April 14, 188*.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



261 



GENERAL PAINE'S NEW YACHT. 



THOUGH the uews which we gave last week is confirmed, little 

 more is known of the new yacht. She will ho nearly 86ft. l.wl., 

 with clipper stem aud a long stern like her predecessors. The 

 beam will Tie less than Mayflower's and the draft greater, but the 

 exact figures have not been made public. The yacht will be built 

 of steel by Pusey it Jones, of Wilmington, Del., and Mr. Burgess 

 is now in Wilmington laying her down. The following corres- 

 pondence has passed between Gen. Paine and Mr. .his. I"). Smith 

 concerning her: 



No. 22 Congress Street, Boston, April li, 1887.— Dear Commo- 

 dore Smith: As I consider the dimensions of the Thistle are cap- 

 able of providing a yacht of much greater speed than that of any 

 yacht yet sent over here from England and as I have not been 

 able to learn that any one else has proposed to build a new one as 

 a possible competitor, I have decided to build and have contracted 

 for a new steel boaL varying only by a few inches from the di- 

 mensions of the May flower, except overall, but of course embody- 

 ing two or three changes of form, as to which I wish to experi- 

 ment. I hope to have her iu commission for the ST. Y. Y.C. cruise, 

 though of course much depends on how soon the mills will furnish 

 the steel. I am very sincerely yours, Ctiarees J. Paine. 



Nkw York, April 7, 1887.— Dear General Paine: 1 have yours of 

 yesterday. As a member of the America Cup Commit tee, officially 

 and personally I am pleased with your let ter. You exhibit a most 

 liberal and commendable spirit and it will be highly appreciated 

 by the yachtsmen of this country. If the conditions imposed 

 by the owner of the English yacht Arrow are reasonable and agree- 

 able to you, you will have a fast yacht in Europe, and I sincerely 

 trust and hope a faster one at home, to become a competitor iu 

 the defense of a cup that England's yachtsmen for thirty-six 

 years have struggled to take back to their couutry, but so far in 

 vain. I should do injustice tomyown sentiment and feeling if Idid 

 not warmly congratulate you on the chivalrous and genuine spirit 

 you have always manifested in upholding the supremacy of Amer- 

 ica in the best interests of yachting. Yours truly, 



JAMBS D. Smith. 



The new yacht will of course have all her lead in the keel like 

 Galatea and Vanduara, The New York papers have been negoti- 

 ating for the sale of Mayflower to Dr. Barron, but Gen. Paine has 

 denied the many reports current that he bus disposed of her. 



THE SECOND CRUISE OF THE PILGRIM. 



PART V. 



THE grand event of the season was a trip to Bar Harbor and 

 around Mt. Desert Island. The summer loitering was over 

 and nearly everybody had returned to work. Charles and I were 

 the only ones who could afford to cruise for pleasure in this busy 

 September. Even the children were so occupied with school they 

 eould only sail Saturdays, and we could not entice any one upon 

 the adventurous journey proposed. There was a dread in the 

 minds of the people about going around the southern side of the 

 island, and I remembered when I had a cruise to Southwest Har- 

 bor in a launch in 1870, that some one I met upon its salt-cured 

 wharves advised me not to venture to Bar Harbor, because many 

 craft had been capsized and some people drowned off the moun- 

 tainous shores of the island. So I anticipated a rough time and 

 felt eager for it. "Now, be careful, WRl," said my sister as we 

 parted: "the seas are just dreadful around the Island, and it is 

 awfully squally and rough. A steamer rolled so there that a 

 passenger was tipped right overboard, campstool aud all." 



"Never fear, my dear, I'll come back all right. The Pilgrim is 

 uncapsizable, and will not sink unless we fill her, and we don't in- 

 tend to do that," 1 replied, laughing. Then we loaded up with 

 baskets of bread, doughnuts, pics aud apples, and meandered down 

 the quiet m?. pie-shaded streets of Belfast to the wharf, stared at 

 by persons we passed who supposed from our yacht uniforms that 

 we were stray policemen or castaways from a steamboat. Our 

 tender was twenty feet below the wharf, and we performed some 

 acrobatic feats in getting our traps aud selves down the ladder 

 and into her without mishap; then we were soon aboard the little 

 ship and had tilings stowed away below. Charles loosed the stay- 

 sail and jib while 1 took the gaskets off the mainsail and changed 

 the ensign from topping lift to peak halliards. Then we noisted 

 the mainsail, had the head sails ready for hoisting, and tackled 

 the anchor. It came short aud staid there, cable up and down, 

 thirty-five pounds deep under blue mud, and two red-faced, sore- 

 handed, perspiring contortionists on deck, grinding their boot 

 heels into the soft pine, and straining hard to lift the world 

 aboard. We hauled very taut, made fast around the bitts, went 

 out upon the bowsprit and lifted up- the length that led to the 

 sheave, and rug-red and twisted and swayed, but a mermaid held 

 the iron down. Our weight had settled the bow and the rope held 

 her nose down, i thought of a watch tackle, but we went away 

 aft, jumped op and down a little, saw the bow rise slowly apd the 

 deed was dene, the anchor was away. Charles hauled it up and 

 hooked it, hoisted the staysail and jib, and I trimmed sheets and 

 pointed for the open bay at exactly &3Q P. M. 



There was a strong southwest wind, and in an hour we were 

 past Turtle Head and approaching Coomb's Point, when the. wind 

 failed entirely and left us plunging and rolling without steerage- 

 way in quite a nasty sea. Half an hour was spent tumbling 

 around, dodging the boom and growling, then a fresh northwest 

 wind darkened the waters and we ion into Castine for the night, 

 as 1 feared we conld not get around Cape Rosier and into a safe 

 anchorage before dark. 



The wind died away at sunset, the starry canopy was cloudless, 

 and we tried to smoke on deck after supper, but the cool air made 

 the cabin much more comfortable and we soon turned in and 

 went to sleep. The wind was fresh from the southeast at daylight. 

 We got a hasty breakfast, made sail, and were soon dashing into 

 the hea vy seas that may be met between Cape Rosier aud Isleboro 

 nearly every day when the tide comes in. It was refreshing, ex- 

 hilarating and exciting, with the rail under every jump and the 

 spray sparkling in the sunlight, as it flew against the mainsail and 

 iuto our faces, to see the Pilgrim creep steadily to windward 

 against tide and sea, sometimes burying her bowsprit and dipping 

 several cloths of the jib into the brine. It was not heavy weather; 

 only the compliments of that hard, stony -faced, spruce-whiskered 

 Cape Rosier, around which the incoming tide always sweep-! witi 

 rough, violent surges, which has always been inhospitable and 

 threatening whenever I have essayed to pass by in little craft. It 

 was this Boaz pillar of Penobscot's portal that nearly wrecked 

 my launch load in 1870, and did catch my punt towing astern, 

 break its painter, and smash it against its flinty face in pure 

 wantonness. It forced me to double reef last year, then smiled 

 after we had passed, and let us make all sail ' immediately. It 

 seems to frown upon me and I shake my fist at its furrowed brow 

 and say, "Curse you, old Rosier! I defy you. What have 1 ever 

 done that you should so savagely dispute my passage east and 

 west in summer weather'?" The answer of the surges upon the 

 scarred and battered neck sounds to me like, "Niche Gliick ! Kein 

 Gltick ! Nicht Cluck ! Kein (Buck !" until I pass out of heari fig. 

 So we kept well to windward and, when 1 judged it sa!e to ease 

 sheets and we swept like a race horse to the eastward, we seemed 

 to draw toward the cape in such a mysterious way that i feared 

 for a while we would be obliged to flatten in again to clear my 

 ancient enemy. But we were not; the sentinel spruces of the 

 shore marched to the west rapidly. Spectacle Island was recog- 

 nized, the buoys of Little Deer Island passed, the lighthouse 

 keeper saluted, and we were fairly into Eggemoggin Reach by (lie 

 time shore folks were eating breakfast. Hurrah ! for the early 

 start. How bright the sun and sea ! How crisp and sweet the 

 air ! How blue the sky ! How green the fields and forests in the 

 early, dewy morning ! Charles and I wiped the salt off of our 

 faces, gave a pull on the sheets and took a smoke. That was all 

 we needed then to make us perfectly happy. 



Eggemoggin Beach is one of the prettiest inland water courses 

 upon the coast, ft is from one to three miles wide and fifteen 

 miles long, and lies between Little and Great Deer Islands and 

 the mainland upon the north side. There are about five fathoms 

 of water throughout. The shores present every variety of fea- 

 ture— short sandy strips, low shelving rocks, little gra'ssv plots, 

 and groups and groves of evergreen trees upon one side, and walls 

 of rock, grassy points, high hills and heavy forests upon the 

 other. There are several good harbors and little villages scat- 

 tered along the shores, and well cultivated farms are conspicuous 

 near Byard's Point, but the region is sufficiently wild and pic- 

 turesque to suit the hater of city bricks and cobblestones, and 

 furnishes almost a continuous entertainment in t he steady run 

 of vessels of all kinds which hasten east and west through this 

 thoroughfare. The scenery is so charming, the water so thor- 

 oughly landlocked and safe, the little coves and harbors so fre- 

 quent and easy of access, and the forests so inviting, that I thought 

 as we sailed along, what a perfect place for the A. C. A. to hold a 

 midsummer meet. Here the tired boys of the city could bring 

 their canoes safely by steamer and have such a glorious time that 

 5t would make a story for the fireside for years to come. Salt 

 water travel is so beneficial to the health, and so cheap and com- 

 fortable from New York to Mt. Desert, ! wonder canoe and 

 yachtmen are not seen in greater numbers exploring the byways 

 of the Maine seacoast. 



The wind had been increasing and hauling a little while we 

 were slipping along the pretty shores, and when Byard's Point 



was passed, we trimmed sheets fiat aud barely held our course for 

 a few miles. It continued to head us and when we had arrived at 

 Cape Carter, at the entrance to Benjamin River, leading to the 

 village of Sedgwick, the sky looked so threatening in the south- 

 east and the sea. had become so considerable that I had a strong 

 notion of seeking a harbor with a little sloop that had eluded us 

 by shooting into the gap of the river. 1 reflected that it was only 

 10 o'clock, we might, as well keep on for a while and watch the 

 weather, as we would have good harbors to leeward and could run 

 hack to them in the afternoon if it was necessary. So the Pilgrim 

 was nut about and we stood across the reach. We saw a schooner 

 coming from the eastward and we ran close aboard upon the next 

 leg, said, "(rood morning," and asked about the weather. The 

 captain said, "Guess wo're goin' to hev a, southerly." 



"Think it'll be heavy'/'' 



"Wall, looks that way, kinder." 



"Thank you!" thou we wore out of speaking distance. 



Whew! how the puffs came off shore. Pretty soon we took in 

 the staysail to keep dry. What a relief not to have to reef a big 

 jib. How it relieved and lifted the lee rail even to get the little 

 headsail down. It was very squally near the windward shore and 

 islands. It soemed as if the wind doubled in strength whenever 

 we approached, and grew steady and less violent nut in the wide 

 water. We were now beyond my last year's cruising ground, and 

 my memory of the 1870 cruise was too defective to he any help in 

 the further navigation, but the chart showed the course and the 

 islands. The latter were not labeled and were a little too numer- 

 ous in the eastern end of the reach where we were now sailing; 

 therefore I hailed a fishing schooner that we had overhauled in 

 the race to windward and asked, just to be certain, "Is this Conary 

 Island?" 



"Yes. that's Konry." 



"Then that's Hog over there?" 



"Yes, sir-r-r," and the wind kept up the rolling of that final 

 letter for a while. 



I wauted to ask, "What in thunder are you going out upon the 

 • south Bide of Conary for?" Ho nearly misled us, and we might 

 have struck bottom had wo not parted company. I prefer to fol- 

 low the char! , when 1 ha ve one, rather t han to try to dodge rocks and 

 shave shoals with these ubiquitous fishermen. 1 remember when 

 on the sloop-of-war Juniata; in war times, we ran half way down 

 the east side of Eleuthera Island thinking it was Abacb, until 

 careful study of the shore and chart, corrected the poor meridian 

 altitude aud saved a noble ship and her armed host of patriots. 



The channel buoy outside of Hog Island was found, and the 

 course shaped, after much study with the glasses, for the wooded 

 hills of Burnt Coat Island. It was rougher here. The seas swept 

 right inward unobstructed by reefs or islands and we did some 

 plunging, but the wind was strong and steady and Hog Island 

 faded as the bold wooded shores ahead grew plaiuer. We soon 

 saw York Narrows like a long canal between Burnt Coat and 

 Orono, but were afraid to venture into it because the C. P. says: 

 "The current runs with great velocity, and strangers, therefore, 

 must under no circumstances attempt to pass through." I felt a 

 little troubled about trying Casco Passage; the book says: "Stran- 

 gers must not attempt this passage without a pilot. The channel 

 is narrow, and full of ledges, aud the currentsets strongly through 

 York Narrows, rendering the navigation dangerous to those who 

 are not familiar with the set and strength of the tide." I could 

 not spare the time aud breast the sea going outside of Burnt Coat, 

 and did not like to go to leeward around Pond Island, so kept on 

 toward Buckle's island to get a good look at both passages. The 

 C. P. had no chart, but a large chart of Mt. Desert showed many 

 buoys and dangers. Near Buckle's a striped buoy caught the eye, 

 then a black one off the point of Orono aud another black one 

 beyond to the north. There was the course info Casco, aud there 

 was not a sign ahead of any guides to York. We were going 

 southeast Near t fie striped buoy we came to, tucked, payed oil' 

 sheets and flaw away northeast by east, leaving black buoys to the 

 left till north oi Orono, then hailing a large surveying steamer at 

 anchor in the passage, whose crew gathered in the stern to look at 

 us as Ave shot by. were told to keep as we were, leave the nest of 

 black buoys on the left hand, aud give Burnt Coat a wide berth. 

 We followed directions and were soon in clear water, beading for 

 Bass Head lighthouse, and Mt. Desert wa s before us in all its glo ry, 

 1 felt scared when it was all over. I think I should scare before- 

 hand with a deeper draft. 



Mt. Desert can never be mistaken tor am other land upon the 

 Coast. It shows a ponderous pile of barren ledges, deep valleys, 

 dense forests and forbidding shores. The mountains bathe their 

 feet in the sea, aud their brows are kissed by the clouds. The 

 winds rush out of its gorges with terrific force, and the sen lashes 

 itself into foam againsi iis granite walls. It offers few harbors 

 to the mariner, is beset by tierce gales and boisterous seas, and 

 the husbandman gleans scanty crops from the barren soi I. The 

 trout still lurk in its ice-cold lakelets and the red deer finds easy 

 hiding places from the pursuit of man. The few settlement's 

 upon its shores do not. alter its majestic appearance or blemish its 

 rugged beauty. It unites the booming surf and the mountain 

 shadows; the sandy beach and the precipice; the deep, dense green 

 of the primitive forest aud the glint and sparkle of the summer 

 sea. Here is the union of the earth and the ocean. Here, the 

 mountains make obeisance to Amphitrite, and she sends her mer- 

 maids singing in the caves her waves have fashioned in the over- 

 hanging cliffs. 



It was a rough, run to the eastward around Baker's Island, and 

 when we turned and headed for Egg Rock, with the main sheet 

 all out and the headsails shitting, we realized what a long, heavy 

 sea was sweeping northward. Several times the tender shot up 

 past the stern upon a comber, and once struck the stern a heavy 

 blow, then we set the spinaker to keep ahead of it. Though 1 bad 

 to be watchful in steering before the chasing billows and lighter 

 wind, 1 was often lost in admiration of the island that frowned 

 upon us, yet was miles away. The sun was just sinking behind 

 the mountains, a purple tint lay like a lovely veil over the rude 

 features of the landscape, and the shadows grew deeper and 

 darker down to the white line of surf upon the shore. An hour 

 we crept along and feasted our eyes upon the magnificent picture, 

 wishing for artist brush and talent to transfer it to canvas that 

 we might delight our friends with what will ever be to us a glori- 

 ous memory. 



The wind was drawing more along the shore and increasing; as 

 we advanced the spinaker was taken in and the head sail hoisted, 

 and we were with wind upon the port beam approaching Bar 

 .Harbor. Just off Rodick's Cove we opened a mountain gorg , and 

 the wind swept clown upon us with terrific force. The jib had 

 fouled and been hauled down; the main sheet, was payed out till the 

 sail was nearly parallel with the wind, and I let the staysail s eet 

 fly, as we could not luff or run before it, yet such was the force of 

 the blast that it pressed the lee side down to the cabin windows 

 and drove us forward rapidly. The jib was bellying out, the stay- 

 sail slatting, the mainsail shaking, some of the spinaker gear 

 trailing as ern. and Charlie grabbing at this and that and dodging 

 things forward in his endeavor to put things to rights, when we 

 made our hasty and inglorious advent in the harbour, downed 

 topsail, took in the slack of main sheet, saw a vacant mooring and 

 caught it, swinging head to wind, dropped the mainsail anil sat 

 upon it to keep it aboard, while we watched the bitts to see if thev 

 would hold us iu the howling squall and jumping sea, Thev held, 

 so did the six inch cable, and we rolled in a fisherman's furl' in the 

 sails and took a rest. We had sailed sixty miles in exactly ten 

 hours and towed our 12ft. boat, the best day's work the Pilgrim 

 had ever done. After a while a reporter for- the Bar Harhur 

 Journal came aboard and had me write up my own notice of 

 arrival; an old fellow thumped the side and asked if we wanted 

 wood or water, and the crew of a nearby sloop pulled around us 

 and took a criiical survey of the Boston yacht. 



"Fine craft you have here, Cap'n. Stood up lo it bravely off Cat 

 Island. Tho't you'd lose that long topmast or split somethen. 

 How much ballast you got?" 



"Five thousand pounds.'' 



"Gosh! Tho't somethen was a keepin' you mighty stiff. Awful 

 load for a little craft, but you need all you can get round here. 

 I've seen many a craft capsized and badly broke down there. Cat 

 Island is nasty. None of us (the usual shallow excursion sloops) 

 would venture down there in this breeze 'thout double reefs. Get 

 some of this every day. It'll blow out by sundown. Seen it blow 

 a gale here iu the harbor and be dead calm out in the bay bevond 

 the Porkipines. Know the Vega? Big schooner, hails from Pitts- 

 burgh. She was saihu' along mighty pretty with all kites up and 

 lots of shore folks aboard, and next minute her rail was under and 

 her topmast was a hangin' do wn wrong end up. Good moorin' 

 you've got. Belongs to the R., but she's laid up in winter harbor 

 and her owner is gone home. Jest hang on's long's you want ter. 

 You've got jest, as much right to it 's anybody," 



Saying all this the good-natured Yankee told the boys to pull 

 aboard his own vessel and left us to cook supper. The blow and 

 sea continued all 7iigkt, and we slept with one eye open and occa- 

 sionally went on deck to see if the lantern was burning and the 

 moorings secure. I was very glad we did not have to depend upon 

 anchors, as the fleet was thick arou nd us and the lee shore looked 

 very rough and threatening. 



There was not wind enough to lift the ensign at 8 o'clock next 

 morning, and after breakfast we looked up aud strolled through 

 the city, suburbs, hotels and stores. The place has greatly im- 

 proved during the four years since I visited it. All of the desira- 

 ble sites are built upon and the few lots around are held at 



fabulous prices. A Boston man bought a piece of band about two 

 year ago, made $50,000 by selling off lots, and has one-third of 

 the plot left. The boom is on, the hotels are all full during July 

 and August, and one mtist engage rooms some weeks ahead. 

 There are the usual number of shops selling shells, coral, alligator 

 teeth, feathers, fur, and Indian trinkets, manufactured by pale 

 faces, but one can buy baskets aud gull's breasts from genuine 

 Penobscot, and Passamuquoddy Indians who live in tents and 

 huts along the shore. AH branches of t rade are represented; The 

 stores struck me as being particularly light, bright and cheerful, 

 and the attendants were very polite and agreeable. Canoeing 

 and boating are well represented. Many ladies have their own 

 birches made by the Indians, who teach how to paddle in primi- 

 tive fashion. Everybody knows how to row— or all think they do 

 —and single and double'.scull boats are largely patronized. I saw 

 dozens of canoes aud not less than 100 rowboats at the landing 

 stages, drying out preparatory to winter storage. 



When I was here in 1872, a 6ft. Penobscot Indian taught my wife 

 and myself paddling, and took us one day in a birch some distance 

 out to sea. It was like floating upon feathers, or sailing through 

 the air; so light, easy and pleasant was the motion. In strolling 

 up to the West End Hotel, I met a six-footer and said to him: 



"Are you Big Thunder?" He stopped, scowled and said: "By , 



stranger, that's too bad! I'd like to know what I've done that you 

 should take me for a dirty, lousy red Injun. Me, a man what's 

 born aud bro't up on this site or within twenty miles er this very 

 spot, and has sailed in scow, wood-boat, fisherman and square- 

 riggers out er Maine ports goin' on these forty years. An' now to 

 be taken fur one er them lice-eatin' basket makers' It's too much, 

 Mister, or Cap'n, as I s'pose you are, an' no credit to yer ingi- 

 nooety." 



1 hastened to assure him 1 was getting old, my eyesight was a 

 little bad, and f had judged by his size without having a good look 

 at his features, which appeased his wrath, soothed his wounded 

 feelings, and we parted amicably. 



I noticed that Hie rude backboards of early times, whioh were 

 so rough yet healthy to ride upon going over the mountains, have 

 disappeared, and finely finished, painted, varnished, upholstered 

 things have taken their places, with the usual attachment of uni- 

 formed and degraded footmen and drivers to smirk before cus- 

 tomers and charge fifty cents a grin. A little ride to a lake, a 

 steamboat sail a cross, and a railroad ride up to the new hotel upon 

 the mountain now take the place of the health-giving buckboard 

 ride of old times. The people wiR not use tluugs conducive to 

 their well-being, but must carry style and effeminacy into the by- 

 ways of the world. Oareswell. 



A BRITISH PLEA FOR THE CENTERBOARD. 



OUT of the dense fog of prejudice and ignorance which is ob- 

 scuring one side of the discussion on cehterboards now pend- 

 ing there comes a ray of justice and hard common sense in the 

 shape of the following letter to the Field from Mr. Landseer Mc- 

 Kenzie, an English yachtsman, who has frequently in the past 

 urged the claims Of centerboard boats for certain uses where a 

 keel is impracticable. British yachtsmen may be loath to take 

 the word ot Americans in regard to the uses and advantages of 

 the centerboard, but they cannot ignore the points made hi tins 

 fair and manly letter by one of their own number whose experi- 

 ence with centerboard boats of various kinds qualifies him to 

 speak. The main issue just now is not whether the centerboard 

 is good or bad, but whether the keel boat can beat it, and The 

 friends of the latter abroad cannot afford to indorse the confes- 

 sion of some of their number, that they are. afraid to race the 

 cenierboard boats on perfectly even terms, but must ask a handi- 

 cap. Mr. MacKcnzle says: 



It is rather amusing to notice how apt we are to stigmatize that 

 very class of vessel that we don't quitelike as a "racing machine." 

 I have myself derived great eomrort from applying the term to 

 our own measurement-pinched productions. Perhaps they won't 

 deserve it now as much as they used under the old system. But 

 what constitutes the centerboarder a racing machine? Is it 

 merely that she uses a movable appliance beneath the water 

 which is preeminently suited to its purpose? Then every craft 

 that wags a rudder is in the same unhappy case. She caunot 

 evade the rating; with equal lengths, sailing power is taken as the 

 criterion of speed— not that 1 think it is altogether, hut this by the 

 way; I am justified in arguing on the popular belief. Her center- 

 board does not add to her stability and consequent sail power, but, 

 if anything, the reverse. And it would be both difficult and inex- 

 pedient to make the fact otherwise in a vessel of any size. Large 

 centerboards are weighted at the top, not, at the bottom, and only 

 enough to sink them to the required depth. It is merely used tb 

 aid the vessel in going to windward, an auxiliary, in fact; like the 

 spinaker, which is merely used to aid the vessel in running. Why, 

 then, should it be 'anathema?' It is a satisfactory sign of 

 progress that the R. L. Y. C. have entertained the idea of throw- 

 ing their races open to centerboard boats at all, and the club de- 

 serves all praise for taking the lead of other clubs in ini Mating 

 such spirited action. But their manner of doing this is unfortun- 

 ate. The proviso that the board shall be kept down throughout 

 the. race is prohibitive, and so 1 should think the Americans, if 

 they are weU advised, will regard it. Besides, the R. L. Y. C. lay 

 themselves open to the suspicion that they desire the credit for 

 generosity, but not the cost, a suspicion which 1 am sure would be 

 utterly undeserved. Moreover, the proviso I have referred to 

 makes it abundantly clear that we are afraid to match our yachts 

 against the modern centerboarder of Yankee evolution on even 

 terms. 



"What astonishing inconsistency! We English, who have as- 

 serted with blind dogmatism for years past that depth, even 

 though it doubled the actual in relation to the nominal tonnage 

 of a ooat { must be ignored in measurement, and must on no ac- 

 count be interfered with, suddenly foreswear our traditions when 

 it comes to a question of a few feet, more or less, of movable keel. 



"These attempts in the council chamber to regulate the results 

 of matches are much to be deprecated; better to leave the ques- 

 tion of admitting centerboards alone altogether than to deal 

 with it in a partial and compromising spirit. Such a vessel has 

 no advantage in racing over the keel boat beyond the perfectly 

 legitimate one, that she obtains great power of lateral resistance 

 with a minimum of wetted surface. 



"If the belief exists that a centerboarder would score in work- 

 ing to windward against a foul tide along the edge of a sand, it 

 is scarcely weU founded, I think. It must be borne in mind that, 

 with board down, she draws most water of the two; and with 

 board up she makes most leeway. But she must lift her board to 

 go further in on the sand than the keel boat, and not drop it 

 again till she gets back into deeper water. It is on the cards that 

 the loss from leeway would quite counteract the gain from an 

 easier tide. If the board be sealed half down, the argument still 

 holds good. Besides which, the vessels would have entered the 

 match iu a confessedly crippled condition. Running and reach- 

 ing under the above supposed circumstances, she would certainly 

 have some slight advantage, To insure that she does not cut 

 corners and pass over sandbanks into deep water beyond is 

 entirely within the province of the del imitators of the course. 



"Compare the draft of Mayflower, 9.5, with that of Galatea, 

 13,5, difference, 4ft. Again, assuming that the board is to be kept 

 down as decreed by the R.L.Y.C., then Mayflower's draft be- 

 comes 19 at least, and the difference, now in favor of Galatea, 

 5,. r )ft,; but. If 1ft. in favor of the Yankee is unfair, 8.6ft. in favor of 

 the Englishman must be yet more unfair, because the difference 

 is greater and the weatherliucss of the latter isunilorm, so that 

 the boot is very astutely shifted on to the other leg altogether. 



"Surely we have slightly forgotten our chivalry. It is rather 

 premature for the R.L.Y.C. to admit, even bv inference, that the 

 British type is inferior; yet, even should it be eventually so moved 

 there is not much to be despondent about. 



"The modern Yankee centerboard boat is no longer au unsafe, 

 unsea worthy 'skimming dish,' but a wholesome craft enough; of 

 about the proportions, m fact,- which in years gone by it was 

 fondly hoped and intended the old Thames rule should stereotype, 

 and of which we were erstwhile so proud. The recollections, too, 

 that she is at best a compromise, should serve to take the sting 

 out of defeat, if such be in store. English features and methods 

 enter so largely in her design that it is really difficult to say which 

 country has the greatest claim on her; nor need we forget that 

 deep keels and deep-bodied centerboard boats— cn a small scale at 

 any rate— have been built and raced in the United Kingdom dur- 

 ing the whole of the past decade." 



CRUISING.— Namouna, steam yacht, was last reported at 

 Batavia, Java — Sunbeam was at Colombo from Bombay on 

 March 5 — Brunhilde, schr., Mr. J. J. Phelps, arrived at Rio 

 Janeiro on April 8 — Julia, schr., Mr. Chester W. Chapin, has 

 returned to her builder's yard at Wilmington, where a racing rig 

 will be fitted.... Regina, sloop, Mr. Ralph N.Ellis, arrived at 

 Morehead City, N. 0,, from Charleston an April and sailed on 



April 9 for New York Wanderer, schr,, Mr. G. W.Weld, arrived 



at St, Thomas on March 18 from St, Croix, and sailed on March 30 

 for Havana — Helen, sell., Mr. O. D. Middle ton. left Charleston 

 at 11 A. M, on April 4, and arrived on April at' Morehead City, 



sailing on April 9 for Philadelphia Reva, steam yacht, Mr, 



Pierre Lorillard, was at Norfolk on April G, bound from Florida 

 to New York, Her owner and family returned by rail from 

 Charleston, 



