 08 | 39 | 5 | 06 | 32 | 5 | 03 | 14 |
THIRD CLASS SLOOPS. | ||||||||||||
| Katrina | 11 | 12 | 30 | 4 | 26 | 42 | 5 | 14 | 12 | 5 | 14 | 12 |
| Bedouin | 11 | 05 | 03 | 5 | 35 | 55 | 6 | 30 | 52 | 6 | 29 | 23 |
| Fanny | 11 | 05 | 15 | 4 | 20 | 12 | 5 | 14 | 57 | 5 | 11 | 28 |
| Pocahontas | 11 | 01 | 30 | 4 | 47 | 04 | 5 | 45 | 34 | 5 | 34 | 34 |
| Nonpareille | 11 | 09 | 45 | 5 | 36 | 43 | 6 | 40 | 58 | — | — | — |
| Huron | 11 | 11 | 00 | 4 | 52 | 18 | 5 | 41 | 08 | 5 | 34 | 04 |
FOURTH CLASS SLOOPS. | ||||||||||||
| Hildegarde | 11 | 03 | 53 | 4 | 27 | 02 | 5 | 23 | 09 | 5 | 23 | 09 |
| Dare | 11 | 10 | 27 | 5 | 52 | 02 | 6 | 04 | 55 | 6 | 00 | 00 |
| Medusa | 11 | 10 | 50 | 5 | 21 | 24 | 6 | 10 | 34 | 6 | 02 | 22 |
| Whileaway | 11 | 06 | 00 | 4 | 35 | 17 | 5 | 29 | 17 | 5 | 22 | 52 |
| Thistle | 11 | 09 | 45 | 5 | 12 | 45 | 6 | 03 | 00 | — | — | — |
FIFTH CLASS SLOOPS. | ||||||||||||
| Athlon | 11 | 14 | 08 | 4 | 50 | 25 | 5 | 36 | 17 | 5 | 36 | 17 |
| Cinderella | 11 | 09 | 40 | 5 | 54 | 04 | 5 | 44 | 20 | 5 | 43 | 36 |
| Gaviota | 11 | 15 | 31 | 4 | 54 | 06 | 5 | 38 | 35 | 5 | 37 | 28 |
| Bertie | 11 | 08 | 22 | 4 | 47 | 11 | 5 | 45 | 49 | 5 | 40 | 55 |
| Concord | 11 | 11 | 00 | 5 | 51 | 17 | 6 | 40 | 17 | 6 | 34 | 17 |
SIXTH CLASS SLOOPS. | ||||||||||||
| Regina | 11 | 05 | 30 | 5 | 07 | 00 | 6 | 01 | 30 | — | — | — |
| Nymph | 11 | 08 | 56 | 5 | 27 | 47 | 6 | 18 | 51 | — | — | — |
| Crocodile | — | — | — | 5 | 13 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Iseult | — | — | — | 5 | 01 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
WINNERS—First class schooner—Palmer; second class schooner—Montauk; third class schooner—Sachem; fourth class schooner—Iroquois; fifth class schooner—Lydia. First class sloop—Puritan; third class sloop—Fanny; fourth class sloop—Whileaway; fifth class sloop—Athlon; sixth class sloop—Regina.
In the evening red lights were burned on the yachts, lighting up the harbor and producing a fine effect.
The next day, Friday, August 10, the race for the Goelet cups took place over the Sow and Pigs course, off Newport Harbor. At 10.20 the preparatory gun was fired, there being at the time a light northerly wind. Ten minutes later the starting signal was given, and the Volunteer crossed the line in the lead, with the Mayflower second. Then came the Miranda leading the schooners, followed by the Sea Fox and Sachem. At West Island Light the Volunteer had established a lead of half a mile with the Mayflower still second, followed by the Palmer, Sea Fox, Puritan, Sachem and Katrina in the order named.