S90 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov. 2, 1895. 



Niagara and the British SO-Raters. 



The relative performances of the Herreshoff bulb-fin Niagara, 

 owned by Howard Gould and sailed this season by Capt.. John Ban* in 

 British waters, are shown in the following letter to the Field, Audrey 

 and Eucharis are new boats, and Isolde is a sister to Niagara. 



By Col. Smith's formula for figure of merit, first, published in the 

 Field and subsequently in other places, the records published on Oct. 

 5 of the HO-rater racing for 1895 figure out as follows: 



Figure of 

 Firsts. Starts. Merit. 



Niagara 25 46 45>63 



Audrey 16 32 40.34 



Inyoni , J5 38 33.49 



Zinita , 6 15 28.70 



Dakotah 4 23 13.42 



Isolde 3 22 10.45 



Stephanie 3 24 9.70 



Eucharis , 2 11 7.60 



Lun<a 2 33 4.90 



Vineta 12 00 



Dragon , , 9 0.00 



Windward 4 0.00 



Maida 3 0.00 



RoBetta 3 0.00 



Molly 2 0.00 



Mimosa 1 00 



Elizabeth , 1 00 



Stella 1 00 



Maris , 1 0.00 



Osiris 1 00 



Thalatra 1 0.00 



Niagara had five sails over, and Stephanie one sail over. These are 

 not counted either as "firsts" or as "starts" for finding the figure of 

 merit. Isolde would have had a far better figure of merit if Niagara, 

 her siBter ship, had been absent, as "their davs" were similar; and 

 Luna's fall was due to the same cause. Had Niagara stuck to the 

 Solent it is possible that Audrey would have beaten her in the final 

 result. As it was they met on thirteen occasions, Audrey beating 

 Niagara six times, and being defeated by Niagara seven times. As you 

 remark, Inyoni could beat either of them in light weather, but it 

 seems to pay best to win in a moderate breeze; and hard weather 

 boats are sure to do well in our English climate, especially on the 

 Solent. 



This has been proved over and over again — the successes of Hum- 

 ming Bird and Babe, and more recently of Gareth. in the 25-rating 

 class; of Savourna, and more recently of Flat Fsh. in the 5-rating class; 

 of Decima, and more recently of Dakotah, in the 10-rating class- 

 making it very evident that yachts designed to excel in strong and in 

 moderate winds are better prize winners than those which excel in 

 light and in moderate winds. 



Indeed, it may be truly stated that a yacht which is a fairly certain 

 winner in light winds seldom wins in moderate weather, the hard 

 weather boat beating her in every kind of weather except light winds. 



Thus, Niagara this year won eleven firsts in fourteen starts in 

 "moderate winds," whereas Inyoni won only three firsts in nine starts. 



Mr. P. H. Collins arrives at a diametrically opposite conclusion, but 

 bis own figures contradict him. Occasionally a light weather year 

 occurs when his pattern yacht would head the list at the end of the 

 season— in the Jubilee year, for instance; but such weather seldom 

 occurs in our climate for any length of time. 



The alteration of the rating rule may, however, encourage sail to 

 such an extent that light- weather boats may become better prize win- 

 ners than heretofore. Nevertheless it should be borne in mind by Mr. 

 Collins and by every one else that the success of a hard-weather bout, 

 or of a light-weather boat, depends principally on their competi- 

 tors, and not upon the type, or the rating rule, or the weather of the 

 year. 



Thus, in the 20-raters, 1895, Isolde and Luna were comparatively un- 

 successful because Niagara and Audrey were better boats ia their 

 weather, and, had there been as many light-weather 20s as there were 

 hard-weather boats, Inyoni's winnings would probably have been re- 

 duced considerably. 



Another matter which Mr. Collins appears to have entirely over- 

 looked is the well-known fluking which is inseparable from light 

 winds, and which greatly reduces the number of wins of the fastest 

 boat in light weather, She is fluked out of her prize time after time, 

 but the hard-weather boat very seldom suffers in a similar manner, if 

 she be well sailed. 



The total number of prizes won in light weather is consequently no 

 proof whatever that it pays best to build yachts to win in such 

 weather. 



A glance at the first column in Mr. Collins's table of the 20-raters' 

 wins for the past season should have shown him this fact; and I feel 

 sure that Col. Smith's figure of merit is a far more accurate summary 

 of a yacht's success than the analysis made by Mr. Collins and the 

 reasoning he tacks on to it. Thalassa. 



Keeping a Clear Course. 



Recognizing the absurd and impracticable character of the demand 

 on the part of British yachtsmen that future international races of the 

 New York Y. O. should be sailed elsewhere than off New York, we are 

 glad to see that, while offering perfectly fair terms to the proposed 

 challenger of 1896, the New York Y. C. gives no intimation whatever 

 that the races will be sailed elsewhere than off Sandy Hook. We are 

 proud to have fought for so many years agaiust the gross injustice of 

 compelling a foreign vessel to sail an international race over the New 

 York Bay courses, as was done even so late as 1887, but now that the 

 inside course has been abolished and one of the best and fairest of 

 open water courses known to any club has been established outside of 

 Sandy Hook, we propose to stand by this course until it is proven that 

 some other is materially better. So far as transferring the races bodily 

 to some neutral point, such as Madeira or the Mediterranean, the sug- 

 gestion is one that no club in the world would accede to, and as for 

 Marblehead and Newport, both are open to the one great objection of 

 crowding, and distinctly inferior in other respects to the Sandy Hook 

 course. 



The true solution of the difficulty of interference lies not in the 

 transferral of the races to some otner point, or in efforts to conceal 

 the dates and mislead the spectators, but in devising some plan for 

 controlling the fleet. 



There are, it is true, a certain number of craft that are difficult to 

 manage; some of the larger steamers have shown an utter disregard 

 of the rights of the yachts, and the press and photographers' tugs are 

 particularly troublesome, running almost into the yachts at times, as 

 told by Mr. West, the English photographer. The great majority, 

 however, offend through ignorance, both of where the yachts are 

 going and where they should go themselves. 



In a recent editorial the Maine Journal- discusses the question as fol- 

 lows: 



"The evidence of the last international races was not that the ex- 

 cursion steamers were not eager to obey the wishes of the race com- 

 mittee in keeping the course clear, but that the committee were not 

 sufficiently explicit in stating their wishes, and that the steam yachts 

 which performed patrol duty were in command of people who had 

 very remote ideas as to what constituted their duties. It is one thing 

 to express in general terms "keep the course clear," and quite another 

 thing to specify exactly what that means, and how excursionists are 

 to know when they are trespassing. The probability is that the patrol 

 yachtsmen this year had no more specific instructions than to "help 

 keep the coast clear," and that in their eagerness to see the race them- 

 selves they paid only intermittent attention to that point. It was on 

 a par with having a lot of men sworn as special policemen to keep 

 order at a meeting who had very hazy ideas of how the audience 

 should be accommodated and no system or captain to direct them. 

 There is room this winter, therefore, for the establishment of a de- 

 tailed system of patrol for such occasions, with selected officers, un- 

 derstood signals and the promptest means of communication and 

 co-operation. 



"It this idea is worked out on a business basis, no one will welcome 

 it more than the excursion steamer men, who will then have something 

 to rely upon instead of mere amateurish opinions. We can vouch for 

 the steamer captains and pilots, that without exception they will be 

 glad to co-operate to the fullest extent with any fair and practicable 

 directions of the yachtsmen if explicitly expressed, and we but state* 

 fact that can be verified by any one who has had to do with excursion 

 steamers at such race meetings in the past when we Bay that the 

 steamer men have been unfairly blamed for not obeying the wishes of 

 the yachtsmen, because those wishes, if ever reduced to concrete 

 specifications by the yachtsmen themselves, have never been so dis- 

 tinctly stated for the advice of the steamer men. If it should be 

 requested by the yachtsmen that steamers do not cross any line from 

 a quarter to half a mile in any direction away from the course, for 

 instance, we have entire confidence that there would be little if any 

 need for even a patrol to guard it." 



Shortly after the late races a scheme was outlined to us by Mr, 

 Frank Herreshoff, brother of the designer, the main point being the 

 preparation of a chart showing where the yachts would sail and where 

 the attendant steamers should lie; the former area for instance being 

 printed in red and the latter in blue. As the course varies from day 

 to day, some difficulty would arise in allotting a place for the fleet with 

 all directions of the wind, but this is not a material objection. The 

 plan proposed the placing of such a chart on board of every vessel 

 which would follow the race; with possibly an experienced yachtsman 

 as a volunteer, to direct the captain. We believe much might be done 

 pbrough some such scheme to control and restrain the great body of 



the fleet, and r any individual offenders might-be brought to terms b 

 the weight of condemnation which would rest upon them. ^!^!! 



Another thing which would help would be to go some five orlten 

 miles offshore from the Lightship, and to start from a line marked by 

 two buoys specially set for the purpose. Such a line would be far 

 better than the use of the Lightship as a mark, there would be lesB 

 chance of having to shift to get a windward course, and the distance 

 would bar out some of the multitude of smaller steamers. There 

 would be an objection on the score of this extra distance for the yachts, 

 but withthe fast tugs and steam yachts now about New York 

 this would amount to little. 



hinge mtd 0itlkr/j. 



YACHTING NEWS NOTES. 



Pending the completion of the Devonshire Building, at Dev onshire 

 State and Washington streets, Boston, Mr. W. B. Waterhouse, the 

 designer, is located at 54 Devonshire street. 



Steam Yachts and Launches 



Built by Marine Iron Works, Clybourn and Southport avenues, 

 Chicago, HI. Free illustrated catalogue. Write for it.— Adv. 



The racing rules of the American Canoe Association are particularly 

 well worded in respect to their amendment; it is expressly provided 

 by them that the regatta committee at the conclusion of the season's 

 racing shall prepare a full report of the races and of its conclusions 

 after the experience of a year; and further, that all proposals for 

 changes of the rules, whether originating with the committee or with 

 members outside, shall be specifically stated in this report. It is also 

 required that the full report shall be published in the Forest and 

 Stream at least fourteen days before the annual meeting, in order 

 that all members may be made aware of intended changes of rules. 

 So far as the requirements go, they could hardly be improved upon ; 

 the one weak point is that they are ignored by the successive regatta 

 committees. Last year, as in previous seasons, no report was pre- 

 sented; this year, however, the chairman of the committee, M. V. 

 Brokaw, on whom the work of managing the races at the meet finally 

 devolved, has complied with the rules and drawn up a very full report. 

 This report was Bent out some weeks since to the distant members of 

 the committee for signature, and though ample time has elapsed for 

 its return, it is still missing; bo, in default of publication for the re- 

 quired period, no changes of rule can be made at the meeting on 

 Nov. 12. 



One change in the rule is strongly called for— the removal of the 

 limit of 18in. to the drop of the centerboard. This limit was placed in 

 the rules fifteen years ago, with others calculated to keep the center- 

 board within reasonable bounds both in size and position. The other 

 limits have long since been abandoned, making this one worse than 

 useless, yet with a strange inconsistency the Association has clung 

 fondly to it. The best form of centerboard for a small boat now 

 known, the Hope knife board, is thus prohibited in canoes under the 

 A. C. A. rule. 



New York Y. C. 



The regular October meeting of the New York Y. C. was held on 

 Oct. 24 at the club house, with Com. Brown in the chair. The most 

 important business [of; the evening was the reading of the report 

 of the America's Cup committee of 1894-5, a lengthy ^document 

 which was accepted as follows: 



Besolved. That the report of the America's Cup committee of 1894 

 be accepted, and that the committee be requested to have 2,000 

 copies of the same printed for distribution among the members of 

 the club. 



The report will doubtless prove very interesting reading, touching 

 on one matter that has not been generally known, the accusation of 

 Lord Dunraven that in the first race Defender was ballasted below her 

 measured waterline to a material extent, as thus mentioned in the 

 report: 



"On Saturday, Sept. 7, Lord Dunraven communicated to the Cup 

 committee his belier that the Defender had sailed that day's race im- 

 mersed 3 or 4in. more than when she was measured. Lord Dunraven 

 stated that he believed that the change had been made without the 

 knowledge of the Defender's owner, but it must be corrected or he 

 would discontinue racing. 



"He did not wish to say to the committee what action it should take, 

 but he desired a remeasuremeat that day (Saturday, Sept. 7), 



"The Cup committee, after considering the communication from 

 Lord Dunraven, ordered a remeasurement to be made at the earliest 

 possible moment. 



"On Sept. 8 the yachts were marked, as requested by Lord Dun- 

 raven, at the same time they were remeesured, with the result of only 

 Win. difference in 1 w.l. in case of the Defender, and l-16in. in the 

 Valkyrie. 



"As the result varied the time allowance only a second or two and 

 in no way affected the outcome of the races, it was not deemed neces- 

 sary to give additional measurements." 



The committee was finally discharged with thanks. 



Vice-Com. Ward then moved the following: 



"Resolved, That a cup be presented to the owners of the Defender, 

 in recognition of their successful defense of the America's Cup in the 

 recent match, and that a cup be also presented to Mr. George J. 

 Gould, as an expression of the club's appreciation of bis generous and 

 sportsmanlike action in putting the Vigilant in commission and plac- 

 ing her at the disposal of the club; and that the procuring of the cups 

 be referred to a committee of three, to be appointed by the chair." 



Commodore Brown appointed to serve on the committee Vice-Com. 

 H. C. Ward, Rear-Corn. J, C. Bergen, and Frank T. Robinson. 



The various telegrams relating to Mr. Rose's challenge were read, 

 and the following nominating committee for the annual election was 

 appointed: Lloyd Phceuix, George L. Rives, Richard S. Palmer, H. F. 

 Lippitt, Frederick G. Bourne, Philip Schuyler, William E. lselin, Gou- 

 verneur Kortright, William Butler Duncan, Jr., and Fordham Morris. 



Secretary Oddie gave notice of a proposed amendment reducing the 

 minimum limit of tonnage from fifteen to ten tons, but no action will 

 be taken before the annual meeting. 



The following members were elected: C. T. Russell, F. C. Dininny, 

 Jr., Jacob Ruppert, Jr., Lawrence E. Embree, Leroy M. Garrett, IT. S. 

 N.; Louis Kempff, TJ, S. N, ; Frederick V. MeNair, XJ. S. N.; the Hon. 

 Henry L. Pierce, Albert L. Key, IT. S N.; Edward 8. Hatch, James W. 

 Ridgway, E. S. Thomson, Gen. Gilbert H. McKibben, Dr. E. H. Mar- 

 stelfer, U. S. N,; J. R. P. Pringle, IT. S. N. ; Louis J. Brush, Charles 

 Henry Harlow, IT. S. N.; J. B. Wheeler, Edward Browning, Franklin 

 M. Singer, Edward White, U. S. N.; Leland H. Littlefleld and Theodore 

 D. Rich. 



The Executive Committee Meeting. 



Com. Huntington has sent out the following notice: 



Tue annual meeting of the executive committee and board of gov- 

 ernors of the A. C. A. will be held at Stanwix Hall, Rome, N. Y., on 

 Monday, Nov. 11, at 10 A. M. 



It is hoped that all members of the committee will make a special 

 effort to be present at this meeting. 



Particular attention is called to Art. VI., Sec. 3, Deputies, and Art. 

 XII,, requiring the publication for two weeks of any proposed amend- 

 ments of the constitution printed below. 



Thomas H. Striker, Sec'y-Treas. Wm. R. Huntington, Com. 



Art. VI ,Sec. 3— Deputies. — A member of the committee may appoint 

 by letter another active member in good standing ot his own division 

 as deputy to vote for him in his absence at any meeting of the com- 

 mittee, but no person to have more than one vote. 



Art. XII.— Amendments.— This constitution may be amended at any 

 meeting of the executive committee, provided the amendment re- 

 ceives the votes of at least two-thirds of said committee, and has been 

 published in general terms in one of the official organs of the A. O. A. 

 at least two weeks before being voted upon, or by writing signed by 

 the commodore and two thirds of the members of the executive com- 

 mittee, after a similar publication. 



Cincinnati Rifle Association. 



Cincinnati, O., Oct. 20.— The following scores were made by mem- 

 bers of the Cincinnati Rifle Association at their range to-day Condi- 

 tions: 200yds., strictly off-hand, rifles under lOlbs., 3Ibs. trigger pull at 

 the standard target, 7-ring, black. It would be more interesting to rifle- 

 men in general if all clubs in publishing their scores would be more 

 explicit in their noting of the conditions under which they shoot. Let 

 more attention be paid to this and the greater will be the enthusiasm 

 displayed: 



Gindele io 8 9 7 9 9 10 9 8 9-88 



98 10 98 10 889 8-87 



6 10 8 10 8 10 8 10 7 9-86 

 8998 10 7999 8-86 



Payne 7 10 10 8 6 10 9 9 5 7—79 



7699 10 887 10 5-79 

 888977906 6—75 



7 6 7 6 9 10 9 9 10 8-81 

 Trounstein 796379688 5-68 



488556577 7-62 

 478399374 5-59 



„ . . 364848696 4-68 



Brumback 3 7 7 7 8 4 10 8 10 7—71 



769 10 78684 7-72 



8 10 661 660 7 7—73 

 468998995 9-76 



Roberts 6 8 10 9 9 10 8 7 10 9-86 



879 10 6875 10 10-80 

 10 8 10 6 10 8 8 6 8 10-85 

 89 10 7989 10 9 7-86 



Ht »ke 868947887 10-75 



8 10 8465496 5-65 

 6573887 3 7 7—61 

 „ . 783895465 5-60 



Topf 7 9 10 3 5 9 10 8 5 8-74 



• 679475587 8-66 

 589268863 5-60 

 o. . , . 85777 10 752 4-62 



Strickmeier........ 7 7687 10 77G S-73 



10 6779855 9 5—71 

 677996775 8-71 

 _ ; „ 8 6 8 8 10 7 8 10 IB 8-83 



Randall , 897 10 5796 10 7—78 



846 10 788 7 7 10-75 

 4779887 10 9 7—76 

 8096987 10 8—73 



See , 69888 10 488 7—76 



669978768 6—72 

 3 7 10 10 8 7 7 8 6 7—78 

 _ v 7879 10 10 888 8-83 



Drube ., 6 4 6 6 10 10 10 9 7 5—73 



588956 10 6 10 5—72 

 8 8 6980 10 76 8-76 

 684 7 49687 6—65 



Election Day at Cypress Hills. 



The third grand annual individual rifle championship match will be 

 held at Cypress Hills Park, Brooklyn, N. Y., on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The 

 entrance fee is $5, and $2 forfeit must accompany each entry, no en- 

 tries being received after Nov. 2, the date of our issue. 



The match will be shot under the management of the following com- 

 mittee: Gus. Zimmermann, chairman; Ignatz Martin, Henry D 

 Mueller, Geo. W. Plaisted; Chas. G. Zettler, treasurer, and Bernhard 

 Zettier, shooting master. Targets will be open for practice at 9 A.M., 

 the match starting at 10:30. Ten sighting shots will be allowed all 

 contestants who are not present at the opening of the match. 



All riflemen who intend taking part in this annual affair should 

 apply at once to Chas. G. Zettler, 219 Bowery, New York city, where 

 entry blanks can be obtained and entries made. As usual, this match 

 will be full of interest. 



If you want your shoot to be announced here 

 send in notice like the following; 



FIXTURES. 



Nov. 5-7.— Kewanee, 111.— Annual tournament of the Kewanee Gun 

 Club; added money and merchandise prizes L. C. Huckins, Sec'y. 



Nov. 7-8.— Wellington, Mass.— Annual fall tournament of the Boston 

 Shooting Association. H. M. Federhen, Sec'y. 



Nov. 12.— Newark, N. J.— All-day shoot of the South Side Gun Club; 

 New Jersey Trap-Snooters' League contest at 11 A. M. W. R, Hobart, 

 Sec'y. 



Nov. 26-28.— Des Moines, la.— Tournament of the Des Moines Gun 

 Club; live birds and targets. C O Perkins, Pres. 



Nov. 27 -28.— Ironton, O.— Holiday tournament of the Iron City Gun 

 Club. H. E. Norton, Pres. 



DRIVERS AND TWISTERS. 



A. C. A. Membership. 



Central Division: Lewis J. Allyn, Rochester, N. Y. 



Club secretaries are invited to send their scores for publication in 

 these columns, also any news notes they may care to have printed. 

 Ties in all events are considered as divided unless otherwise reported. 

 Mail all such matter to Forest and Stream Publishing Company, SIS 

 Broadway, New York. 



Billy Hobart, secretary of the South Side Gun Club, of Newark, N. 

 J., writes us as follows: "In 'Drivers and Twisters' I notice that you 

 announce that the competition for the gun donated by the Winchester 

 Repeating Arms Co., which was announced for Nov. 12, would take 

 place at 2 P. M., on the grounds of the South Side Gun Ulub, at New- 

 ark, N. J. As the entries for this contest will probably reach a half 

 hundred, and the number of targets is 50 each man, this hour will not 

 allow time enough, particularly as the sun sets about 5 o'clock. 

 Please, therefore, correct the above statement by saying that the hour 

 appointed for the commencement of the contest will be 11 A. M. 

 Should there be time enough after the gun is won, sweepstakes will be 

 held until dark. All contestants in this match will be handicapped 

 according to the scores made in the League team matches, and no one 

 need be afraid to enter. The grounds of the South Side Club are open 

 every Saturday afternoon and opportunity afforded for practice for 

 the match of Ixov. 12." 



Oscar Gueasaz CTexaB Field) and Joe George, both of San 

 Antonio, Tex., were each presented recently with a spick and span 

 hunting suit by Fred Quimby. Here's the result as told in a letter to 

 Fred, dated Oct. 20: "ifou ought to have seen the expression on the 

 features of the first mallard drake that flew over me on the morning 

 when I first donned the handsome suit you sent me. It was funny for 

 me— but he died, like all the rest. Thanks, old man, thank's again. 

 Joe and I will spend a few nights this coming week in thanking you 

 jointly for our dude suits, and you can expect something startling, as 

 Joe is some pumpkins on thanks." 



The Hazard Smokeless Powder Co. will hold a four day's shoot at 

 Cincinnati, O., May 19-22, 1896. The "Blue Ribbon" tournament will 

 be managed by Bob Waddell, the Hazard Co.'s agent at that point, 

 who writes that he wants "to make it a rouser." We are promised 

 something of special interest in this programme, In regard to the 

 above date Mr. Waddell writes: "My object is to follow Memphis, 

 Tenn., on the circuit, and the Ohio State League will probably take 

 the first week in June at Dayton, O., if it cannot come to an agreement 

 with Memphis." 



In talking with Capt. Money last week about the E. C. Powder Com- 

 pany's tournament next May, he asked us to state that no restrictions 

 whatever would be placed on the shooters in regard to the powder to 

 be used during the shoot. "Also please state," said he, "that the com- 

 pany will adopt Forest and Stream's suggestion for a championship 

 at targets, as outlined in your issue of Oct. 19. We may make some 

 slight changes in the scheme, but it will be open to all, nobody barred." 



Bob Waddell, of Cincinnati, Q., in writing about the "Blue Ribbon" 

 shoot referred to elsewhere, sayB: "We are going to adopt, with some 

 modifications, Forest and Stream's suggestions in regard to a target 

 championship." He adds that he will inform us as to scheme more 

 fully at a near date. As he will be in this city next week, we should 

 be able to outline the programme for the Hazard Powder Company's 

 tournament, May 19-22, very shortly. 



On Oct. 16 Bland Ballard, of Louisville, Ky.,shot a 100- bird race 

 with Walter Watson, of the same city. Mr. Watson is chief train dis- 

 patcher on the L., St. L. <£ Texas R. R. The shoot took place on the 

 grounds of the Kentucky Gun Club, Harry Smyser being chosen for 

 referee. Ballard won by scoring 93 to Watson's H8, the lormer losing 

 4 dead out of bounds to Watson's 5. The match was a tie at the sev- 

 enty-second round. 



