294 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



LNoT. 5, 1885. 



THE TRAP. 



Correspcmdents who favor us with club scores are particularly rf- 

 guested to torite on one side of the paper only, 



THE GREAT T- T— . 



Editor Forest and Stream: ^ , 



The art of wiug-shooting; with a nfle is an accomplishment that 

 very few of the devotees of the gun ever succeed in masteiing. I 

 call it a science, for science it certainly is, requiring an eye of ex- 

 ceeding sharpness of vision, a mind quicJi to calculate distance, speed 

 of object shot at. reflection of light, direction of wind, and muscles 

 trained to answer the slightest demands of the brains. 



TheJ^e are some of the requisites that go to make up the aucc'ssf-U 

 wing-shot with a rifle. In the highest degree do we And these re- 



rruirements developed in Mr. T , of this city, better known on 



the frontier as T— T—. , , , , u-, ^ u- 



Your correspondent found hira one day last week while takmg hi.s 

 usual practice, and while being unaware of our iientity he gave one 

 of the most wonderful exhibitions of skill with a rifle that it has ever 

 been our lot to witnesss. And here let me state I have seen all the 

 champion shots and professional marksmen of the age shoot. Among 



the many feats performed by Mr . the following aj-e the most 



notable: An attendant tlirows two balls in the air. At once cocking 

 his rifle he broke both within a yard of each oth(=r before they had 

 reached their full height. He next pitched up a glass ball himself: 

 picking his rifle oft the ground he broke the ball before it reached the 

 BOd. He then shot at lead pencils, dimes, nickels, marbles, etc., hit- 

 ting them with the greatest ease. In fact, the most difficult shot 

 seemed easy to accompUsh to him. AD of the above shots were per- 

 formed while standing on the ground. 



T— T— next tried shooting from the back of a horse running at 

 full speed. This he does using neither saddle, bridle, strap nor pad. 

 In this manner he broke double and .'single balls without a miss, using 

 a heavy Blank's repeating rifle. He also broke a ball while in the 

 air, after missing it on pui-pose three times, breaking it with the 

 fourth shot. His next feat was to break a ball thrown directly at 

 him as he came down the range at full gallop. This he does in grana 

 style. Leaving his horse to the ever-ready attendant, he performed 

 many of the fancy stage shots, such as knocking tiie ashes from a 

 cigar, shooting an apple from the head of a friend, and hitti"g a 

 quarter held between the thumb and forefinger. Tliese he does with 

 the aid of a small glass, with the rifle held in one hand, upside down 

 and over the shoulder. He al?o broke several glass balls in the air, 

 using a Somebodyelse's .45-cahber double-action revolver. With 

 t his same weapon he did some fine target work at 80 yard^. Laying 

 aside the revolver he took up his shotgun, breaking balls right and 

 left with such ease and precision as can only be acquired by long 

 practice. Your correspoodent was assured by seveial sportsmen 



who arc intimate with Mr. and have hunted with him on the 



plains that T— T— , as he is familiarly called iu ths West, is one of the 

 best field shots to be found anywhere and a sportsman in the full 

 sense of the word. 



On being introduced to j'our correspondent he begged of him not 

 to report what he had seen him do, as he did not want to figure befoi'e 

 tbe public as a great shot, or attain the notoriety attached to a public 

 ebai-acter. Mr. — assured me that he knew that .several of his old 

 pards in the West could beat him shooting and not half try. On learn- 

 ing that I was somewhat of a shooter Mr. — — invited me to visit him 

 at his home on the south side. Proceeding to his tepee we were con- 

 fronted on all sides by guns, rifles, revolvers, long bows, arrows, hunt- 



ng scenes, deer and elk horns and buffalo heads, trophies of T 's 



prowess as a hunter. Indian moccasins, robes, saddles, etc., memen- 

 toes of his wild Hfe on the plains. It is here, seated on a wolf robe, 



and reading the latest number of the Forest and Stream, that T is 



at rest, surrounded by foiir or five splendid looking hunting dogs, 

 prominent among which may be mentioned Dash and Dart, two im- 

 ported Scotch .staghounds. 

 The following sketch of the life of this remarkable man may not be 



out of place. T was born on the south bank of the Mahoning River, 



in Younj^-stown. O. At an early age he became accrstomed to hunt- 

 ing, fishing and boating; he soon became an expert in the use of all 

 Aveapons pertaining to the chase. At home in tbe saddle, used to 

 huniing in the surrounding forest, or fishing in the river, be soon be- 

 came inured to the hardships and aangers incident to such pursuits. 

 Having inherited from his forefathers the true Irish love for a roving 

 mihtary life, he early turned to the great West as a place where his 

 adventurous spirit could find plenty of scope. On reaching an age 



when most boys would be thinking of book or ball, T with a single 



companion started for the wilds of Arizona. In this then unexplored 

 and uncivilized region he had a varied and romantic experience, 

 hunting, scou tine-, mining and herding amid the hostile Indians and 

 wild beasts of the mountains. While engaged against the hostile 

 Utes of Southern Colorado he received a wound which necessitated 

 the best of treatment or it would have resulted in his death. For 

 this reason we. find him East until he again gets in shape to return to 



his -ivild Western home. T stands six feet lall, straight as an 



arrow, well proportioned and exceedingly muscular, with a clear 

 complexion, bright, laughing blue eyes, curly brown hair, falhng in 

 ringlets to his shoulders. Socially he is a success, combining as he 

 does the education and manners of a gentleman with the more rugged 

 virtues of the Western hunter and frontiersman. In fact he is a 

 typical Westerner one we often read about but seldom see in real 

 life. T—'s friends here and in the West are legion. Bute Rock. 



NEW ENGLAND CHAMPIONSHIP.-The champion individual 

 hadge shoot of the New England Trap Shooters' Association drew 

 together Oct. 28 on the grounds of the Boston Gun Club, at Welling- 

 ton, a fine selection of the trap shooters of the New England States. 

 Worcester, Fall River, Providence, Exeter and Brockton were repre- 

 sented, and many members of the Massachusetts Rifle Association. 

 Maiden Gim Club and Boston Gun Club were present to compete for 

 the generous prizes oflTered. It will be noticed that 0. C. Gray carried 

 off the elegant badge presented by the National Target Company, of 

 Knoxville, against the best shots of the New England States, The 

 other events are recorded below : 



JTirst event, 5 single clay pigeons, 18yds.— W. L. Davis and C. H. 

 Gerrish divided first, E. W. Bufflngton and E. W. Tinker divided 

 second, C. C. Gray third. 



Second event, 8 pair double clWr'-pigeons, 16yds.— H. W. Weller and 

 W, T. Perry divided first, W. L. Davis and Bufflneton divided second. 

 Tinker and A. H. Wni,ht divided third, E. 8. Aldo'es fourth. 



Third event, 7 single clay-pigeons— Bufflngton and Wright divided 

 first, Weller second. C. Ellsworth third, O. M. Stark fourth. 



Fourth event, 7 blackbirds— Weller and Stark divided first, Davis 

 second, Wright third, Tinker fourth. 



Fifth event. 5 blackbirds— Stark and Poud divided flrat, D. Kirk- 

 wood second. Davis third. 



Sixth event, .3 pair blackbirds— Lawson first. Stark second. Tinker 

 third, (lerrisb fourth. 



Seventh event. Indivi.lual Contest, at 9 singles and 3 pair double 

 Knoxville blackbirds for the elegant gold badge presented to the N. 

 E. T. 8. A. by the National Flying Target Co , of Knoxville, Tenn.— 

 C. C. Gray carried oft the trophy. This match was divided into two 

 different sweeps, the winners of which were as follows: At singles 

 btark and Gray divided first, Webber and Edwards divided second. 

 Gerrish and Wellington divided third. Tinker and Williams divided 

 fourth; at doubles: Bufflngton first, Edwards second, Lawson third, 

 Webber and Williams fourth. 



Eighth event, 7 clay-pigeons-Davis first, Gilman, Bufflngton and 

 Parrar diviaed second. Pond third. Perry fourth. 



Ninth event, 7 clays— Lawson first, Webber and Bufflngton divided 

 second. Stark third, Stanton fourth. 



Tenth event, 7- ela,vf3-Davis and Stark divided first, Lawson second, 

 Webber third. Perry fom-th. ' 



Eleverith eA ent, 5 clays-Davis and Lawson divide flrst.Gray second, 

 Bufhngton ihird. 



Twelfth event, 7 clays-Stark and Xirkwood divided first, Lawson 

 and Swift divided second. 



ond'^Hold^u thM*' ^'■8'' Swift.and Stark divided sec- 



se.con d'^*^"^**^ ^ clays-^Lawson and Stark divided first, Swift 



(t'ifteenth event, miss and out— Stark first, Lawson second, 

 irr^ri^i?*^-^' number of the members believing that 



1,1^^,1-. '\ f'^y not beat suited for their practice at trap 



wm° h5„^,' ^^"'""Kton.Jaass., the Boston Gun Club shooting days 

 7m^ ^f«.f rf'lf':? i°^?"o^= 11 25, Dec. 9 and m. 1H83; In 



188t>, Jan Q and 20, Feb, 3 and 17 and March 3 and 17, upon which 

 a^i,^f .'^.f f^"" ^^-"^ tournaments at clay pigeons, etc the 7-shot 

 ^«?,'^?p!^'°i'° practice and at Ihe tournaments will all be eligible and 

 count for the prize lists, of which libei-al ones are provided for mem - 



«iTnf?h.^iw''V ^""^ ^""'"^ best scores of seveVHrdselJh on ^y 

 sl.t of the above ten days making the number of scores to count for 

 prizes 18; no limit to the number of scores shot. One tia, at aUr.heMe 

 shoots wil be kept for pra,jtice aud m j.K.r sweep.= . Th^'p rogramme 

 on above dates will be as foUoxv..: Vi,,i event. 5 thirds. cC pigeon 

 30 cetd« entrance; second, ^ pai , clay pigeons, 50 cents lu^^nr" 

 hjrd, . birds, clay pigeons, SI .-ntranoe: fourth. :l pairs KnoxvilU 

 blackbirds, ijd entrance; httb, T birds, <;Uia' i:)it'eoim *1 enmnr-P ■ 

 seventh, 5 straightaways, hlaokbir.ls. Si e^trKr^ilbtt, Spaifs 

 clay pigeons, %\ em.rance; niuch.;iraen team match 7 single clav 



figeons per man, per team enti ance; tenth, 7 smgJes clav Dieeons 

 1 entrnuce; eleventh. :i pairs clay pigeons, $1 enlrance: twelfth. 5 

 hlaekbirds, 50ceiilR entrance, The sixth eyent is left open for pos- 



Bible challenge matches. Visitors Boston way may enjoy a good 

 time with a capital set of shooters by taking a run to the ground on 

 dates given, 



SANrRANCISCO, Oct. 22,— The Forester Guu Club's last pigeon 

 shoot of the season which took place at Agricultural Park Sunday, 

 attracted a large number of spectators and passed off, as usual, very 

 pleasantly and satisfactorily. Seventeen members faced the trap for 

 the medal shoot, and, although none of them succeeded in making a 

 clean score, the average shooting was good, especially when it is con- 

 sidered that very little practice has been indulged in recently. John 

 Gerber made the best score, securhig all of his birds except the tenth. 

 His response, when presented with the medal, will long be remem- 

 bered as a masterpiece of oratory. During the medal shoot a stray 

 wild goose flew over the field, at a height of about 60yds, A score of 

 voices shouted, "See that goose!" and W. E, Gerber, slipping a shell 

 into his gun, fired at the bird, bringing it down in fine style, and 

 receiving applause for tbe best shot of the day. Following is the 

 score of the medal contest: 



W Gerber, 31yds.. lOOUUlllOO- 8 G Watson, 26yds. lOlOlllOUlO- 8 

 J W Tcdd, 26yds. .111101011111-10 J E Kane, 31yds. . .111111011011—10 

 H Gerbei. 26yds.. .111111001011— 9 Ruhstaller, 21yds. .0011101 10011— 7 

 G Schroth, 21yds.. 111110110111— 10 F Tebbets, 21 yds. llOlOlll 1111—10 

 W Verity, 21yds. . .010111111011— 9 E Stevens. 21yds. . 101111011111-10 

 M Coftey. 21yds. . .101111100111— 9 O Miller, 21yd8. . ..010111010101- 7 

 .J Gerber, 36yds. ...lllllUllOll— 11 J Zuver, 81yds. . . .lllllllOllOl— 10 

 H Eckhardt,26yds.0100101110ll- 7 H Hurd. 31yds . . .OlllOlOOUll- 8 

 WHamilton,31yds. 1101 11111011 —1 



BKANTFORD, Out., Oct. 28. -A meeting was held at theKerby 

 House this evening for the purpose of formingagun club in this city. 

 The object of the club being for mutual improvement in the art of 

 shooting, and in assisting to enforce the laws for the protection of 

 game in this province. A good representation oi leading citizens 

 were present. The following are tbe names of the officers elected : 

 Dr. William T. Harris, President; Mr. .lohn Btshop, Vice-President; 

 Mr. J. T. Slater, Treasurer; Mr. Herbert Y^ates, Secretary. A com- 

 mittee was appointed to draft a constitution and by- laws for the club, 

 and report at a meeting to be held on Wednesday evening, Nov. 4. 



CONNECTICUT.- The State shoot was held at Bridgeport. Oct. 2S. 

 B'St score for prizes made by T. Beers, of New Haven, 23 out of 2.5 

 clays. Last shoot of the series will take place in New Haven, Nov. 25. 



MALDEN, MASS., GUN CLUB.— The club held its regular weekly 

 shoot at WeUingtou on Oct. 31. There was a fair attendance. Fol- 

 lowing is the result of the several sweeps: 1st event, ,5 blackbirds, 

 Shumvvay first, 2d event, :> blackbii-ds, Crosby and Wilson divided 

 first. 3d event, 5 clay-pigeons, Lawson first, 4th event, 3 pairs clay- 

 pigeons, Snow and Wardwell divided first. 5th event, 5 blackbirds, 

 Shumway first. Cth event, h birds. Wardwell first. 7th event, 10 clay- 

 pigeons, medal match, Schaefer first. Stanton and Wilson divided sec- 

 ond, Wardwell third : Dick Schaefer won the first medal with 10, Wil- 

 son the second with 9, and Wardwell the third with 8. 8th event, 5 

 tdackbirds, Stanton, Sanborn and Adams divided first. 9th event, 5 

 blackbirds, Pillsbury, Lawson and Crosby divided first. 10th event, 5 

 birds. Lawson first, llth event, 5 birds, Lawson first. 12th event, .5 

 blackbirds, Lawson first. 13th event, 5 birds. Snow, Schaefer aiid 

 Lawson divided first. 14th event, 5 blackbirds, Wardwell and Stan- 

 ton divided fli-st. 15ih event, 5 birds. Lawson first. 



National Gun Association ToimuAMBNTS.— Special Notice.— Mem- 

 bers desirous of organizing tournaments in their vicinity, under the 

 auspices of the Association, are i-equested to notify the undersigned. 

 All the expenses of the same will be paid by us. Make your arrange- 

 ments for 1886. We propose to establish a circuit of tournaments 

 annually. Claim your dates now. General office and headquarters, 

 Macon, Ga.— Matt R. Feeeman, Vice-President and General Manager; 

 F. C. Ethbidgk, Secretary, Macon, Ga. Send 10 cents for hand] book 

 containing rules, constitution, etc. "Fau-ly started and its future 

 depends entu-ely upon the manner in which the spoitsmen throughout 

 the country respond,"- 0. M. Stakk, April 18, \mi.—Adv. 



GALATEA. 



IT is probable that next season we shall see a series of races similar 

 to those lately sailed here, and for the same prize, the challeng- 

 ing vessel at least being a new one, the Galatea, though whether or 

 no Puritan will be selected to meet her remair s to be seen. As the 

 matter now stands, Mr. Webb, in a letter to the New Y'ork Y^. C. pre- 

 vious to his starting for England, requested that the challenge of 

 Galatea, accepted this season, be permitted to stand over until next 

 year. The club in reply have notified him that they will consider 

 any challenge received from a recognized yacht club, which puts the 

 matter back where it originally was, and leaves it to Mr. Webb and 

 Lieut. Henn to renew the first challenge. 



The performance of the yacht this season has been most disappoint- 

 ing, and certainly not such as to justify her selection to try again for 

 the Cup, but if any one should know her well it is her designer, in 

 whose hands the matter of challeaglug was left, and he evidently 

 has full confidence in her ability under proper conditions. Since the 

 days of her launch she has been unfortunate, sticking on the ways, 

 aground on her first passaare, doing well by streaks m the races, but 

 failing lo win prizes, her skipper, in spite of his old reputation, fail- 

 ing entirely, and finally the loss of her mast. Altogether the sum 

 of her misfortunes is a large one, but taken one by one they argue 

 little against the boat and by no means prove that with some minor 

 alterations, a smaller rig than the first, and with a good man at the 

 stick, she may not next year prove first-cla'?s. She has the advan- 

 tage of an owmer who is a most enthusiastic yachtsman, a practical 

 sailor, and who for years commanded in person . his own yacht the 

 Gertrude, and next season she will have wnat she has missed this 

 year, the thorough supervision and care of her designer. His duties 

 with Genesta have for the time prevented Mr. Webb from sailing in Gal- 

 atea or giving any serious attention to her defects and their remedies 

 which he of all others should be most competent to deal with, but by 

 next season she will doubtless be out in new shape under his direc- 

 tion and with a better show of success. 



While a more extreme boat than Genesta, the difference is not 

 radically great, and after the success of the latter and Tara it is not 

 too much to expect that Galatea may prove to be a « orthy member 

 of the U-io. The main point of difference is in the distribution of the 

 ballast, which in Galatea is spread fore and aft to an unusual extent, 

 being run into her keel, a semi-circular trough of steel, Unhke the 

 other two, her plating is also of steel, but the. speed of other steel 

 yachts proves that this alone does not account for hei- poor perform- 

 ance, though it may have hindered her some last season in conse- 

 quence of scaling. A late number otLand and Water sums up her 

 season's record as follows: 



"A very disappointing vessel hitherto is the Galatea; in fact, her 

 career bas been another instance of great expectations unfulfilled. 

 It is no secret that her designer anticipated her to be a better vessel 

 on every point of sailing than the Genesta, but she has not yet proved 

 so, although it was thought, AVheu ihey were put through the mill 

 together on the Clyde, just before the Genesta left for America, that 

 the new vessel would be the better as soon as everything had got 

 settled into its place. The method adopted of putting in her ballast 

 was, however, by no means a happy one, and iti spite of what any of 

 the painfully scientific gentlemen liiar say or theorize, it is wrong as 

 can be to go right to the end with fixed dead \veight. Galatea has a 

 trough full, which, according to accounts, might have been got lower 

 down than it is. There is soine deterrent influence at work which 

 pulls the vessel back; in fact, when being hard driven, she puts one 

 in mind of the sailor's f eatherless poll parrot, who was always brand- 

 ishing her naked wings and threatenuig to fly— in short. Galatea 

 seems trymg to get off, but cannot. She is a fine, bold looking 

 cutter, and if good looks went for anvthmg would sail fast, while 

 it is not the want of her steel plating being fair that stops 

 the vessel; in fact the work is equal to that of the Vandura and Wen- 

 dur, which is, indeed, saying a gre.at deal. The vessel was given a 

 fair chance to win prizes, but made a sorry show; in fact the only 

 occasions in fourteen races that a really meritorious display of speed 

 can be pointed to were in the sweepstakes up the Swin, and on the 

 finst diiy of tbe Royal Clyde regatta. Her winning total amounted to 

 an msignificant second prize of £20, gamed in Belfast Lough, when 

 Irex beat her upward of seven minutes. She sailed her maiden race 

 in the match from Southend to Harwich, and led the fleet home, but 

 did not save hei- time for a prize; and her other unsuccessful essays 

 m the South were at Harwich regatta, the match up the Swin to 

 Southend, the Royal Thames and New Tharat-s matehes. from the 

 Lower Hope round the Mouse and back; the Nore to Dover rare and 

 one engagement to Dover, Galatea was docked while on the Thames 

 and agam on reaching the Clyde, aud sailed but two matches in Scotch 

 waters- those ot the Royal Ciyde Club. She backed out of the Ailsa 

 Craig match on that blowy uioniiog when Wendur and AUu iorie went 

 out through lau-he boiuid, but sailed round the Bellasfc Lough cour.se 

 in a smart breeze aud got a second prize on the first 

 day of the Royal Ulster regatta. The breeze proved too 

 heavy for her to parry her swaggermg spars on the next 

 day. as she got dismasted, and afterward, at Greenock, had 

 a H9W sticlc of 3ft. le-sa altitude stepped. She resumed racing 



inside the Wight in the Royal London match, and, in fair sailing 

 weather, was beaten twenty-two minutes by Irex and about one and 

 a half minutes by Lorna. In a subsequent "trial a t Southampton and 

 in two at the Royal Y''acht Squadron regatta she was simply nowhere 

 at the end of either day, aud her racmg career came to a remarkably 

 summary close. Galatea afterward put the long boo ai ashore and 

 went about under a trysa.il, looking m that guise highly .su,o-gest.ive 

 of a sparrow bereft of its tail. She is a vessel of very la rge displace 

 ment— perhaps beyond the boianda of expedience— and, according to 

 Lloyd's Facht Register, her depth is t3..33 feet, against 11.7.5 of 

 Genesta, while Galatea has a Iraction the lesser beam. Her prineipa i 

 dimensions arc: Length on load water fine, 86.73ft ; breadth, extreme, 

 M99ft,; tonnage, Y. R. A. measurement, 89.65 tons. She is stee! 

 through and through, and was built by John Reid & Co., of Port 

 Glasgow, from a de.sign by Mr. J. B. Webb, for Lieut. Henn, Royal 

 Navy." 



This record does not promise much for a yacht that is to take part 

 in a great race, but there are still many points that may bo remedied 

 between now and next season, a new sail plan, perhaps a change in 

 the ballast, a good skipper, and such other cha.nges as her work this 

 year have suggested, may show Galatea to be equal to her fellows in 

 the early races of the year, If .',he is not as good as the bes' , and a 

 little better, there is no chance for her doing what Genesta has not 

 done. 



WHAT NEXT? 



FROM the time when some wicked cutter men, probably bribed by 

 British gold, first introduced that evil institution, the lead mine 

 with double-head rig, to the waters of Btaten Island, although ih? 

 perniciou.s principles that they advocat/cd have been widely spread; 

 there has been one spot wliei-e the sloop man was safe from auy en- 

 croaching improvement, where the American eagle could llap his 

 wings over a fleet of centerboard boats, stubby of tail and stioal of 

 draft, and boasting but one jib. Other places might admit cutters, 

 might try lead keels or add a staysail, but Bay Ridge was still true to 

 its ancient principles, born of the neighboring flats of Gowanus, No 

 lead keels were wanted there, in fact the attempt to use one, and its 

 failure through bad engiueering, served for some time as a most ef- 

 fective argumenr. against them, the dropping of a shoe of a fevy hun- 

 dred pounds because of the use of iron Dolts, being magnified luU; the 

 loss of a lieavy lead keel because such things could not be projiorly 

 secured. 



Into this last refuge of the faithful, various foreign innovations 

 have at times insinuated themselves. Y'achts have changed their 

 rigs until even a double jib is no longer specially noticeable, and even 

 a real cutter last year was enrolled in the club. This sea.son the fell 

 work has still gone on from bad to worse, one or two old boats 

 ventured to try outside ballast, a new yacht, the Daphne, was built 

 with a lead keel and, sad to soy, has turned out very fast; but the 

 last cruel Wow has lately fallen when the Crocodile, the best of a 

 type that was considered perfect, a boat that was fastest iu her class 

 and all that a boat should be. was hauled up to have two tons of her 

 in.side ballast transferred to her keel. 



If this is so what may we expect next? Now that lead keels have 

 been fairly ado})ted we may look for no less radical a change than 

 the enactment of fair and enlightened rules of measiii'ement, under 

 which the boats lof other clubs can enter. '"Tis the first step that 

 costs," and that step has now been taken. Lead keels and staysnils 

 are at last recognized. A new rule of measurement must ia time 

 follow, and then farewell to the last of the "protection" which has 

 kept alive for so long the orthodox American sloop. Have conserva- 

 tive owners of andediluvian tendencies no rights which others must 

 be compelled to respect? Is there no club left where they may find 

 defense from the unwished for improvements of foreign designers? 

 Must they wake up, put on lead keels aud sailor rigs and yacht in 

 real earnest, or fall out of the race:' Until lately they have had one 

 haven of safety where the hated cutter could only enter by sawing 

 off her stern and stowing her keel inside; aud now this last refuge is 

 thrown open to the enemy. Where will they go next? 



THE COST OF MODERN YACHTS. 



THE question of the relative excellence and cost of the various 

 methods of building is one that directly concerns all yachtsmen . 

 and it is of special mterest here, as the present tendency is toward 

 English practice, which differs in a marketl degree from our own. 

 Anything worse than the method of building once too common here, 

 and even now often met with, it is hard to conceive of. Heavy and 

 bulky material, a lack of all proportion, and the absence of proper 

 fastening were the main characteristics of this style, which is grad- 

 ually giving place to something better. Yacht building in England, 

 on the contrary, had gone through a process of evolution similar to 

 that which many trades, notably engine and carnage building, have 

 experienced here, methods of construction and materials at hand 

 were carefully studied, every part was reduced to the size consistent 

 with ample strength, and all superfluous weight was eliminated, aud 

 special attention was paid to the proper joining of all parts. This 

 system, thoroughly carried out. has made the English racing yacht 

 as strong and light as an American carriage is noted for being, but 

 the objection lias been made that the cost of such work is too great. 

 Skill, both iu design and in handiwork, has been substituted for 

 rougher labor and haphazard construction, and of cour.se skilled 

 labor is more expensive to a certain degree. The amount of material 

 used is less, if anything, but it is of a more expensive class and bet- 

 ter quaUty, mahogany instead of yellow pine, copper in place of iron. 



The question to be determined is whether tbe increased cost of 

 English yachts is due merely to the employment of a proper grade 

 of material and workmanship, such as is essential in a well con- 

 structed yacht, or whether it la due to a super-refinement of construc- 

 tion that can be dispensed with ; whether, in fact, the undoubted 

 advantages of the system cannot be obtainea without too great an 

 expense. In America for instance, the cost of yachts built as la 

 England, with double skin, teak and copper, has been so great as to 

 limit them to a few, but there is no doubt but that a thorough study 

 of English methods with our native woods, would give a far lighter 

 and stronger boat than the usual style of .shipbuilding in niiniatiirc. 

 The question of cost has lately been di.sciissed in the London Field, 

 a correspondent asserting that a modern 5-tonner, only about 33x5ft. 

 6in. on water line, would cost considerably over £500 or .53,500. This 

 assertion has brought out the interesting letter given below, iu which 

 are all the details of cost. For $2 000, the sum mentioned, a center- 

 board sloop of about 28ft. waterline and 1.9ft. beam, with a cabin 

 house, giving more room in one way than the 5-tonner, would be 

 tmned out here in the ordinary style, but it woidd mean plank keel, 

 cedar or yellow pine planking fastened with galvanized nails, oak 

 Siiwed tiuibers. light .sails and gear, and iron ballast of pigs, or a part 

 cast to tit; and any comparison of size and cost with the following 

 example, must take these items into consideration. 



Sib— On reading Mr. W. S. Kelly's letter on the cost of 5-tonuers, I 

 cannot resist giviug my actual experience of hard facts on the sub- 

 ject, because I should be sorry to let such an impre.ssion as he strives 

 to put forth go on a circular tour, such as it will in the columns of the 

 Meld, without giving it a fiat contradiction. 1 happen to have seen 

 the f reda, 5 tons, and remember she is planked with mahogany; also 

 sheathed inside over limbers with same, and was coppered and very 

 elaborately fitted up inside, all of which is quite unnecessary and ab- 

 solutely obstructive to speed, besides costing a lot of money. My 5 

 Circe was built in wmtcr of '80-1, Her principal dimensions are: 

 W. L , 30fl;. 9in.; beam. Oft. U^in. ; cU-aft, oft. 9in.; freeboard, 2ft.; 

 over all, 37£t. 6in. Material: English elm keel, 2fi. wide, •5in. thick; 

 timbei-s.oak and alternate American elm steamed ; keelson, greenheart, 

 r>ft, by 4in.; galvanized angle-iron floors; stem and stern-post aud 

 deadwoods all of oak; beams larch, stronger than pitchpinc; knees, 

 galvanized iron: American elm planking; pine topsides; sbeei-strake, 

 bulwark and covering boai-d, and all fittings, mahogany; rail, Amer- 

 ican elm;mast, Oregon pine; spars, white pine; wire rigging, Newall's 

 imperial steel; blocks, galvanized iron strops; Katsey's sails. She had 

 mahogany fittings, pantry, seats, etc., in cabin. Tbe actual co.st was: 

 Builder, for hull, spars, ironwork and fitting lead keel, in- 

 cluding cabin fittings, £180; lead, £80; sails, £'0; blocks, £11 

 12s.; wire rigging and rope, £10; rigger, £5; anchor and chain, 

 tested, £3 12s. 6d.; punt, £8; upholstery, £7 lOs.; general 

 outfit, £10; painting, £15; total, £400 14s, 6d. With the ex- 

 ception of the wire rigging and rope, and the painting and gen- 

 eral outdt items, I have taken the above from the actual bills in my 

 possession. Lead now is only £10 a ton; this reduces that item £20. 

 I myself got all these contracted for by tradesmen in the port of 

 Barrow, except the sails. The boat is well built; in fact, all the mala 

 timbers are fltted like cabinet work, and she can be classed at Lloyd's. 

 The blocks .ire as good as can be turned out anywhere. She is'per- 

 fectly tight, and does not work in tbe least when hard pressed. 

 She is iu appearance, either iu or out ot the water, one of the prettiest 

 vessels anywhere, and as fa.st and fine a sea-boat as anything of her 

 length afloat. I con.sider a racing boat will cost less than a cnusiog 

 one: for the former, in tbe small classes, should have no cabin fittings 

 whatever beyond a port and starboard plank to sit on, open rail for 

 sails, and movable box that will go outihrougb the .skylight when 

 racing, to hold compass, lamps, candlestieks, crockery, etc. As the 

 cost of these small boats is an Important matter to junior yachtsmen, 

 the matter is interesting, and it would be moresoit Mr. Kelly will give 

 particulars ast(jthe cost of the 5-ioiiDer, which was mauy hundreds 

 over £r>00. One paid band is not sufficient lietween ports iiuless there 

 are some good amateurs on board as well. Two professionals are 

 little enough crew between ports by themselves: but a boy will do for 

 second band in a cruiser. - * ' 



