FOREST AND STREAM. 



303 



prepared to substantiate our statement. The speed logged 

 was 10£ knots, on a bowline, fresh breeze and rough sea. 

 Forest asd Bissau is not iu the habit of going off half- 

 cockeJ. If any of our readers happen in the neighborhood of 

 the yacht's hailing port, Mr. Foster is prepared to give them 

 the privilege of seeiDg her do the same thfog again. The 

 speed which long, narrow and deep vessels are capable of at 

 sea, aeems little understood on this side of the Atlantic. 



rAOHTHNU NEWS, 

 Nebeus Yaoht Club.— This new organization held its first 

 regatta on Tuesday, November 5. The course was from 

 Capiaiu Decker's boat-house at U5th street to Tenth street 

 buoy, East. River, and return. Queen Mah, 

 15ft. cat-boat, with a large displacement and some 801 I 

 of iron under the flooring, won the race handsomely iu lh. 

 43m. GOs., beating Rebecca, of the tiat-aml-wide model, 3m. 

 20s. Alice, a little sharpie, came in third and Annie last. 

 The club is officered as follows: Commodore, Chas. Coughtry; 

 Secretary, Thomas I. Miller ; Treasurer, Eewis M. Moler. 



OAK AM) PADDLE. 



HARVARD-OXFORD. 



WE are pleased to see tbe liberal and fair-minded spirit in 

 which Harvard is pursuing the project to send a 

 crew to England to pull the winner of the next University 

 race on the Thames. Though there can be no question as to 

 the perfect right of our University to go abroad upon its own 

 account, the gentlemen of Harvard are willing enough to try 

 their hand with all-comers iu America before shipping their 

 shells for Europe, and a number of interesting events between 

 the best eights in the country are therefore in prospect. The 

 challenge of Cornell has been accepted, upon condition of pull- 

 ing at New London on the Thames. Yale will be disposed 

 of as customary, and any advances that Columbia chooses to 

 make will meet with favorable response. It is to be hoped 

 that no trifling crotchet or petty pique will crop up and inter- 

 fere with the definite arrangement of the races in question at 

 an early date. If Harvard prefers the course at New London, 

 claimants to the championship will do weil to avoid postpone- 

 ment and possible disappointment by accepting without hesi- 

 tation a course which has proven more acceptable to the public 

 in general and better adapted to shell-boat racing than almost 

 any other water in the country. When the home races have 

 been disposed of to the satisfaction of all concerned, as we 

 believe they readily can be, then will the most important and 

 the most difficult question come to the front, and that is how 

 to arrange a suitable date with the English crew, in the event 

 of a challenge to it being entertained on the other side of the 

 water. But until Oxford is heard from, and their views ob- 

 tained in a preliminary discussion of the proposed race, noth- 

 ing can be done by Harvard of a definite character beyond 

 settling upon the men who will compose the crew, get then to 

 work and raise the necessary funds. It is pleasant to note 

 that an offer of assistance has been made from Vale, and there 

 is little doubt but that the wherewithal will be forthcoming 

 upon short notice as soon as it is evident that the efforts of 

 Harvard to bring about_a race with Oxford will be crowned 

 with success. _ 



Aialanta vs. Nautilus Paib.— What will probably prove 



the last race of the season on metropolitan waters was rowed 

 on the Harlem, Saturday, Nov. 9. The race though nominal- 

 I3- for a medal given by a stranger, was iu reality the result of 

 the somewhat intense rivalry which has been in existence for 

 a long time past between the Nautilus pair, Messrs. VValsn 

 and Levein, and all other similar crews in the neighborhood. 

 It will be remembered that they were disqualified by tne N. 

 A. of A. O., and recently rc-iustaled. Since then Mr, Walsh 

 has withdrawn from the pair, his place being tilled by Mr. 

 Wni. Childs, a change which did not affect the reputation of 

 the pair as unquestionably strong. The defeat of the Nautilus 

 pair in the recent Harlem regatta was a matter of surprise to 

 many, and it was hardly expected that the Atalantas could so 

 readily repeat their performance on that day. The water was 

 rough and the day cold. Odds were against Childs and 

 Levein among the betting fraternity, and by the lime the 

 start was effected had actually reached the figures 4 to 1 iu 

 favor of the Atalanta pair. The Nautilus wun the choice 

 of position and went over to the Westchester bank. They 

 caught the water first and obtained the lead, but in three 

 strokes Eustis and Downs were up to them, and with a long 

 effective Bwing began to walk away from their opponents in 

 steady style, pulling 32 against the ii of the Nautilus nun. 

 At the quarter mile there was a length of clear water between 

 the two, and it soon became evideut that the Atalantas wire 

 more than a match with their powerful stroke for the ancient 

 "dip aud a jerk" of Me.»Brs. Childs and Levein. Hy tbe 

 time Macomb's Dam Bridge was reached the leaders had 

 gained something like a doeen lengths, which they spun out 

 to almost fifty when they crowed the line, winning in 14m, 

 10s., Nautilus, 15m. 30s. Distance two miles, from High 

 Bridge down to the Columbia College boat house, with the 

 last of the ebb in their favor. Mr. Jasper Goodwin, of the 

 Columbia crew, acted as referee. 



Habvabd FALii Backs.— The fall scratch races of the 

 Harvard Boat Club took place at Cambridge, on the Chailes 

 Kiver, Nov. 9. First race for Freshmen sixes, entries : No. 

 1— Toner, bow; Kent, Hoar. Kane, Chalfant, Battlett, 

 stroke and captain: No. 2— Perkins, bow ; Dean, Guiteras, 

 Baldwin, Lawrence, Babcock, stroke and captain. No. S~ 

 Warner, bow ; Dickon. Eldridge, Townsend, Bowen, Hoyt, 

 Btroke and captain. Bartlett's crew took the water first and 

 maintained the lead, making the best turn and finishing first 

 in 7m. 12s.; Hoyt's crew a good second, and Babcock's a good 

 third. Second race for University sixes. Entries: Peabody, 

 L. S., captain and stroke ; Bancroft, L. 8.; Freeland, '81; 

 Hammond, '81; Watson, '79; Thomas, VJ, bow; Brown, 

 'St, c ixswaifl- Jacobs, '79, captain and stroke ; Smith, '79 ; 

 D. Trimble, '80; W. Trimble, '79; Braudegee, '81 ; Atkin- | 

 son, '81, bow; Agassiz, coxswain. Peabody's crew went 

 head, but dropped even at the boat house with the other 

 crew. They lost by a bad turn, and Jacob*' boat load got 



home first -ad, time 6m. 50s. In the sickle 



Sculls, Goddard, of 79, had a walk-over. Time 6m 46s , with 

 tbe water very rough. He will row no more this Bealon, bun 

 keep in training for his race with Livingston, of Yale, next 

 spring; Las 1 scratch UntTersity foura. Entries: 



Hcvl— Atkinson, '81, bow; Brandegee, '81; Trimble, 180 ; 

 -Hammond, '81, bdw; 

 Goddard, (fl Pt b dy, [/. B j ft 1 a >ft, L. S., stroke and 

 I ins was the best contested race of the day. Ban- 

 croft's crew gained a length bv spurting to the front at the 

 start., and increased it to the stake, but the tide and wind 

 having driven the outside stake down the river. Jacobs' crew 

 turned first aud were off for home wirii a lead of three lengths. 

 Bancroft's crew spurted magnificently and reduced the"gap, 

 so that when the line was crossed they were but one length 

 behind. Jacobs' o'rew won iff 7m. 80a, Had not the stake 

 drifted out of place i he prize would have- gone to Bancroft 

 and his men. As there can be no trouble in securely anchor- 

 ing a stake, it Would seem that those in charge have shown 

 ui gleet in placing them, aud it is a question whether the race 

 given to Jacobs, instead of its Leing pulled 

 over again. 



Boat Cwra,— The following officers have been 



1 the ensuing year; President, Thomas Cratty; 

 Vice-President. Charles S. Cockle; Secretary, M. E. Bergen; 

 Treasurer,!-:. House ; Coxswain, W. It. Cockle; Vice-Cox- 

 swain, W. R. Townsend ; Captain, Herbert Walker. 



Paih-Oared Match at Orilla.— At Oritla, Can., Nov. 

 eed between the Gander brothers of that 

 town and BI Ken, of Toronto. The race was 



side, two miles straightaway, in lapstreak skiffs. 

 The day was cold and the water rough. The Orilia pair 

 took the lead at a stroke of 36 and maintained it throughout, 

 being apparently the better of the two. The To- 

 evere well used" up at the finish. The winners 

 came m six lengths ahead. This result was not expected, 

 and the Ganders have risen in the public's estimation as a for- 

 midable pair. 



nowise ripples. 



The boats used by Wallace Ross, of St. Johns, N. B., were 



sold off at the rate of $30 and $15 apiece. Pretty cheap 



Phree six-oared gigs of ffieN. Y. Rowing Club pulled a pri- 

 vate match, Nov. 2, one mile. Won by Cornell's crew 



Mr. Close, of England, advises " caution " iu any letter Har- 

 vard may send to an English crew, whatever thai may mean 



A second eight will probably be formed at Harvard should 



the University crew be sent abroad For the championship 



Of Prcscott, Can., Hibbard came in first, McKillen second 

 andDalwin third Mr. Goddard, '79, is coaching the Har- 

 vard freshmen It is proposed to form a regatta association 



at Lake George and give public races next year In a 



doubie-seull race at Orilia, Can., the Gander "brothers, of 

 Athciiy, beat John Adair aud John Hanlan, of Toronto, in a 



two-mile race for $ 400 Tricket's time is being calculated 



round the world. The " times " in question arc probably 

 the result of some imaginative brain. 



foot of length on a given course, two would be allowed for each 

 foot of beam, and ona for each foot of depth. Thus, it two yachts, 

 A and B, were to sail over the above course, A being one foot 

 shorter, one foot wider and one foot deeper than B, by tkia sys- 

 tem of aUuwanooa there would be no time between them ; that is 

 to Bay, they would sail on even terms. For, supposing their 

 dimensions to bo- 



il.. 



30 



A NEW SYSTEM OF TIME ALLOWANCE. 



WE all know of the many attemptB that have been made to 

 obtain aomo better basis for time allowance between 

 yachts than length alone, aud we also know that they for the moat 

 part are inferior to length as a oriterion of speed. Bat although 

 the merest tyro can at once perceive the importance of length as 

 an element of speed, the^banefits of a time allowance based upon 

 this single quality are not so certain. Take, for example, two 

 yachts whoso speed ia as nearly as possible the same ; we will 

 suppose also that on length measurement there is no time allowed 

 between them. Now let the sides of one of them be raised a foot 

 or so, and eho will at once develop in stiff breezes a greater speed 

 than before, because her greater freeboard keeps her decks clear, 

 md gives her a smooth side to sail on at an angle of keel at which 

 the other boat is dragging along with her chain-plates and rail 

 under water. Aud yet length measurement takes no account of 

 this change— the yachts sail together on even terms aa before. 

 The result is the same if either should be widened or deepened ; 

 it might be an improvement, and it might not— depending a great 

 deal on the previous model of the boat— but whether she ie im- 

 proved or injured by the change, the regatta committee takes no 

 account of it— sho sails as before on length alone. 



A measurement based on length alone must be set aside as in- 

 adequate to place upon an equality yachts differing in size. But 

 although this system of allowance ia set aside, length, aa an ele- 

 ment of allowance, cannot, be orerlooked, as it ia a most important 

 factor of speed, and must bo taxed accordingly. 



The principal objection— and to my mind a vital one— to any 

 eyatom of allowance baaed on cubical content*, ia that it taxes the 

 model too much, making the high sided and heavy-bilged boat pay 

 tao dear for her seaworthiness, and lotting lean bows, hollow 

 SoorB and low aides pass by without paying proper toll ; thus plac- 

 ing an ever widening gap between cruisers and racers, aud giving 

 premiums in the shape of silver cups to bathing machines and 

 boats of th9 skim-dish pattern. A measurement baaed cm area 

 has also Its objections ; for In taking length and beam as factors 

 to produoe area, a foot of beam ia plaood on an equality with a 

 foot of length —an equality which certainly dosa not exist— thus 

 placing an unfair premium on the latter dimension. 



If a yachtsman wants to build a bo»t, he ought not be conflnod 

 to any particular style of model ; and yet, by the rules of moat of 

 our clubs, although the yacht might be extended to infinity In a 

 lateral or vertical direction without any notice being taken of it, 

 the moment he adds one foot longitudinally the regatta committee 

 pounce ou him with their tables of allowances. Now, as no two 

 yachtsmen are of the same mind in regard to the proportional 

 dimensions of a yacht, such partiality le neither fair nor right. 

 Beam is worth something as well as length— not 80 mnch, it is 

 true, hut still something. Depth, too, should not be allowed to 

 go ecotfree, for it Is valuable also. Hence, to sum up, the system 

 of allowance ia roughly as follows : 



1. That the time allowanoe of any yacht be obtained by summing 

 up the time allowances from each separate dimension. 



2. That the allowance of each dimension he determined from a 

 separate scale or table, based on the relative value of that dimeu- 

 gian. 



For example, assume the following ratios : Length divided by 



A allows B («>-50) 3-3(11. ; B allows A 2 (31-30) plus (10-9) -3m.J 3-3-0 

 Hence it will ba seen that by this syatem yaohta of all models 

 may bo raced together without undue partiality to any type in 

 particular, and with a fair tax on the merits of each. 



If wo desired ultimately to dispose of our yachts aa brick 

 lighters, there might be some excuse for taxing longth alone, and 

 thus encourage beam, and with it, deck room ; but it is hardly 

 suppoBahle that such an idea, ever enters into the heads of our 

 yashtsmen. Nevertheless, the y cent of the period continues aa 

 beamy as ever; it is tru* she ia not very beautilu), but then she 

 wins lots of mugs by sailing entirely on her poor, ill-used, stunted 

 length. 



What must have been the feelings of that much-abused dimen- 

 sion during ah the years in which it has been taxed and discount- 

 enanced in every possible way, while beam has been patted on the 

 back and encouraged I Oh, patient and long-suffering function of 

 a trnth, if it had not ueen that imperative geometrical duty com- 

 pelled you toremaiu, you would doubtless have disappeared long 

 ago out of Eheer disgust. Mabtin Gale. 



NO DEEP KEELS WANTED. 



Eosmn, L. I., Nov. 3, 1878. 

 Enrroit Fouest and StbeaM : 



If an English smackmau, accosting a New Haven oysterman, 

 should attempt to prove by talking that the jj'airhaven sharpie ig 

 unsuited to the catching of oysters on New fUven Hate, and that 

 a Scarborough fishing-smack would bo preferable for that purpose, 

 the oysterman, if he thought it worth the while to reply at all, 

 might with reason retnaik, "My friend, the waters in which we 

 rake are at timea but three feet in depth, and yet— are deeper 

 than thy logic." 



In like manner we American yachtsmen, who, after Bailing oar 

 own craft for years, experimenting on models, sails and rig ; beat- 

 ing our good cousin, J. B., every time ho has had the pluck to 

 try conclusions with us, oven successfully bearding the sea lion in 

 his don, have come to the opinion that the sloop is jnst what wa 

 want for ordinary causing. We, I say, are constrained to tell our 

 English friend that though his cutter be deep, hia argument is 

 shallow. We uso our yachts for other and, I must assert, pleae- 

 anter purposes than eternally bucking at that hackneyed " head 

 sea, twenty miles fruru the nearest land," although even there the 

 sloop is, as oan be theoretically and practically proved, a better 

 boat than 1 Lj 



What ia the untter ? S ; mply the EngliBh fishing-smack decked 

 over, and whittled down to a fine point. And in truth they have 

 whittled away most of the smack's really good qualities, gaining 

 nothiDg by the process but speed, and not too much of that very 

 desirable article. 



That the cutter does dive like a loon I know, for I've seen her 

 do it ; and that mere depth and weight are not essentials in the 

 making of a sea boat , all who can read and reason must be capable 

 of understanding, for one of our lightest and shoalest of working 

 craft— the common whaleboat— ranks among the nest and diiett 

 of sea boats, either under sail or propelled by muscle. 



Tho cutter's great fault is that in order to offset her unscientifia 

 lack of self-poise, her ballast must be stowed too low down, and 

 consequently, when she is in motion her centre of gravity ia in the 

 wrong place, cither for speed or buoyancy. A"y old coaBting 

 skipper will tell ua that if he wants hi8 schooner to make good 

 time in head weather, the heaviest part of his cargo must not be 

 Btowed at the bottom of the hold. 



There is— or should be- reason in all IhiDge. It is not reasona- 

 ble to build a topheavy concern, set a stick in the middle of her, 

 poko another awkwaid pole in one end ; then, fo prevent her 

 obeying nature's law by Jumbling over, spike lead en her keel, aa 

 the schoolboy does with his toy schooner. But, setting these 

 mauifest absurdities aside, the cutter, with her great depth, can 

 never bo a useful and pleasant boat to cruiao iu on our coast. 



I am tolerably well acquainted with all (ho harbors, big and 

 little, between New York and Nahaut, ami by reputation with tho 

 rest from Maine to Florida ; and will assert that, not one-thud of 

 them can be safely entered by a boat drawing over five feet of 

 water without the aid of an experienced local pilot. I make this 

 statement advisedly, and the disgusted owners of several keel 

 boata that we have occasionally left inglorionsly sticking iu tho 

 mud, or sawing a rock, could bear me ont iu the assertion. So I 

 say to Intending yaoht owners : Big your boat as pleases yon, for 

 the rig yon can ohango ; but do not be begniled into building an 

 extremely sharp and deep craft with a keel, or Bhe will be for Bale 

 shortly after her trial trip, like that wonderful Gloucester jack- 

 knife which "made ten aud three-quarter knots, close hauled, in a 

 heavy aea." Did she ? T, C. 



Rather a doleful view our correspondent takes of the cutter. 

 Certainly not one iu accord with the unprejudiced testimony 

 we are in possession of from gentlemen who have tried the 

 cutter in our own waters and who exhibit not the slightest in- 

 clination to part with their keel cultt.r, but on the contrary 

 could not be cajoled back into the uuseaworthy sloop ou any 

 account. It must be borne in mind that the Fobest and 

 Stream hasalways and will always maintain the patent superi- 

 ority of the sloop for smooth water sailing and that our cll'oi Is 

 to aid in the introduction of the cutter are directed iu the in- 

 terests of that class of yachtsmen who either have not tbe 

 means, or do not choose to sink a large sum in a costly craft 

 of heavy tonnage, but are content, or even prefer, to do thtir 

 sailing in small boats of the Corinthian order without, however, 

 in the least circumscribing the sphere of their cruising ground. 

 A twenty ton cutter is fit to cruise from one end of the year 



depth equals 3, and beam divided by depth equals 2 ; therefore, — -j 



length. : beam ; ; 3 : 2, That a, if three miauteB were allowed per I to the other, up and down the coaat, among the West Indies 



