494 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jan. 12, 1888. 



CRUISING SCHOONER "ALERT." 



-SAIL PLAN. 



make certain that his yacht will not exceed the length allowed, 

 and must provide a margin in his design, but it is absolutely im- 

 possible for the designer of a large yacht to say in advance the 

 exact draft at which she will perform best. Mr. Burgess has 

 never yet been called on to comply with such a condition, but 

 any one designing a challenger must give Jier exact, not her ap- 

 proximate, draft. As long as the measurement rule is complied 

 with, and certain restrictions as to changes of ballast on race 

 days, it has been the universal custom to allow all changes in 

 trim that an owner might deem necessary after experiment, and 

 all of Mr. Burgess's loafs have been improved by the careful 

 tooling they have had; but this privilege is denied the challenger, 

 whose exact dimensions must be filed before his yacht is begun. 



The whole question of dimensions is a perfectly plain one; a 

 club has a certain unit of size for racing, under which its yachts 

 compete; in the present case a unit, termed corrected feet, de- 

 pending on sail area and waterline length. A challenger for a 

 race under the club rules should give with the challenge her meas- 

 urement by the club's rule, and nothing else, being held strictly to 

 the penalty if she exceeds that measurement. What the New York 

 Y. C. has a right to demand from a challenger is the measure- 

 ment by the club rule, and it has not the least concern with the 

 beam or the draft. As a matter of convenience that is equally 

 fair to all, the extreme limit of loadline might accompanv the 

 challenge, but the fact is self-evident that when a club has once 

 committed itself to a certain measurement as the best for racing, 

 all it can ask of a challenger is the size by the club's standard, 

 leaving the details of beam and draft to the designer alone. The 

 excuse that dimensions are required in order to identify the 

 challenger is absurd; does any one suppose that there will be half 

 a dozen 90ft. cutters 'of the same name built by one challenger, all 

 varying in beam and draft? With the sailing measurement given 

 there would be no possiblity of building in secret a boat of 

 unfair dimensions. The intention of the clause is evidently 

 to learn all that is possible concerning the challenger in good 

 season. We will warrant that with these four dimensions and 

 the name of the designer in his possession Mr. Burgess would be 

 able to sketch out within very narrow limits the design of the 

 challenging yacht. 



We went into the question of a length rule and its inevitable 

 tendencies in the first criticism of the deed of gift, and it is not 

 necessary to recapitulate here. If we read the wording correctly, 

 it is always possible for the holders, be they the New York Y. C. 

 or a British club, to disagree on some point, in which case the 

 challenger is thrown back on a race without allowance. Even if 

 his boat be as long as his rival's, the latter has the option of 

 placing a length class boat against her. Pappoose gives evidence 

 enough of what is possible in a length class boat with no limit of 

 sail, and it is doubtful whether a boat built under a length and 

 sail area rule could beat her if racing on waterline length alone. 

 1 he effect of the deed of gift is to make the possession of a 90ft. 

 racing machine with unlimited sail a verv desirable thing for a 

 defender; then it would always be possible to force a disagree- 

 ment, and the honest yacht that crossed the Atlantic must meet 

 the racing machine without allowance. We do not say that the 

 New York Y. C. would do such a thing, but thev clearlv have 

 reserved the power to do it if thev wish. 



, In speaking of the limits of size Mr. Burgess overlooks a very 

 important distinction; the old deed allows yachts of anv size to be 

 punt, but the new one compels one size for each rig. The old deed 

 left the competition to regulate itself by the growth of yachting 

 and the natural development of various sizes; the f ramers of the 

 new deed, in their far-seeing wisdom, take upon themselves to lav 

 down fixed limits. What right have they to say on the one hand 

 that the challenger must be 90ft. long, or on the other, that she 

 shall not be still larger. They have for the present passed over 

 the sizes which a long course of evolution has shown to be best 

 ntted for the general conditions of American yachting, and at the 

 same time they have set a maximum limit which no future 

 development snail exceed. It is absolutely certain that a 90ft. 

 class cannot be maintained here for many a vear, but who is wise 

 enough to say that with increased wealth and engineering skill the 

 size may not in the future even be exceeded. All this is, however, 

 finally provided for, the committee decide that 90ft. is the proper 

 thing for all time, so 90ft. it must be. The reason for the 

 selection of this size is plain to all; the holders of the Cup have 

 learned that they are strongest for the time in a certain size of 



yacht, consequently all races must be reserved to this size, regard- 

 less of the result to national yachting. 



The fallacy as to speed is all very well from non- racing men and 

 kettle yachtsmen, but from a racing yachtsmen and a scientist, 

 such as Mr. Burgess, we should look for a correction rather than 

 an indorsement of such popular errors. The very foundation of 

 yacht racing is the acknowledged law that speed varies with the 

 size, that a large vessel is faster than a small one of equally good 

 model, and the whole end of measurement and allowance is to 

 neutralize such inequalities as come from excess of size. This 

 being the case, the term fastest is void of any fixed meaning. 

 If the view taken by the committee, and defended by Mr. Burgess 

 above, is the correct one, then any of the old second class yachts 

 are better than Pappoose; Atlantic is better than Clara; Ambas- 

 sadress is a triumph and Sachem a failure. In the first trial 

 races Bedouin failed to save her time off Priscilla, conse- 

 quently the latter was the faster boat. Bedouin stood at the 

 head of her class, a place won by good sailing from the 

 then existing fleet, and could claim the title of champion, 

 but a victory by Genesta over Priscilla would have counted 

 for little. Clara and Cinderella are at the head of the 55ft. 

 class as the fastest of all existing boats of that size; but they 

 rank nowhere in the eyes of the Cup committee beside a possible 

 failure of 90ft. length. Speed is only relative; the fact that a yacht 

 has beaten all her class m a season's racing makes her the fastest 

 boat, and a worthy competitor for any challenger in the class. 

 The assertion that a challenger of 70ft. would be met by a defender 

 of 90ft. under the present allowance savors little of the fair play Mr. 

 Burgess spoke of last week, for every one knows that the best of 

 the second class cannot save their time off Volunteer. What 

 show would Bedouin or Titania have with Volunteer in a season's 

 racing with time allowance? Mr. Burgess speaks of the intention 

 of the real donors of the Cup, that it should be sailed for by the 

 fastest yachts in the world, but he omits to state that they 

 specified the limits, from 30 to 300 tons, within which the competi- 

 tion should be confined, which limits have been utterly dis- 

 regarded by the last interpreters of the very plain language of the 

 original and only deed of gift. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In the Boston papers Mr. Burgess and a few interested persons 

 continue to "defend" the illegal action of the New York Y. C. by 

 glittering generalities, taking good care not to meet the specific 

 charges brought against the absurd conditions attached to the 

 America Cup. Mr. Forbes indulges himself in the vain belief 

 "that foreign yachtsmen see no way of wiping out that two miles 

 and a half of lead which Volunteer had over Thistle." This is 

 contrary to fact. Mr. Sweet did send notice of challenge after the 

 races were over, but was obliged to withdraw when the New York 

 Y. C. harping upon a technical informality, threw Mr. Sweet out 

 with a riew to forcing him in again under new and adverse con- 

 ditions passed after notice was in the hands of the club. 



Several other gentlemen abroad had challenges in view, indeed 

 were anxious to get ahead of one another, but withdrew upon 

 promulgation of the new restrictions. Only two foreign clubs 

 have deigned to answer the circular sent out by the New York 

 Y. C. and both condemned the unsportsmanlike "deed" in plain 

 measure. All the other clubs have tossed the circular into the 

 waste basket and quietly sent the Cup into Coventry. 



It takes two to make a bargain. It is easy to set up challenge 

 cups galore, but of what avail, if those to whom the challenges 

 are addressed refuse to recognize their international character? 



All the talk will not abolish the main fact, that the New York 

 Y. C. has to all intents and purposes confiscated the America Cup 

 and that foreign authorities and clubs have unanimously dis- 

 owned the trophy. 



The new conditions are contrary to the spirit of the original 

 deed, for in place of "encouraging" international trials they stop 

 all further proceedings. 



To a small circle of persons anxious to intrench themselves 

 safely behind victories already achieved and desirous of avoiding 

 the risks of further competition, the illegal action of the New 

 York Y. C. is no doubt welcome enough. But the American 

 public declines to father their narrow and unsportsmanlike con- 

 duct. Pubijc Opinion. 



THE CRUISING SCHOONER ALERT. 



TT IS always a pleasure to chronicle the addition of a new boat 

 to the cruising fleet, a boat designed and built for cruising and 

 hard off-shore work at all seasons; and especially so in the present 

 case as the design is the work of an amateur and Corinthian. 

 The Messrs. Brvant have been prominent in Eastern yachting for 

 many vears, and have been identified with some of the most 

 tamous boats. The Shadow has won most of her races under the 

 ownership of Dr. John Bryant, one of the Corinthians whom Gen. 

 Paine has relied on as a part of his crew in Puritan, Mayflower 

 and Volunteer: and Mr. Henry Bryant is known as the designer 

 and owner of Thetis, the fir3t of the large compromises. His ex- 

 periments with her, though less successful than the later efforts 

 of Mr. Burgess, undoubtedly paved the way for the construction 

 of Puritan, in which both the brothers were owners in connection 

 with Gen. Paine, Com. Forbes and others. The accompanying 

 drawings show the new schooner which Mr. Henry Byrant has 

 designed and is now having built by Smith, of South Boston, who 

 also built Thetis. The Alert, as she will be named, the original 

 name of Speedwell having been abandoned, is intended solely for 

 cruising, but she is of the same type as the late Boston racers, 

 with the verv substantial steadier of 38 tons, nearly 70 per cent, of 

 the total ballast, in the keel, in a single piece. This is one of the 

 largest lumps ever cast in this country. The hull will he of wood. 

 The leading dimensions are: 



Length over all '. 107ft. 



Length on l.w.l 89ft. 



Beam, extreme 23ft. 3in. 



Beam, l.w.l 21ft. lOin. 



Draft 13ft. 



Least freeboard 3ft. llin. 



Overhang forward 1ft. 



Length of fore body 51ft. 



Length of after body 39ft. 



Area of midship section 107sq. ft. 



C.B. from stem 49.88ft, 



C.B. below l.w.l 3.98ft. 



C.B.R, aft of stem 51 



Ballast, short tons 56 



Ballast in keel, 42ft. long, short tons 38 



Bowsprit, outboard 36ft. 



Main mast, deck to hounds. 63ft. 



Main boom 63ft. 



Main gaff 37ft. 



Maintopmast 31ft, 



Foremast, deck to hounds 58ft. 



Fore topmast 28ft. 



Mastheads 9ft. 



Foremast from stem 24ft. llin. 



Mainmast from stem 56ft. 3i£in. 



Area Sq. Ft. 



Mainsail 2,844 



Foresail 1,402 



Staysail 658 



Jib 1.000 



Jibtopsail 755 



Fore topsail 471 



Maintopsail 611 



Lower sails, total 5,907 



We shall give the interior plans next week. 



SEAWANHAKA C. Y r . C— On Saturday night Capt. Howard 

 Patterson, of the School of Navigation, delivered a very interest- 

 ing lecture on navigation before the S. C. Y. C. After describing 

 the compass, log, etc., Captain Patterson outlined a yacht cruise 

 on Long Island Sound, afterward taking his hearers for a short 

 cruise on deep water, explaining the ship's log book, and some of 

 the principal problems of navigation. The two weekly classes at 

 the club house now number about twenty each. The annual meet- 

 ing of the club will be held on Saturday next. Among the models 

 lately added are two presented by Mr. John Harvey, Miranda and 

 Julian ar, the former a specially' handsome specimen. Montauk's 

 model has also been added lately. 



THE PAINE-BURGESS FUND.— The Boston and E. Y. C. sub- 

 scription to the fund amounted to $12,100, and the New York Y.C. 

 I testimonial to Mr. Burgess reached .$10,172.25. 



