Life — September 17, 1885 — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

-“ LIFE THE INTERNATIONAL YACHT RACE. ‘EPT. 11, 10 A. M.—Up to this hour the International Race is still undecided, and the corner of brilliant young men recently bought up by a syndicate for the New York Sum has left unfulfilled the oft-repeated promises of the America’s organ, to present to its readers the most vividly picturesque and succinctly beautiful account of the contest to be found on the face of the earth, for the exceedingly low sum of two cents. Much to our chagrin, the shining literary light whom we had engaged to paint a pen picture of the memorable contest for our columns was bought in by a few shares in the Mackay-Bennett Cable Co. to report the affair for our esteemed contemporary, the Herald, and to this end has gone to the Adirondacks, where he may be undisturbed in his preparation of the only accurate sextoople sheet account of the international event. We therefore offer our apologies to the reader for whatever inaccuracies may be found in the appended description of the week’s sport, compiled as it necessarily has been from the New York morning papers and illustrated by such diagrams as we have been able at short notice to secure. 1 Sporting circles were profoundly agitated on Monday by the report that ex-Governor Butler had determined to accompany the Puritan and Genesta over the course in their contest for the Queen's Cup. Had the commander of the Puritan slain an albatross he could not have been more deeply moved, and Sir Richard Sutton is said to have remarked that he did n’t know how far he was warranted in tempting Providence. Old salts shook their heads sadly on hearing the news, and predicted a heavy blow if the Massa- chusetts Commodore was permitted on the course, and advised that a committee of three be appointed to put the General under such influences as would just average matters, Mr. Butler was induced to enter the art gallery of a noted resort for sportsmen near Madison Square on Monday morn- ing early, where the influencing process was begun; but a sub-committee of five had to be appointed, as the receptive qualities of the ex-Governor’s mind soon placed the original committeemen hors de combat. The sub-committee, unfor- tunately appointed from a popular military order of this city known as the Ancient Invincibles, performed their duties so well that the arch monopolist was kept away altogether, and instead of an average breeze being obtained, the Purttan and Genesta found themselves becalmed before the race was half over, Sir Richard Sutton manfully declined to conclude the race with tug-boats, stating that he had no desire to win by any unfair means, and expressing himself of the opinion that 165 while Boston was to a great’extent to blame in the matter of Butler, he entirely exonerated the proprietors of the Purttan from all complicity therein. We reproduce, by kind permissicn of Mr. Bennett, a map of Monday's course : * f Q: Starting Point. R: Puritan. S: Genesta. T UV: Coune to wind- ward. VU T: Return. Af: Scotland Lightship. 4’: Reporter of Lire. It was then decided to make a second attempt to race on Tuesday. A glance at the results of the unfinished trial, as shown in the papers on Tuesday morning, makes it evident that the Genesfa is a faster cutter than the Pursfan, but that asa sloop the Boston boat is incomparably the better of the two, Betting acordingly. Il. Sept. 11, 2 P. M—The reporter of Lire boarded a copy of the New York World carly Wednesday morning, that being the most inexpensive method of viewing the race, and presenting a larger variety of novelties than could be seen from any other standpoint. -The Boston brig sailed out from the fog, blowing her steam whistle at intervals of five min- utes to warn smaller craft that she was coming. “There's the Puritan,” cried a voice, as the schooner, with her jibsail piped to windward, appeared on the leeboard bow, rushing through the water at the rate of ten logs an hour. Shortly after the rakish capstan of the Genesta hove in sight, and the Luckenbach prepared to give the signal for the start. There was every chance for a superb race, when a most untoward accident occurred. From the World's picture of the event we judge that both boats made a break for the Scotland Lightship, which hove to, crowding the Genesia off to the larboard tack, seeing which, the Purstan, attempt- ing to seize her rival’s weather, sailed into the wake of the Genesta. Sir Richard Sutton was on the alert, however, and reversing his engines, he backed over his wake again, leav- ing the Puritan the alternative of easing up or going down. At this point the Luckendach steamed up, and the collision being suspended for a moment, while the Wordd artist made his sketch, the bowsprit of the Genesta ran foul of the Purs- tan's mainsail, whereat things became so badly mixed that the race was declared off. ‘ The Committee offered to give Sir Richard Sutton the Cup if he'd go home and say nothing about it, but unlike a sports- ~@ Tris but right to state that this map has seen service in the Soudan and the Riel Rebellion, and has been used to illustrate the grain area of the West- em States; but a study of New York journalism is convincing that its use in this connection is perfectly legitimate. comicbooks.com