496 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jan. 14, 1886. 



1883— Graeie. J. A. Roosevelt, silk pennant, $15; Avalanche, E. H. 

 Sanl'orcl. club colors: Jack Fro^r, A. Eos:ers. silk pennant $'5; Ava- 

 lanche, E. H. Sanfo'fl. silk petjuant f.l5; Avalanche, E. H. Sanford, 

 silk peimanr, f 15; tEoIus. Normin Wria;lif, Poughkeepsie challenee 

 pennant; Avolauohe, E. II. S3.n*o!'d, cliallpuse pf^nnant of America; 

 Haze, Aaronliinis, Ro,2:ers Cup, $100; Jack Frost, A. Rogers, chal- 

 lensre pennant of America. 



18S4— Gracie. J. A. Roosevelt, silver bos. ^50; Avalanche, E. H. 

 Sanford, club colors; Jack Frost, A. Rogrei-s, second regatta for Bar- 

 ron Cup. 



1 SS5 -Northern Light. J. C. Barron,- first regatta for .silver prize; 

 Northern Liarhtj J. C. Barroa, second regatta for silver nrize; 

 Haze. Aaron loms, challenge pennant of America; Northern Light, 

 J.C. Barron, challenge pennant cf America: Northern iJght. J. 0. 

 Barron, Edwards cnallenge pennant. 



Ah yet the season, usually counted from December 1 to April 1, has 

 not begun, but the boats have heeu ready for some time and the pres- 

 ent weather promises a speedy inauguration of a most successful 

 racing season. 



THE BONITA'S CRUISE TO FLORIDA. 



AS mentioned last week another catboat, the Bonita, is bound on 

 _ the same cruise as the Coot, her destinatioTi being Jacksonville. 

 Florida. The idea o£ such a cruise was first suggested lascsuuitiier in 

 the following manner: We had been trolling for1)lueflsh, and getting 

 well ftlons; toward night and coming on to tilow southwest hard, Cap£ 

 Ned reeorumendcd we make for Cutryhimk. We coincided and Capt. 

 he squared he awav. Conditions changed by 9 P. M.. we were then 

 half way between Hen and Cliickea ana Sow and Pig Lightships and 

 found we would not have a good harbor at Cuttyhunk, so old Charlie 

 suggested that we 7iiake Pen oikes^e harbor; Capt. Ned had never 

 been there but allowed we had buoy charts and we could tlnd our 

 way in through the dai k where we would have good harbor. The 

 morning f 9uud us well ui") in the mud, and on going ashore for water 

 we ran up against Cape. Flanders (In charge of the island), who, hav- 

 ing lately returned from Wod's country (Caliioruiai j'eckoned we had 

 gone astray, but old Charlie squared hiui by convincing him that he 

 used to visit his father there when whalers were sighted almost every 

 day and never a hell wagon (steamboat) was around. 



Then Captam Flanders opened out. and all Buzzard's Bay know." 

 •when he is on deck he has the call. While recMuing on the hihtop 

 with the morning sun eares'-ing us, the .-outhern watersfor a wmter 

 cruise were suggested for the Bonita, and it was decided to make the 

 trip. The day of starting, Dec 21, 1885, opened clear and cold, ther- 

 mometer 20° above, wind W.S.W. 



Newport Harbor presented a sight rare to summer yachtsmen 

 familiar with it uuder suimner conditions. Not a vessel was to he 

 seen in the harbor, and as the Bonita sailed at 11 :3() A. 31. and flred 

 her battery she looked and acted as though eager to leave this cold 

 clime for softer skies. 

 She passed out by Permanent dock (Fort Adams) at 11 A. M. Wind 



N.W. 



Dec. 22. Started at 5 A. M. with wind S. W. and beat to windward 

 and rotmded Point Judith and arrived m Stonington at6:40 P. M 



Dec. 23. Started out and made New London 10:1S A. M , laid by 

 tin til next morning. 



Dec. 21, 8 A. M. Wind light west: beat up to Saybrook at the mouth 

 of Connecticut River, laid by until 6 P. M., then sailed to westward 

 ■with hght wind iioi-th and made Falkner's Maud light at S:3a P. M. 

 •wind fresh N.N.E. Came up with Sandledge hghthouse at 10:30 P M ' 

 (off New Haven. Conn. ); we kept the canvas on her and were abreast 

 Stratford iight 12:30 midnight. 



Dec. as. At 1:15 A. M. we were off Black Rock.with the wind freshen- 



— — — ■ — cii^A i yj^ij Luu ii,cfcr,t 



River to Brooklyn, and iaiu until afternoon, when we sailed over to 

 Jersey City at 4 P. M. tor mail and waited until next morning for it 



Dec. 2e. Sailed from Jersey < 'ity at 3 P. M.., wind N.E., fresh an 1 clear 

 and making some ice, laid all night at Red Hook. ' 



Dec. 27. Ran down to Sandy Hook, wind fresh and clear, north. 

 There we dug some clams and bad steamed clams for supper. 



Dec. 5:8. Sailed from Sandy Hook 10 A. M., wind N N.W., fresh 

 Abreast Squau Inlet at 13 M. Barnegat 6 P. M.. wind JM.N.W. fresh 

 and cloudy. Lay all night at Barnegat. 



Dec. 29. Sailed from Barnegat 5:30 A. 51., wind light W.N.W Made 

 Tucker's Beach Lieht 11 A. M. and Absecom Light 13:.30 M., passed 

 Jumbo 3 P. M. and Great Egg Harbor 8 P. M., made Somer's Pomt 4 

 P. M., wind light N.W. I^aid all night at Great Egg Harbor. 



Dec. 30. Sailed from Great Egg Haibor and arrived at Delaware 

 Breakwater midnight. 



Dec. 31. Sailed from Delaware Breakwater 6 A, M. and ran down to 

 Chiuooteague Lighthouse, Va., at dark. 



Jan. 3. Ran up to Chincoieague Harbor to fit for run to Hog Island 

 in the morning. 



THE CRUISE OF THE PILGRIM.-III. 



BY DR. "W. H. WDiSI-OW. 



THE next morning Frank started home. We were sorry to lose 

 him because he was a willing worker, good sailor and pleasant 

 companion. It left me with the four boys— very ordinary seamen— 

 but still they had picked up some knowledge of sailiug principles 

 and ship duty, and 1 concluded to trust to them for help the rest of 

 the criuse rEtht-r tlian hire a stranger. The departure left us more 

 room and more labor, but the boys seemed to learn faster and work 

 better becau'-e of ray dependence upon them and their added im- 

 portance. They we.e getting very salty. They could tie many 

 sailor knots, tell the points ot the compass, shift the sails, balance 

 upon the foot-ropes, steer a litfcie aud pull pretty good strokes, bo I 

 kept up naval discipline and division of labor. Jack often had very 

 greasy pans to wash, but one by one the.y were fccidentally lost 

 overboard. Jamie wished occasionally to postpone his dishw'ipiiig, 

 but I dii! notyield the preroga'ive of the quarterdeck. He ejacu- 

 lated one day after a wiping struggle, '-I never knew what servants 

 had to do befo'e. I tblnk an,y one who has to wash and wipe dishes 

 ought to have $10 a week." 



It is serious trouble to clean up after cooking on board a small 

 boat, and the work should rotate among the amateur sadors or else 

 all ought to take a hand and finish quickly. When one camps on 

 shore there is more fresh wat«r, more room and a chance to dry the 

 towels. It is diffleult to have the towels washed out and dried on 

 board. We never could get them dry between meals, and we left a 

 string of them all the way from Cape Ann to Cape Rosier. Grea^ty 

 dishes and smoked and rusty tins are destructive to them. Tins are 

 not to be recommended for salt water cruising; the granite ware is 

 preferable for cooking utensih, and porcelain dishes are much easier 

 cleaned and do not often get broken. And clean paper makes escel- 

 lent dish and wiping towels for cold washing. We found this out by 

 experience— it absorbs grease and removes soot so well. One can't 

 always have fresh water, or hot water, at sea, when the oil stove is 

 cutting capers. 



Another tiling I will mention. When the cooking, eating and sleep- 

 ing are all done m a small cabin, blankets are a nuisance. Their wool 

 is sure to get into the food and all over everything. If one must 

 have woolen covers, shawls are better. But neither is necessary. 

 Everybody' on a. cruise sleefis in his merino underciothes and over- 

 shirt, if not in his pants, to guard against the dampness aud cold, 

 and to be ready for emergencies. Common cotton quilts are of suffi- 

 cient warmth and most manageable. 



We landed at the yacht club float and were received and escorted 

 by the very polite janitor over one of the best adapted and prettiest 

 yacht club houses in the United State.'!. It is built high above tide 

 upon piles, and has a landing stage under and in front of it, with 

 steps leading up to a balcony, and an elevator through the middle of 

 the house for taking up all the tenders for winter storage m the broad 

 attic of the building. The main floor is divided into lockers, a toilet 

 room, officers' rooms, aud a very cosy assembly room overlooking 

 the harbor. Here they have handsome oCfice furniture, lounges and 

 easy chairs; fine yacht models, pnotogra.phs and maiine views upon 

 the wads, a book for the record of visitors' numes, and a fine teles- 

 cope upon a tripod. I turned the gl.iss upon the Pilgrim and saw 

 Jamie munching hardtack. She lay among two dop!P.n small yaciits 

 near the opposite shore, where no other vessels come, and the" water 

 either by agreement or command is allotted to the pleasure craft, 

 and a sheltered, shallow, sale anchorage it is, where no one need fear 

 being run uown even if the anchor light is forgotten. Wo left orders 

 for a new hatch, vrhich was sent on bourd in the afternoon. A 

 wrought iron staple was clinched through the center of the thick oak, 

 and this was lashed to a strong bar oeneath tae coamings, which 

 kept it aboard ever after. 



I was not much imjiressed by tne Portland club vessels. They were 

 jiostly old sloops of shallow draft, with broad sterns, clumsy rails, 

 ..arge trunks and deep cociipits. A deep cockpit with high staving 

 always looks to me line a cattle yard — as If the helmsman was 

 breachy. 1 noticed too much paint, coat upon coat, which made the 

 craft look bad. ,Scrapers ancf sandpaper ougbt to be used freely 

 upon the outside of a boat before site gets her season's paint. Tne 

 Portland club is young yet, and tliere is no doubt tne members will 

 soon nave a handsome fleet to coi-respohd with their beautiful club 

 bouse, 



Porrtand is a pretty gity upon a Mil nearly surrounded by water, 



and the people are proud of Oasco Bay and itsnumerous well-wooded 

 islands. It is a fair, though limited cruising grounds, but has more 

 rocks and reefs to the square mile than any other place known The 

 islands are too thickly settled for trespassers and camper*, and are 

 long and narrow and trend northeast and southwest, fo that there are 

 very few sheltered harbors m the region. This formation is pecubar 



_ .. , ..^.^vju^.o a.i,Li .ivuLiua ait? uiuicuil UUU leolOUS 



to make progress m with a head wind. I don't like, to be penned up 

 I want a uassage onward at least in the direction of the four princitDai 

 points of the compass, and I would not ba cramped for hours by the 

 nearly parallel shores of Middle Bay, Harpswell Sound, the Giirnet, 

 etc^. for all the pleasure of seeing new shores. Then it 1^ so difiicult 

 to find a qutet harbor in case of need. Potts" Harbor is one redeem- 

 mgfeatui;e of Casco Bay. It is snug, safe and lovely. I don't like 

 Harpswell for a northeaster, and where else could a stranger go in 

 thesoimd? Then to the eastward it is worse if anything. The Ken- 

 nebec River is dimcult, dangerous and even appaUing "in a south 

 easier. Booth Bay next is excellent. Herring Gut is rather poor, 

 s-'mewhat difficult of access, and quite a distance from the last place. 

 Tennant's Harbcr is a little ways further and will do, then there is not 

 a go jd safe place for .small craft till we reach Rockland. One must 

 make the run from one of these places to the next every day to 

 enjoy life. He had better get inside at anchor every night. The 

 winds are fitful and often fierce along this rough coasf, and the few 

 pear-by stopping places shoidd make him cautious. Fishermen mm 

 m everywhere, but an amateur yachtsman cannot. He must keep 

 in well mapped and clearly marked channels. One trouble is one 

 cannot often recog-nize the islands when seen forthe first time How 

 can one tell the White Cow from the Brown Bull and the Intrcr from 

 the Little Bull Island. The names are not characteristic; the islands 

 look upon the watery plain almost in a line, and one cannot always 

 take the time to figure out the bearings by compass. It is my opin- 

 ion these natural landmarks ought to have their names painted upon 

 mammoth sign boards forthe instruction of amateur yachtsmen. 

 _ Taking into consideration all the difficulties and dangers of a trip 

 m a small vessel along this ragged coast, I am not surprised that so 

 few amateur yachtsmen undertake it. 



We got under way— or started to— at 3 P. M., but when the main- 

 sail was up the club signal was hauled half through the tipper peak 

 halliard s block. No amount of pulhng would help, and Bert said ne 

 would go up and clear it. He had never been aloft, and 1 was du- 

 bious ot his abihty to do any thing up there. However he went u'j 

 held on well and worked away. Tnen he called for a nail and tlje 

 hatchet, with which he drove out the pm of the block, removed the 

 sheaves, liberated the flag uutorn, put the block together again and 

 c:ime down triumphantly. We then made sail aud stood up pisc 

 Fort Cfeorges, Little Hog and Great Hog islands, intending to find a 

 pleasant anchorage near some green and wooded shore; but the 

 wind fell and darkness overtook us just at the lower end of Little 

 Chebeag Island, and we were obliged to anchor, fm-l sails and bano' 

 out our hght. It began to blow hard from the northwest after sun- 

 set, the sea rose, and we were obliged to veer cable to twenty 

 fathoms and get the heavy anchor ready for an emer<'ency. The 

 evening meal was cooked with difflculty, the wind pTped and the 

 little craft pitched considerably, so we passed an uncomfortable 

 night, with tke boys one at a time on anchor watch and the captain 

 dozing with his weather eye open. The morning came, the breeze 

 died away, and as I was in doubt of the passage out I sent Bert and 

 Will ashore to a summer hotel for information. The people told 

 them tnat we could not get through the place we intended to go on 

 account of a bar; I suppose they thought we wished to pass between 

 the two Chebeags. The compass courses that had been given me by 

 the gentlemen of the Portland Club led in the direction of the bar 

 and when I looked at the Atlantic "Coast Pilot" charts for instTuc- 

 tion I found to my astonishment a gap of, perhaps, four miles, 



I did not dare to foUow the sailing directions alone, because my 

 compass was not hvely, and it was a little affected by the iron aboard, 

 besides, without a chart, there would be no means of recognizing the 

 islands, and the loclfs were too plentiful to take the risk. I was in a 

 quandary, and felt inclined to swear at the Government for its neglect 

 of so important a survey. I cotild not fhid Cow Island— it was not 

 labeled— and I did not know Long Island. I was disgusted at my 

 neglect to buy a good chart of Casco Bay. The "Coast Pilots" are 

 cheap— sixty cents a number— but they need supplementing m places. 

 I did not wish to go back to Portland and go out the main channel. 

 A general chart on too small a scale showed a good passage out of 

 Hussey's Sound, so I abandoned nay idea of going through the bay 

 and determined to put to sea. The wind was very light. I steered 

 down along a pretty shore with many summer cottages, and kept a 

 sharp lookout ahead for shoal water. Prettry soon we recognized 

 Peake's Island and Overset upon the larger chart, and steered for 

 Inner Green Island, We watched a schooner pass between the buoys 

 of Outer Green Island and Green Island Reef, and soon after a large 

 iron steamer, bound for Portland, tried to pass to the northward of 

 the buoy, struck on the reef, raised her bow high out of water, backed 

 olT. turned aside and proceeded upon her voyage. We passed mid- 

 way between the buoy and the inner island and shaped our course 

 for Half-Way Rock Lighthouse, which looked like a tall gray pillar 

 upon the horizon. The breeze freshened about 10 o'clock aud we 

 changed the course to east, which cleared Webster Rock and Lum- 

 bo's Ledge and brought us up to Fuller's Rock, off Cape Small Point. 

 Half-Way Rock is a small barren ledge, with a fine lighthouse and 

 two miserable Utile huts upon it. It is about five miles off shore, and 

 is a dreary .desolate place for human beings to reside in. 



Fuller's Rock is a black fortidding looking object, looking some- 

 what like a whale upon the water. There is a channel between it and 

 Cape Small Point for vessels with a fair wind, buti did not like to ven- 

 ture into it. I like plenty of sea room, better than dodging rocks aud 

 reefs. Small Point is well named, as it is too small to be easily lo- 

 cated, and from sea does not look like a point. Bald Head, just west 

 of it, is a much more conspicuous object. It is a bald, steep headland 

 without grass, bushes or trees, and its face appears to be a mass of 

 sohd gray rock. 



Fuller's Rock i-t very conspicuous and easily recognized, and when 

 you get hold of one place that you ;can find upon the chart, it is a 

 guide to many others. 



It was a lovely sunshin.y day; the wind was strong from the S. W.; 

 thesails were all "full and drawing beautifully ; the sea was dancing 

 along after us. rolling the cutter now port, now starboard, the surC 

 flashed in the sunlight as it struck against the rocky shore and gave 

 a deeper shade to the evergreen trees that covered the whole islands 

 and prominent hills inland; the boys lav about the deck and watched 

 the gulls, porpoises and passing sail, or slept in the shadow of the 

 mainsail, and I sat at the helm, proud of my little boat, and just soaked 

 in the sunshine aud breathed in deeply the air, which seemed to pen- 

 etrate the innermost recesses of my anatomy Uke good champagne. 

 I thought how good it was to commune with nature upon the great 

 deep, and how greatly we were enjoying every moment of the cruise. 

 Several times ;i said, "Boys, you are haying a splendid time, if you 

 only knew it. You will look back at this t-ip, as one of the finest 

 times you ever had, and forget all the hardships which you suffer.' 



"If there was only a .servant on board to wash the dishes, ' said 

 Jack, 



"And some one to wipe them," said Jamie. 



"And a boss French cook, •though I'm willing to do my ,sbare," said 

 Will. 



"Oh, get out! You'd rather cook than wash down decks," said 

 Bert; "I'm satisfied to do anything to have such a splendid sail, to 

 see this coast as we never could in any other way, and learn geog- 

 raphy. Just think of the places we've visited and learned all about 

 so far. Think what is to come yet." 



We were up with the cape and there was Seguin Island high, bold, 

 wooded aud crowned by a light-house and the keeper's dwelling. 

 We expected to stay over night in the mouth of the Kennebec, but it 

 was only 1 P. M. We would go outside of the island and try to make 

 Booth Bay. The course was changed, the sails trimmed, and we Hew 

 on merrily. I wish to say en passant that the writers who recom- 

 mend anchoring inside and behind Pond Island in the mouth of the 

 Kennebec ought to be kicked. The current ol; the river with the ebb 

 t"'de makes a rush of water between the island aud the shore that 

 few ground tackles will hold against, and the holding grotmd is sandy 

 and not of the best. The place is exposed to the ground swell all the 

 time, and, wheno^'er there is a storm, the sea sweeps through with 

 terrific force. The island upon the side is a wall of rock, and the 

 shore of the mainland is one of those treacherous, shoal, sandy 

 shores that we find along the southern coast— a pretty trap for a 

 nice little craft to harbor in. Don't trust it. 



Stage Island Bay, upon the right hand, just inside of Whale Back, 

 is a good shelter except when the wind is between west and south. 

 But it is a kind of packet; one has to come out the same way he goes 

 in. and it is open to the heavy win 1 and sea. It might do in an emer- 

 gency, but I do not like it. It would not always be safe, and would 

 not be comfortable for a sroah craft during a storm. 



The mouth of the river is a bleak, rocky, forbidding, dangerous 

 place, and many a good vessel has been wrecked there. In seeking 

 a harbor there, exercise good judgment about the wind, tlie current, 

 and your vessel; run up river and anchor close in to Phippsburg, and 

 you will find comfort, supplies and the presence of man. 



We passed a large wrecking schooner ofl! Seguin, with beams 

 across, chains leading downward, steam pumps and engines and a 

 crew of Givers and men, trying to lift some uttfortunate vessel that 

 had sunk in fifteen fathom-< of w.icer. The people hardly noticed us, 

 but a man answered my question, "How far to Booth Bay?" by 

 'About twelve miles." 



So we sped on the pleaaaut sunamer sea with jQowiBg sheets, and 



after awhile, the low gray bank along the horizon showed many ves- 

 sel masts that later turned to trees, then a house could be seen here 

 and there, some little hills, sloping banks, a wharf, a sandy shore, 

 and I reeosr.ized the characteri.'itics of Dami.scove Island. We ran 

 up along the land looking for a lighthouse and saw two Which was 

 the right one to steer for, as directed in the Coast Pilot'? The beacr n 

 on the Cuckolds and the compass pohiting north to the further one 

 proved it was on Burnt Island, and we steered for it. The one to 

 starboard was upon Ram Island, just north of Fisherman'.* Island, 

 which marked the eastern limits of the bay. We were soon close to 

 Squirrel Island, which lies in the middle of the bay and has become 

 a noted summer resort, especiallv for Bath and Portland people It 

 has bold rocky shores, with one little stretch of sand beach left, one 

 would think, on purpose for bathing; it is high, well wooded upon its 

 southern half, has a good wharf, several cosy hotels and many lovely 

 summer cottages and more pretentious viUas. I think I never saw a 

 prettier cooling off spot anywhere, and I have no doubt the place 

 and society are delightful during the warm season. It was August 

 28, and charming weather, but the place was deserted, and I thought 

 how much the visitors lost by going home so earlv. September is 

 the most enjoyable month of all the year for vacation, and just when 

 the heat of the sun is toned down by cool sea breezes, the grass turns 

 brown, the evergreens darken, and the beeche.'j and maples flutter 

 all the colors from flaming scarlet to shining gold, the lovers of na- 

 ture have fled to put the poor, overworked children into the cram 

 school and themselves into the harness for busineiss. It is the school 

 time, not the busmess generally, thafchurries them .awav. The peo- 

 ple ought to move the beginng of the schools to October '1st, and give 

 the children and themselves a chance. 



[to B13 CONTINUED.] 



THE LAWS RELATING TO STEAM YACHTS. 



ON the 5th inst. the bill amending the revised statutes relating to 

 .yachts, which was published in the P'obest and Stream of Dec. 

 24, 1885, was presented before Congress by the Hon. Pi=rry Belmnut, 

 of New York, The bill has been slightly changed since printed, the 

 definition of a yacht now reading as follows: "A yaehi is a vessel of 

 any size, propelled by sails, steam or any other motive po'ver. which 

 is used by its owner (or pleasure purposes, and which does not carry 

 passengers or mercliandise for pay. Such vessel to lie eiitithjd to the 

 privilege of this section must be dtdy enrolled in a duly iucorpoi ated 

 yacht club, the title and certified copy of the act of incorporation of 

 which must be filed with the Secretary of the Ttreasurv." 



Steam yachts of all .sizes and classes have heretofore been subject 

 to the genera] laws governir>g steam vevsela, laws passed before 

 steam yachts were in osistpnce, and which, tbough .since amended, 

 do not recogniz:" in any way the vast difference beiween an ej.-pHU.'jive 

 antl carefully constructed pleasure versel. ruu at the solo risk of her 

 owner and used only under certain condilicns; and the larf;e fleet of 

 steam vessels used solely for commercial purposes, in many of which 

 the greed of gain induces owners or masters to expose not only under- 

 writers, but passengers to great ri-ks. Whatever restrictions are 

 necessary in the latter class, there is no reason why they should be 

 imposed, as tbey always have been, on vessels of a" totally different 

 nature. 



Any abuse of the privileges accorded in the proposed act is pre- 

 vented by the clauses quoted above, which h cite them to yachts as 

 there defined, and make it to the interest ot all clubs to protect their 

 members and to extend their guarantee to no vessel used for any 

 commercial purposes. 



Under the present laws, steam yachts, which In their cruises call at 

 all ports in the United States, find much annoyance in going from 

 one inspection district to another, while the regulations of some 

 States allow the imposition of unjust and excessive pilotage, harbor 

 and other charges. Wbat is now a-ked by tbe friends of the bill is 

 that a yacht, hailing from Now York or Boston for instance, and that 

 has complied with all the retiuirements of the laws in her district, 

 shall be at liberty to enter any other port without undergoing the 

 expense and annoyance of inspection and the imposition of dues 

 which as a pleasure ,yacht she should not be liable to: and also that 

 an owner or his designated agent, after giving stifflcient proof of his 

 competency, shall be licensed to act as ma.ster or pilot in all districts. 

 The provision that owners shall give suitable bonds, and tbe condi- 

 tions as to incorporated clubs, limit this privilege exclusively to ves- 

 sels in which the owners take the sole risk. As the property Involved 

 usually runs well up in the thousands iu value it is not to be supposed 

 that an owner will risk it by the employment of incompetent men. 

 These two restrictions also make it impossible that the proposed 

 changes should discriminate in a«y way against trading vessels, as 

 they cease to affect a vessel as soon as she is used for any commer- 

 cial purpose. 



The clause in regard to steam launches is becoming each year more 

 necessary as their use on sailing yachts is increasine. The simple 

 launch engines now in use may be safel,v controlled by a yacht owner 

 or sailing master and one of the crew; but at present an engineer 

 must be canled, an extra and useless man on a sailing craft, whose 

 services are only required at intervals when the steam launch is in 

 use. The management of small boats of this class may be safely in- 

 trusted to owners and masters, as a rule far more intelligent and 

 capable men than the cheap engineer whom the law now puts in 

 their place. The bill, if passed, wih do much to encourage a branch 

 of sxjort that has already grown rapidly into a very important indus- 

 try, and that mtistese'rta large and favorable influence on ship- 

 building and naval design in America, which of itself should entitle 

 it to every consideration. 



YONKERS Y. C— At the annual meeting of the Yonkers Y. C, 

 held Jan. 7, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: 

 Charles E. Day, Commodore; N. P. Quick, Viee-Oommodore; Gabriel 

 Reevs, Secretary; John Ne.sbitt, Treasurer; John Dick--ou, Fleet 

 Captain; Wm. H. McVicar, Measurer, and Charles Ryder, Steward, 

 Frank Ford was re-elected Trustee. 



KNICKERBOCKER Y. C— A meeting of the Knickerbocker Y. 0. 

 was held on Jan. 5, at which the followtng officers for 1886 were 

 elected: Commodore, G, K. Rosenquest; Vice-Commodore, L. Left'erts; 

 Steward, James Simpson; Fleet Surgeon, Dr, E. Ringer. Hoard of 

 Directors, Messrs. W. Potter Jr., J. Taghaoeu, J. Paxson, Harris and 

 Cha'lton. 



SEAWANHAKA C. Y. 0.— A special meeting was held at Del- 

 monico's on Jan. 5 to consider the difference between the Board of 

 Trustees and 'Vice-Corn. Si-Gwart. After some discus,sions a special 

 committee was appointed to arrange a settlement of the disputed 

 points. 



A NEW TORPEDO BOAT.— Messrs Thorn ycroft & Co. tested on 

 Dec. 14 a new torpedo bo.^t 12oft. long, one of fifty lately orded by 

 the British Government. An average of six^runs over the measured 

 mile gave 20.9 knots per horn-. 



THE NEW YORK C. C. CHALLENGE CUP, 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



At a committee meeting of the New York C. C. the rules governing 

 the races for tbe N. Y. 0. 0. challenge cup were finally adopted. 

 These rules as amended include those covering the imernational 

 races, and the races by which the American contestants are to be 

 chosen. There has been considerable misunderstanding among the 

 members of other clubs as to the meaning given to "representatives 

 of the N. Y, C. C." as it appeared in former published conditions. 

 This was not intended to be read as meaning members of tlie N. Y. 

 C. C as many have supposed, but chosen members of any club 

 representing the N. Y. C, C. in tuese races with the Englishmen. 



CONDtTIONS GOVERNING THE RACES FOB THE N. Y. C. C. CHALLENUE CUP. 



1 . The canoes competing must come within the limits defined by the 

 N. Y. C, C. rules. , „ . , 



2. The cup is to be held as a perpetual challenge trophy, 



3. The competition is open to not more than thrde authorized 

 representatives ot any canoe club sailing under foreign colors, as 

 many canoes representing the club holding the cup aa the challenging 



'^^4,''two victories to be necessary to either win or hold the cup, the 

 same canoes competing in each, 



5, The races to be sailed on the waters of the ch^b holding the cup. 



(i. Races sailed in llie United Stales to be contested on waters in 

 the vicmity of New York city imder the auspices of the N. Y. C, C. 



7. The distance sailed over in each race must not be less than eight 

 nor more than ten miles and within a time limit of three hotu's. The 

 course to be mutually agreed U|x>n. 



8. The races must be sailed at a time mutually agreeable to tbe 

 challengers and the holders of the cup; but one series of races to be 

 sailed in any one year. 



9. The N. y. C. 0. rules to govern the races. 



10. The club holding tbe cup to be responsible to the N Y.C. C. for 

 its safe keeping. Should it dis.solve its organization, the cup will then 

 revert to the N. Y. 0. 0. 



CONDITIONS GOVERNING AiaKRICAN GONTESTANTB. 



11. The representatives ot the holders of the cup must be selected 

 after a series of trial races open to all members of canoe clubs in the 

 United States. The regatta committee of the club holding the cup 



