56 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[February 19, 1880. 



Wkstern Cricket Association.— A movement U being mads 

 by the Mayor and many other prominent citizens of St. Louis, 

 Mo., to establish a Western Cricket Association- 



PnrLADELPHiA-GkttMANTOWS Clcbs.- There is a hitch in the 

 contemplated consolidation of these clubs, the Oermantown 

 objecting to the abstract proposition to change the name and 

 terms of organization. 



The Northwestern American Team— Has already arranged 

 through lis manager, Mr. Miller, many matches, the first to be 

 played with the West of Scotland Club, at Glasgow, and second 

 with the Maryleboue Club, London. Foremost in the team stands 

 Mr. A. S. Treloar, who is now residing at SI . LOUIS. It will be re- 

 membered he brought over the Clown Cricketing- Team in 1876. 



Montreal Cricket Clbd.— We learn with regret, from one of 

 the prominent members of this old organization, that this club is 

 about to be disbanded . 



— Wyerof t, the swift bowler, has beeu engaged for the season 

 by Lord Sheffield to coach the Sussex Club. He is to be paid very 

 liberally, to have fishing and boating, and to be allowed to play 

 in all the great matches at Lord's, and to have certain other priv- 

 ileges, which causes the envy of all the professionals in England. 



§£zchUn($ ffltd boating. 



Buffalo Yacht Club.— The editor of these columns 

 returns his thanks to the members of the B. Y. 0. for his 

 recent election to the club as an houorary member. 

 Yachting is rapidly developing on the lakes, and the 



B. Y. C. will put forth all its energies to maintain the 

 high place it now occupies among the promoters of the 

 sport in the West. 



YACHTING NEWS. 



Yachting in France. -Our transatlantic contemporary, Le 

 YacM. has published its second "Annual," a little volume lull 

 of Interesting and valuable material to French yachtsmen. What 

 with complete tide tables, magnetic variation, calendar, list of 

 clubs, knotting and splicing, French harbors, etc., the book is 

 certain to be found in the Skippers' libraries of the rapidly in- 

 creasing fleet of French yachts. 



Jersey City Canoe Club— At a general meeting of the Jersey 

 City Cnnoe Club, held in Jersey City on the :Uth day of February, 

 the following officers for the ensuing year were elected:— Com- 

 modore, Chas. E. Chase; Vice-Commodore, Rout, D. Wynkoop; 

 Secretary, Edward A. Kansom; Treasurer, B. Frank Newton; 

 Measurer, Robt. J. Wilkin. The Executive Committee consists of 

 the Commodore, Vice- Commodore, Secretary, Treasurer (ez-officio) 

 aodMareus L. Higgiubotham. The Regatta Committee are Wm. 

 Y. Fitch, W. Harry Potts and Karl F. Bergman. A Finance Com- 

 mittee consisting of Marcus L. Higgiubotham, E. A. Ransom and 

 Wm. Y. Fitch was appointed to investigate and report at the next 

 genoral meeting, on the 10th day of March, as to the building of 

 a club-house. A committee was appointed to arrange with the 

 New York Canoe Club for canoe races on every Saturday. The 

 Jersey City Canoe Club was organized one year ago and now has 

 • fleet of twelve canoes, with many more in prospect this season. 



Buffalo Yacht Club.— Officers for the year:— Commodore, C. 

 L.Bryant, of yacht Cygnet; Vice-Commodore, C. M. Cordell, of 

 yacht Fieetiving; Treasurer, Jno. S. Provoost; Secretary, P. G. 

 Cook, Jr.; Measurer, A. N. Chilcott. Regatta Committee:— J. J. 

 Williams, Chairman; T, P. Frank, Edward P. Fields. Mouse Com- 

 mittee :— H. A. Yeddor, Chairman ; C. M. Cordell, J. J. Williams. 



The fleet consists of six sloops and five schooners. The annual 

 regatta will be sailed about the middle of Julj . Delegates to the 

 National Yachting Association :— E. E. Benedict, H. B. Boyle and 



C. Leo Abel. 



RACING in 1879.— The following additions and revisions of our 

 Lists of Racers and Winners have been collected since their pub- 

 lication s— 



LIST OF RACES. 



May 30th— S. F. Y. C. Bogatta. Faun, not Fawn. 



Juno 31st— Bn. Y. C. Regatta. Adrienne, not Breeze, won . 



July 7th— Name of winner was reported as Titania. 



Aug. 7th, not 9th, was date of Newport Y. C. Regatta. 



Sept. 19th— Cat-boat sweepstakes. Add seven entries. 



Sept. 22d— Q. Y. C. Race. Add Ave entries. 



Oot. 16th-18th— S. Y. C. Race. Four, not fourteen races. 



I.I8T OF WI.VNKNS. 



Abbio M., not Abbie H. 



Capt. Gwinn, not Capt. Given. 



Annie M. Belongs to B. Tolman. 



Clara, E. B. Y. C. Four races, not three. 



Coquette, Salem Y. C. Cat, not sloop. 



Baiay, E. B. Y. C. Two races, not one. 



Dream, E. Y. C. Add onesecond prize. 



Edith, Bn. Y. C. Did not win a second prize. 



Bdro, Ostervillo. Add one second prize. 



Hlf, Q. Y. C. Won one race of a series, not a champion. 



Blfin, Q. Y. C. S. 1., not s. e. 



Emma, B. Q. Y. C. Four races, not three. 



Fairy, Bn, Y. C. Nine races, not eight, and two first prizes, not 

 one. 



Titania is a canoe, and add one first prize. 



Heotor, E. B. Y. C. Five races, not four. 



Hoiden, B. Y. C. Won one championship, add this, and take off 

 ne of the two stars against her name. 



Ida May, Poughkeepsie, Won one first prize. 



Ideal, Fairhaven. Did not win a first prize. 



La Belle ia 32.4, not 32.7. 



Lady Emma. Four races not three. 



Leona, Salem Y. C. A championship mark, not a star. 



Lily, It. N. S. Y. S. Owner's name is Weeks, uot Meets. 



Mischief, S, Y. C. Take star out of column of races and in- 

 sert a i. 



Sunbeam. Nine races, not eight. 



Unknown. Six races, not four. 



Wanderer, Calf island, belongs to J. Turner. 



Carrie Morgan, Oshkosh Y. C, sailed six races, winning first 

 money five times. 



Dbift.— South Boston Yacht Club may build a new club house 



toia season. The Boston and Dorchester Clubs are the only 



«n»s owning club houses in Boston wators. In the vicinity are 



those of the Lynn and Salem Yaeht Clubs. Mariquita, keel 



sloop, is receiving new deck aud cabin nous,: lu Boston; she re- 

 mains in the Quincy Yacht Club. Capt, Bass, of Bostou, ivho 



owns the smart little BaiHtet, has got up a new rig far setting 



spinnakers on small craft. McManus is the Sawyer of Boston, 



and makes the muslin for the fast ones there. Capt. Harris, of 



Bay View, Boston, has finished hia 45th yaeht, a oat 21-ft, long 



now for sale.- 

 building a keel oat 

 S. 8, Addila 

 and will ret 

 decked neai 

 the Mediter 

 yawl building by D. 

 8«0 pounds of lead 

 throughout. 



BsaiOSH Yacht i; 

 bers. Royal Alfred. 

 Porto, 360 members s 

 SO yaoats. Royal Li 

 Southampton, 4110 in 

 members and 111 ya< 

 That looks like bus! 



L. Jackson, Dickens St., Dorchester, Mass., is 

 l-ft. long,ll-ft. beam, for the S. B. Y. C. 



• , ing sponson3 clapped on her side. 

 v pilot-house. The old Julia is being re- 

 ridge, Best Boston. Fierce'.' uew oat for 



11 lie shipped abroad shortly. The new 



J. Lawlor, in Bast Boston, has four tons and 

 In her keel, and is to be a very stylish craft 



h.uns.-Brighton Sailing Club has 252 mem- 

 300 members and 153 yachts. Royal Cinque 

 nd 230 yachts ! Royal Irish, 360 members and 

 >ndon, 450 members and 312 yachts'. Royal 

 imbera and 215 yachts! Royal Victoria, 320 

 its! And many others of the same caliber. 



SLOOP, CUTTER AND CENTER OF GRAVITY. 



Editor FOTett and Stream:— 



Mr. Center having given a reason for his unwillingness to ac- 

 cept my proposition to Volamte or any other 10-ft. keel yacht, it 

 butromains thai T should thank him for his unintentional Indorse- 

 ment oi Dry claim that the well-designed sloop is handier and 

 more easily managed than the cutter. Mr. Center bong well 

 known as a long-time amateur tar, his opinion carries weight. 

 From Mr. Center's Standpoint— the deck of a cutter— my propo- 

 sition that two toil, yachts, handled by two men each, should 

 make the circuit of Long Island in rough weather, is perhaps a 

 wild one. 



I am well aware that the cutter would require from four to six 

 men if any speed wore expected of her, tint, whether Mr. Center 

 knows it or not, my boat -which is not a sharpie after all— can ac- 

 complish the trip easily and speedily with one man and a boy for 

 all hands. 



This covers the whole ground of mj claim as to the relative 

 merits of two the types of boat. Thoilas Claph \», 



Rosl»>i, Feb. \)th. 



THE NATIONAL YACHTING ASSOCIATION, 



fn a reeent issuo we publish a letter from the Honorable 

 Secrectary of the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Club, setting forth 

 the fact that his oluo sailed more races in ".879 than any other in 

 America. 



It. is little to the credit of yachtsmen this side of the Canadian 

 border that the Halifax club, with a much shorter season, should 

 take the lead in yacht-racing on this continent. Their entries are 

 nearly all cabin yachts, wo believe, and go to show how much sport 

 can be got out of racing, when a sensible rule of measurement, 

 fixed bailast, and the authoritative sailing rules of the British Y. 

 R. A. are enforced. Comparing the activity, the largepereentage 

 of the total fleet entered, the successful management of this 

 club, with the meagre display of fighting flags and the faint- 

 hearted racing among our large clubs much more favorably situ- 

 ated, it becomes only too evident that, as racing yachtsmen, we 

 have quite as much to learn as we have as cruising tars. There 

 we have, on one hand, a population of not much over 50,000 sup- 

 porting in inclement waters aud a short season an energetic club 

 of cabin yachts which sailed eleven races in one year ; and here, in 

 New York, with a million or more to draw upon, the leading eluh 

 is actually engaged in considering the advisability of giving up 

 racing altogether, and the other clubs arc equal only to a raoo or 

 two, and one club not: even equal to a single match or a solitary 



And in face of sueh mi exhibition so unfavorable to ourselves, 

 there are individuals so blinded by narrow "spread-eagle " preju- 

 dice as to claim that in yachting, racing or cruising, America 

 loads the world, w hen, in fact, we are behind every nation which 

 follows the sea for sport, especially in view of our unequalled fa- 

 cilities for indulging in all the branches of this pastime. The corn 

 might lust as wellbe acknowledged; there is no sense in pretend- 

 ing" what we are not. How is such a condition of backwardness 

 to bo explained? 



First: The abominable, lubborly custom of shifting ballast 

 among the junior clubs deters real yachtsmen from building 

 small cabin crafts (the nursery of the seaman) to be enrolled upon 

 their club books, for the honest yaeht with the sailor-owner re- 

 ceives no sympathy from the sand-bag athletes, and the larger 

 clubs debar from their books all ships of moderate tonnage, either 

 by B at i ', asin the N. Y. 1". 0. and E. Y'. C, or by the overwheun- 

 ," larger yachts which overshadow the littlo fol- 

 lows' efforts to such a degree that they are left on I in theOQjd, 

 and yet have not st reiigth or enterprise enough te form a genuine 

 racing club among themselves, hi which not the length of one's 

 purse, but a spirit of pluck and emulation in seamanship shall 

 constitute the cementing influences. 



Second. The prevalence, in consequence of the above, of a type 

 of broad and shallow " open boats," unfit for most the duties 

 rightfully to be expected from a yacht, and in reality mora " sail- 

 ing machine" than cruising craft ; lacking in the most ordinary 

 requirements of stowage and comfort; discouraging cruising 

 and " yachting" in the full meaning of that term among owners 

 of small craft; unhandy in rig; dangerous and treacherous in 

 qualitlesi costly and generally worthless ; contributing to the 

 advance of nothing, unless making business brisk for the under- 

 taker of ihe nearest town. 



'third. The want of combined action, the localism and clique- 

 ism which demands of every village owding half a score of yaohts 

 —boats is the proper term— the needless expense, red tape and 

 ludicrously liberal distribution of office entailed by tbe formation 

 of a " club," instead of joining a strong and established union of 

 the kind in seme otherport. The low fees charged for entrance 

 and the petty yearly subscriptions, leaving the majority of these 

 infant organizations on the briolt of financial distress from the 

 very word "go," and necesiitating racing for picayune purses 

 anci;tinware,and the short-sighted custom of opening entries only 

 to the bucolic wonders that happen to constitute the "club." 



Fourth. The tendency to make society affairs, excursions and 

 drinking bouts oi 'match sailing, usually at the expense of the 

 club instead of those parttareattog in the social excesses. 



Fifth. The practice of putting society leaders at the head of 

 affairs, instead of active and experienced sailing, members, aud 

 thegeneral encouragement of the former class at the expenso of 

 the latter. 



Sixth. The distressing niixtuiV.of classification and. time ollow- 

 noe and sailing rules ; the want of confidence among owners a 

 their slaver? to sailing masters, and the stunting of the Anglo- 

 Saxon's lot e for enterprise and adventure, traceable to tho inca- 



p'ieiivof' rpi ■■■ dels to safely take to distant cruising 



, overpower the seas they are 

 likely to meet, thereby confining "going foreign" to the limited 

 class fortunate enough to possess "biu" craft. 



Yachting iu America is by no means what it might be— what it 



oughttobe. The National Yaohting Association has a liwroulean 

 task before It, and work enough ahead for many years, if it is to 

 be true to its duties, and live up to public expectation. On all 

 the above sttbjeots its voice should be heard in time. When fully 

 constituted and safely established, the National Yachting Asso- 

 ciation will have upon its shoulders the responsibility of lifting 

 the sport from Its present crude and desultory ways to paths 

 more dignified, more popular, beneficial, logical, liberal and 

 lasting. 



NATIONAL YACHTING ASSOCIATION. 



New Yobk, Feb. 13th, 18«0. 



HMiior Forest and Stream :— 



The committee representing the yaeht clubs who initiated the 

 movement for Ihe formation of a National Yachting Association 

 have decided upon culling a meeting of the delegates appointed 

 by the clubs, to bo held on Monday, March 1st, at 8 o'clock P.M., 

 at the St. Denis Hotel, corner Broadway aud Eleventh street. 



Yacht clubs who have not yet appointed delegates are respect- 

 fully requested to do so before the 1st of March, in order to have 

 as complete a representation as possible. John Fiuck, Sec. 



A RATIONAL RULE OF MEASUREMENT. 



Editor Forest and Stream :— 



TN your issue of the 6th inst. a discussion has been inaugurated 

 -*■ which is of more importance to yachting in American waters 

 than any other. I refer to the true method of "measurement." 

 It seems to be conceded that what is needed is some measurement 

 which shall not encourage the construction of a class or type of 

 yaeht in which the qualities most desirable in a sea boat must be 

 materially sacrificed to insure hot- winning races. It is admitted 

 that the English method of measurement has resulted in the 

 building of one kind of yach t for racing and another for cruising. 

 Is not this attributable to a rule of measurement which forces an 

 abnormal construction in order to win in their races? On the 

 other hand, the American measurement, based upon length alone, 

 appears to be equally vicious. It obliges the yachtsman who ex- 

 pects to win in our summer winds and waters to give his craft an 

 abnormal breadth of beam, which Impairs her seagoing qualities. 



Such rules Of measurement must, be injurious in their ultimate 

 effects upon this fascinating and manly sport. It reduces the 

 yacht to a racing machine, in which no man cares to cruise for 

 health and recreation, in preference to a good " all round" craft. 



Of the two other methods of measurement referred to by Mr. 

 Smith, thatof "cubic contents" and that of " lenght and beam," 

 it seems to be admitted that the first mentioned is theoretically 

 and practically correct when applied to yachts Of the same or sub- 

 stantially the same freeboard. In such eases no yacht, whatever 

 be her style or type, is handicapped iu any way. 



But when one yacht has more freeboard and bettor seagoing 

 .ne gainsnothing in racing qualities thereby, butrather 

 loses on account of the center of effort being higher, and yet she 

 is handicapped by all the additional cubic contents her increased 

 freeboard creates. This is a fair statement of the argument and 

 of the difficulty encountered in the " cubic contents" system from 

 those who have tried it. As to the other system of measurement 

 • -"length aud beam"— if I understand Mr. Smith, he admits that 

 theoretically it gives an advantage to the narrower beam or "cut- 

 ter type " of" yacht model, but thinks our summer weather will 

 a very narrow type for racing. 



To this Ism slow to agree. The yachtsman goes In to win, and 

 very properly. That is his hour of triumph. lie will cruise 

 about in a flat iron-shaped craft in America all summer and take 

 all her discomforts as a sea boat and otherwise in order to come 

 out ahead in two or three races. He will navigate a craft of 

 about the general proportions of the same flat-iron, set. edge up, 

 in England till t he season and stand tho heal , and hatches bill I ened 

 down and decks constantly drenched in a sea way for the same 

 object. 



If, therefore, a rule of measurement is adopted in America 

 which gives advantage to a narrower beam and the American 

 yachtsman finds himself ciphered out by it, what would be tbe 

 inevitable result ? Summer weather. I believe, would not stand 

 in the way a moment. Our Yankee yachtsmen would take to 

 narrow beam that would cipher bettor than tho prototype; they 

 would shave down the English flat-iron set edgeways until it 

 would hardb cast a shadow, if possible, in order to win. 



As a delegate to the National Y'aohting Association seeking In- 

 formation, 1 wish to propound a question or two for answer. Re- 

 vert! tur to the " cubic contents" system, we have :— 



i of measurement that is theoretically and practi- 

 cally correct and fair between two yacht s of however different 

 type, provided they have the same freebcard. 



2. Every luck of additional freeboard added to either of these 

 yachts over tho oilier is only detrimental to her racing qualities, 

 although it may bo of advantage to her sea-going qualities. 



If this is so, the question 1 wish first to ask is, why not leave off 

 all the '' cubic contents" due to this added freeboard in her 

 measurement? It would uot in a race be unfair to the o titer yaeht. 

 It seems to me some rule can be adopted to practically accom- 

 plish this. There is certainly some minimum limit to the free- 

 board of a yacht to render her a decent vessel. Indeed It seems 

 tome that there is a limit, proportion! low which 



it would not be advantageous to reduce the freeboard. This 

 being so, could not yachts be divided into classes according to 

 length or otherwise, and a line of freeboard 

 measurement at a certain height above the water for each class. 

 Then let all the " cubic contents" below a horizontal plane pass- 

 ing through this line be estimated, and the yacht which actually 

 has freeboard extending higher would not have ii counted 

 against her in " cubic contents.' - 



Any yacht whioh was built with less freeboard than the height 

 of this measurement line would probably lose more than she 

 would gain, because, without doubt, she would not be tit for any 

 average sea, and she would lose by the submersion of less counter 

 aft when by the wind. 



Or if advisable, any yacht so built might have her "cubic 

 contents" estimated, as if she was built up to this measurement 

 line, on the ground that she could uot.be a suitable vessel unless 

 so built up, and should be handicapped for her departure from 

 correct naval construction. 



If in any way we can devise a modification of the " cubic con- 

 tents" system which shall be fair as between all styles of yachts, 

 substantially it will be of great benefit, because for all the parts 

 of the yacht bolow tho water line this system is conceded to be a 

 fair one, and having a definite and similar portion of the yacht to 

 deal with above the water line, and having in the water llneltaeU 

 a definite and established horizontal plane to measure this visible 

 portion from, we ought to.bo able to reduce the conditions to 

 such an equality as to give fair play to any construction of naval 

 architecture in comparison with an; 



Let us hear from the champions of each system, and we shall 

 all probably learn from the discussion. David Hall Rice. 



Bwton, Feb. 1th. 



