June 23, 1887.] 



FOREST ANt) STREAM. 



483 



thing of weight on hoard, whereas the first class often carry more 

 weight wlien racing than when cruising. The model of second 

 class canoes is rapidly improving; the body is now getting to he of 

 fair length, and the excessive hollow in how and run is disappear- 

 ing. The most taking model in the second class is the Severn: 

 probably she is also the best of the lot as a cruiser, owing to her 

 stability and stowage capacity; hut her sails are far too small for 

 racing, or even long open water sailing, though possibly enough 

 for a Scotch loch squall. There were several foldings in the 

 second class, Sahrina and Spray eventually coming in close 

 together, and, there heing a question of fouling marks, it was 

 finally agreed to re-sail the second class match on a subsequent 

 dav. 



Monday, May 30, the second match of the season, saw all the 

 above named boats (except the Churn) as starters for a first and 

 second class match over the same course. Pearl '86 took a puff of 

 wind just after the start, and got into first place, from which she 

 was never ousted. She was sailing under her large sails, and 

 traveled very fast at times. Pearl '85 was sailed by Mr. Edwards, 

 of Peterborough, Canada (whose canoe, which is to compete for 

 the challenge cup, had not yet arrived in England). Nautilus's 

 racing sails not being ready, she was sailed at a disadvantage 

 under a small suit, and only managed to play second fiddle; none 

 the less, in such good company as Diamond, Pearl '86, Kitten and 

 Nina, her performance was good. Nearly all the canoes are 

 now sailed with the skipper on deck, instead of below, as of old; 

 but Diamond and Kitten are sailed in the old style, and possibly 

 some day their skippers will wake up to the fact that they lose 

 minutes thereby in each round. The race ended with : 



Pearl '86 1 03 00 Nina 1 IS 00 



Nautilus 1 03 00 Kitten 133 00 



Diamond 1 18 00 Pearl 'So 1 30 00 



The second < lass had good sport. Sabrina, fouled the buoy in 

 the second round, and rotired. Spray was well sailed, and made 

 very good time while the breeze lasted ; but it fell off rapidly, and 

 the times in last round consequently became very long, though 

 only a short distance separated the boats. 



The interest of the race had been heightened before the start by 

 the expectation that two new (the latest) canoes— one for Major 

 Roberts and the other for Mr, Ingram— might arrive in time to 

 hike pari, in (He match. However, they remained at the builders. 

 Spray eventually took first prize, and Atalanta dribbled in with a 

 light air of .wind and took second prize. 



A second class race was held at Hendon on Wednesday, June 1. 

 Start at 4 V. M. The wind was just a good sailing breeze from 

 northeast. The starters were: Spray, C. F. Dickinson; Sabrina., 

 Rede Turner; Severn, T. H. Holding; Vanessa, B. de Quiucey. 

 Vanessa, made the best start, but was passed by Sahrina before 

 rounding the first buoy. In the run down Sabrina seized the op- 

 portunity of setting spinaker, and held a good lead round the 

 buoy. In the heat hack there were several changes of place, and 

 it looked like anybody's race, Severn, who had made a very bad 

 start, having pulled up into second place at the end of the first 

 rpimo, and, trying to cut out Sabrina at the buoy, a foul unfortun- 

 ately occurred, and Severn retired as did also Spray. The second 

 round was barren of interest, except when Sabrina's spinaker 

 gave trouble at the end of the run, and sent her a long way off her 

 course. The finish was timed: Sahrina, 5.46.35; Vanessa, 5.50.35. 

 The. match was officered by Mr. Tredwen. —Field, June U. 



On Saturday, June 4, the sailing members of this club again 

 met at Hendon. The events were a sailing race of two rounds 

 for each class of canoe, and a maneuvering race in which both 

 classes competed. 



The entries for the first class were : 



Nautilus . . Mr. W. Bad en Powell. Charm Mr. W. Stewart. 



Pearl (1886). . .Mr. E. B. Tredwen. Canadian. . .Mr. E. B. Edwards. 



The wind was light from the W. at the start, giving a turn to 

 windward down to the lower buoy. Nautilus was first away, with 

 Pea rl next, slightly to windward. Nautilus kept ahead all through 

 the first round, and was about a minute ahead at the conclusion 

 of it, Pearl being second, and Charm some distance astern. Mr. 

 Edwards, in a new Canadian canoe, was unfortunate in breaking 

 his tiller soon after the start, and bad to retire. In the second 

 round Pearl, standing close, to the shore, after rounding the buoy 

 in the bight, got a slant of wind and weathered Nautilus|half-way 

 down the lake. Nautilus, however, came up again, and was the 

 first round the lower buoy. In the run up Pearl again challenged 

 for first place, and, after a splendid race, won by about two 

 lengths. 



1st Round. 



Nautilus (second prize) 3 45 80 



Pearl (first prize) 3 46 30 



Charm 3 49 45 



The second class entries comprised: 



Atalanta. . Mr. R. de Q. Quincey. Sabrina Mr. Rede Turner. 



Vanessa. . .Mr. P.. de Q. Quincey. Severn Mr. J. H. Holding. 



Sabrina soon took the lead in the race, and near the conclusion 

 of the first round was 5s. only ahead of Severn. Just before round- 

 ing the buoy, however, a strong puff caught her and she capsized. 

 This left Severn with a good lead, which she maintained to the 

 finish. The times were: 



First Round. 



Severn (first prize) 3 56 05 



Atalanta (second prize) 4 02 00 



Vanessa 4 00 00 



Sabrina 3 56 00 



The maneuvering race brought out Pearl, Nautilus, Severn, 

 Sabrina, Charm, and Atalanta. The competitors had, at a given 

 signal, to throw overboard their paddle, recover it under sail, and 

 then complete the course. At gun-fire the two old hands. Pearl 

 and Nautilus, slipped over the line ahead of the rest, and were 

 both smart in picking up their paddles. Nautilus led round the 

 buoy in the bight, but in the run back Pearl closed up consider- 

 ably. Nautilus, however, kept the lead, and a most exciting finish 

 was witnessed. Nautilus securing the verdict by about 3ft. only. 



The challenge, cup race, for which there are 13 entries, wild take 

 place at Hendon this afternoon (June 11), at 3 P. M.— Field, June 11. 



3d Round. 

 4 20 00 

 4 19 47 

 4 44 00 



Second Round. 

 4 42 00 

 4 46 00 

 4 49 00 

 Capsized, 



THE ASSABET CANOE. 



THE Forest and Stream has published instructions for build- 

 ing the ordinary canvas canoe, but there is another variety 

 of this cheap and useful craft that has never been described in 

 print. The canoe was first made in Hudson, about three years 

 ago, and has proved itself to possess many good qualities, among 

 which arc. strength, lightness, and above all, cheapness, which is 

 a very essential point to most amateur canoeists. 



The plan of the one I have used during the past two seasons is as 

 follows: Length, 14ft.; width, 30in., and depth ISin. The well is 

 equally distant from each end, and is 6ft. long and 18in. wide. 

 Braces should run from the well to each cutwater, and also froin 

 each end of the well to keel. For the frame procure three strips of 

 clear pine Iff t.xl>»in.xlin., and about 20ft. of the same size to make 

 frame of well and braces. The cutwaters are made of ash boards 

 lV£in. thick, 12in. long and Oin. wide. The leading feature of these 

 canoes, and one which renders them a favorite with amateur 

 builders, is the ribs, which are made of clear, straight-grained 

 cheese boxes. About a dozen of these are required, and can be 

 obtained at any grocery store at from five to ten cents each. Full 

 width boxes are used under the well and should be placed %in. 

 apart. From well to the ends narrower ribs must be used, and it 

 will he found necessary to steam the last two or three on each end. 

 Care must be taken in putting on the ribs not to bend in the keel. 

 For covering, 12yds. of drilling, costing about 12 cents a yard, is 

 required. Before putting on the cloth it is a good plan to cover 

 with thick brown paper which will make the cloth fit much better 

 than it otherwise would. A coat of oil should he first applied and 

 at least two coats of paint. Painting is one of the most important 

 points in these canoes, and each coat must be thoroughly dry 

 before applying the next, otherwise the cloth will soak water or 

 the paint peel off. 



A light moulding round the sides and well is necessary to pro- 

 tect the cloth from wear. The bottom is protected by a strip of 

 ash IJ^iu.xlin., and running the whole, length. This is beveled off 

 at the stein and fastened by bolts to the keel. Thick varnish ap- 

 plied on each side where it touches the cloth is the surest way to 

 prevent a leak. 



During the high water in February, 1886, 1 took a trip to Rock- 

 bottom, about three miles down the Assabet, and the strength of 

 my canoe was well tested, as it was caught in a jam and thrown 

 up on a cake of ice without any serious injury. The first of last 

 season I fitted my canoe for sailing, and during the summer had 

 many pleasant and exciting runs, including a half mile sail in a 

 thunder storm. 



There are over fifty of these canoes in Hudson, and many differ- 

 ent styles and sizes can be seen. In weight, they run from forty to 

 fifty pounds, but could be made much lighter if wanted. Last 

 August I had the pleasure of camping two weeks at Lake Waucha- 

 cura, whore four Assabet canoes were in daily use, and for all 

 practical purposes I think they are as good as a much higher 

 priced one. A. N. Stowb. 



Amherst, Mass. 



A. C. A. REGATTA.— The races of the A. C. A. meet will begin 

 on Aug. 22, and not on Aug. 15, as announced in the published pro- 

 gramme. 



TORONTO C. C. NOTES.— A couple of weeks ago I gave you a 

 few notes about two of our new canoes, and just now a favorable 

 time has struck me to continue them. Ten of us are out at Han- 

 Inn's Island spending Saturday afternoon and Sunday, camping 

 and enjoying the rest find pleasure that means so much to every 

 cruising canoeist. As I said before, a favorable time has just 

 struck me, I ha ve just been engaged in a collar and elbow with 

 our secretary, who grabbed the seat of my ancient trousers, and 

 as we wrestled and squirmed I could hear several rips and tears 

 mid much laughter from the crowd. At present I am occupying 

 a seat in the sand waiting for one of the boys to hunt up another 

 pair of pants, so I will improve the shinini* hour by continuing 

 my last. Mr. D. B. Jacques now has the old Evora that figured in 

 the A. O. A. novice race of 1884. Her centerboard, mast tubes, 

 etc., have been replaced by new ones, placed where they will have 

 more effect, and with new and well-made sails she will prove a 

 fast craft. A. Anderson has the '86 Mac, now called the Vic and 

 is doing some fast sailing with her. Our secretary, Mr. Geo. Soar- 

 row, lias Jacques's last season craft, which is now called the 

 Petrel; with a heavy board, 501bs. ballast and a 105ft. mainsail, he 

 is of the. opinion that the fellow who gets away with him has to do 

 some pretty fast sailing, anyway. A. H. Mason, Tyson, Neilson 

 and all the old members retain their last season's craft. Our first 

 race of the season took place yesterday, a combined V\ mile a side, 

 twice around. The starters were: Com. Kerr, Ada K.; H. Neil- 

 son, Boreas; 1). B. Jacques, Dottrel; A. H. Anderson, Vic; A. H. 

 Mason, Evora; W. G. MeKendriek, Mac; Colin Fraser, Una. The 

 wind was a strong steady caster With considerable sea rolling- 

 The Mac and Una were a tie in the paddle to the first buoy. The 

 Mac hoisted a 75ft. balance lug mainsail and 37ft. mizen and 

 went staggering along like a reeling man that a 12ft. sidewalk 

 would not hold; however, he managed to hold first place till the 

 last paddling stretch, when the Evora came sneaking along and 

 with considerable more power in his elbow took first piace. Mao 

 spurted, but the Evora responded by increasing her lead until the 

 buoy was reached, when he hoisted sail, and with a clear run 

 before the wind, finished a good first, Mac 30yds. behind, with 

 Una third. The Dottrel had her rudder unshipped by another 

 canoe and the Vic's mizen halliard parted, so (hat their perform- 

 ance cannot be judged by the place they took. The general opin- 

 ion before the race was that either one of them had the best 

 chance for first place.— Mac (Toronto, June 13). 



THE CALLA SHASTA MEET, ,1 ULY 3-4.-To the visitors who 

 have once visited Oalla Shasta, a recital of its advantages for a 

 meet is unnecessary. We have here a beautiful stretch of water 

 nearly half a mile wide and a perfect paradise for river sailing. 

 Percbed on a bluff between 20 and 30ft. high is Calla Shasta with 

 its settlement of canoeists and their "shanties." A better place 

 from which to watch the races, or a prettier view than can be had 

 from the veranda of the cottage would be hard to find. For all 

 canoeists who cannot bring their tents there are accommodations 

 just across the road, at the Lester farmhouse, where good, nice, 

 plai n country fare will be served. The following is the programme 

 as now perfected: Saturday, July 2, formation of camp. In the 

 evening a camp-fire. Sunday service will be held in the Pavilion. 

 Monday the following races will be sailed and paddled. 1. Single 

 paddling, one-half mile and turn, deck canoes. 2. Tandem pad- 

 dling, one-half mile and turn, open or deck canoes. 3. Hand pad- 

 dling, 300yds. 4. Standing paddling, 300yds. 5. Capsize paddling, 

 300yds. 6. Gymnastic exhibition in canoes. 7. Open sailing, 3 

 miles. 8. Limited sailing, 3 miles. 9. Combined sailing and pad- 

 dling, 3 miles. The order will be announced on the bulletin board 

 in the morning. I extend in behalf of the club an invitation to 

 all canoeists to be present at the Calla Shasta meet July 2-4, and 

 to those who come wo promise a jolly good time. Space to pitch 

 tents, straw and other accommodations may be had by addressing 

 either of the Officers undersigned not later than the 30th of Juno. 

 — Chas. M. Shkdd, Captain (H. D. Marsh, Secretary). 



PASSAIC RIVER MEET.— In addition to the races announced 

 last week, a pair of paddles is offered for the best flapjack cooked 

 in a competition to bo held at the camp, and four or five other 

 prizes have already come to the notice of the committee. Class A, 

 sailing, is limited to 80sq. ft. of sail, and Class B to lOOsq. ft. The 

 races will all take place on Monday, July 4; entries may be made 

 at the meet. Chinese lanterns will be in demand for a torchlight 

 procession and musical instruments will of course be brought 

 along. Every one should be provided with some kind of tent and 

 cooking utensils. Wagons from Paterson will caU with provis- 

 ions, but every one would do well to bring enough for a couple of 

 meals with him. An attendance of more than a hundred is already 

 assured. The distance is about ten miles from the Greenwood 

 Lake Bridge at Newark, and two short carries will have to be 

 made. Come with the tide and run up the creek at the Passaic 

 Mills at high tide and make the short carry into the feeder. At 

 half tide this creek is too shallow, and the river must be kept as 

 far as the railroad bridge above Dundee Island; here there is a 

 very steep carry into the same feeder.— J. V. L. Pikrson, J. M. 

 Cmjse, Committee. 



NEW YORK C. C. REGATTA. -Programme of annual regatta 

 of New York Canoe Club, Saturday, June 25, off club house, Tomp- 

 kinsville, Staten Island, at 2 o'clock: Sailing Race— First, Class, 

 seniors, two prizes; Second Class, novices, twojprizes; Third Class, 

 unclassified small boats, two prizes. Paddling Races— First, single, 

 one prize; second, Tandem, one prize; third, race of local clubs in 

 character; fourth, standing, one prize; fifth, upset, one prize. 

 First and Second classes, sailing, will sail three times around a 

 triangular course of a mile in length, in easy view of club house. 

 Third Class, such as sneak boxes. Rush ton cruisers, St. Lawrence 

 skiffs, etc., will be started ten minutes before the canoes over a 

 special course. All the events are open to amateurs. C. K. Mun- 

 roe, C. L. Norton, B. H. Nadal, Regatta Committe. 



RICHARDS.— The many friends of Com. Richards, (Mona) will 

 be glad to hear that he is still canoeing, having sailed lately in a 

 race of the Oakland C. C. Com. Richards was obliged to leave 

 Canada on account of ill health last fall and went to California, 

 where his health has improved. He is trying to induce some of 

 the O. C. C. to visit Bow- Arrow Point. 



RED JACKET AHOY!— Now is your chance to do something 

 besides talking. The Dundee meet will give a race for large 

 canoes (and there are some on the river) if there are any entries. 

 The one short carry is nothing for a canoe though it might be for 

 a yacht, so come on and show what you can do, or forever after 

 hold your peace.— D. 



A. C. A.— Trenton, N. J., June 20.— The following named gentle- 

 men have applied for membership in the A. C. A.: Walter W. 

 Lawson, Joseph P. Battles, David S. Goddard, Lowell, Mass.; W. 

 H. King, R. Elmer Townsend, Boston Mass.— Wm. M. Carter, 

 Secretary. 



THE SHATTEMUC C. C. will hold their annual regatta on Satur- 

 day, July 2. The races will include sailing, single and double pad- 

 dling races. Prizes will be given to the winners of each start at 4 

 P. M. at Sing Sing, N. Y. 



lachting. 



FIXTURES. 



June. 



23. Columbia, Annual, N. Y. 25. Hull Club, Marblehead. 



24. New Haven, Annual. 25. Oswego, Ladies' Day. 



25. N. J„ Annual, New York. 26. Quaker City, Review, Phila. 

 25. Boston Globe Open, Boston. 2S. Great Head, Pennant. 



Jtmy. 



1. Miramichi, Annual Cruise, 9. Greenwich, An'l, Greenwich. 

 Bay du Vin. 10. Atlantic, Cruise. 



2-4. Knickerbocker, Cruise. 11. Empire, Annual, New York. 



2-4. Quaker City, Cruise, Del. 12. Monatiquot.Club.WoymouUi 



River. 13. Great Head. 



4. Cor. San Francisco Cruise. hi. Beverly, Sweep-, Mon. Beach. 



3. Beverly, Open, Mon. Beach. 16. Hull. Cham., Hull, 



2. Hull, Penn., Hull. 16. Cor. Chain. Marblehead. 



4. Beverly. Cham., Mon. Beach. 18-31. IntorJake, Put-in-Bay 

 4. Buffalo, Annual, Open. 20. Hull, Ladies' Day. 



4. Boston, City. 23. Beverly, Cham., Nahant. 



4. Cape Cod Y. C, Club. 23. Monatiquot,Open,Weymouth 



4. Larchmunt An'l, Larchmont. 24. Quaker City, Cruise, Del. 



5. Great Head, Mooulight Sail. River. 



7. Shamrock-TitaniaMatch,NY 26. Quincy, 2d Championship. 



6. Monatiquot.Club, Weymouth 26-28. L. Y. R. A., Cruise and 

 9. Hull, Club Cruise. Races, Toronto. 



9. Beverly, Cham., Marblehead. 27. Great Head, 2d Cham. 



9. Great Head, 1st Cham. 30, Beverly, Cham., Mon. Beaeh 



9, Quincy, 1st Championship. 30. Hull, Cham., Hull. 



9. Sandy Bay, Harwood Cup, 30. Cor. Open, Marblehead. 



ftockport. 30. South Boston Club. 



SMALL YACHTS AT TORONTO. — The protested race between 

 the yachts Mischief. Iris and Caprice and the skiff Uneasy, was 

 resailed on June 11, at Toronto, the skiff winning by 5m. allow- 

 ance, receiving 12m. 30s. from Mischief, the second boat. 



FACTS ABOUT THISTLE. 



WE are able to give the following facts concerning the Thistle, 

 and trust that the critics of contemporaries will govern 

 their pens accordingly; 



1. Thistle, was designed before Mr. G. L.Watson visited America. 



2. The comparatively large beam of Thistle was selected for 

 reasons of economy, for her designer is convinced that a six-beam 

 cutter, such as an enlarged Doris (30x5.5), would answer equally as 

 well in point of speed, but would entail greater cost owing to 

 greater displacement than a wider boat. 



3. The current yarn that Mr. Watson spent "months studying 

 American models" and copied or appropriated "American ideas" 

 in the Thistle, is devoid of truth. Mr. Watson was in America 

 only a fortnight, collected no data, and spent but two hoursin the 

 club room of the New York Y. C, most of the time in general con- 

 versation. The Thistle is built, after ideas incorporated for many 

 yoara past in Mr. Watson's "length boats," and as the rule of the 

 N. Y. Y. 0. is practically a length rule, the proportions of the 

 Thistle were adapted to suit the rule. 



We may add that in view of the performance of the narrow 

 cutters Madge, (.Mara, Ulidia and others, the possibility of attain- 

 ing the highest rate of speed from that type cannot be logically 

 questioned, whether such boats are desirable or not on other 

 counts. 



It may be taken as pretty well settled that there is a fixed rela- 

 tion between resistance and sail carrying power in well-designed 

 vessels, regardless of their chief proportions. Extra sail carrying 

 is derived from addition to beam or to displacement in depth with 

 the low weights accompanying it. In cither case the addition 

 means additional resistance, and competitive sailing between the 

 various types shows this resistance to grow very nearly or quite 

 in the same proportion as the increased stability or sail carrying 

 power. On a large scale this is proven by the Galatea and Prise ilia . 

 These two yachts are practically alike in speed, and it is a very 

 conservative statement to say that Galatea would be as fast as 

 Priseilla did she carry sail area in the same proportion to her 

 ability as the Priseilla. Yet Priseilla has great beam and small 

 depth, and Galatea is exactly opposite in type. It may bo said 

 that Priseilla is not the fastest vessel which can be. produced upon 

 her dimensions. But the same is also true of the Galatea. Though 

 over 85ft. waterline she is hardly a match for the Ircx of 8244ft 

 and no one can assert that Irex is the best that can be expected 

 on her length. 



But since the old Y. R. A. rule has been abolished there is no 

 necessity for adopting the extreme proportions of some, of the 

 latest English racing cutters, for it will be conceded by all that 

 reasonable increase in beam does not interfere with attaining the 

 highest rate of speed, while adding to accommodations, especially 

 in small craft. Hence we may look for a moderate increase 

 in the beam of English cutters in the future! but not to such 

 an extent as to effect a change in type. The future cutter 

 will simply be of normal instead of abnormal proportions It is 

 even likely that cutters built to sail under the English rules of 

 "Length multiplied by sail area" will be designed as wide as the 

 Thistle. For a narrow boat, say of five beams, would require less 

 sail area, to drive her, owing to diminished "wave-making," and 

 could be lengthened without measuring more than Thistle Such 

 a craft would in all probability beat the Thistle. This will, how- 

 ever, be for the future to settle more definitely. What can be 

 expected from "normal" or nearly normal cutters has received a 

 striking illustration in the new Burgess boat Pappoose. It is not 

 at all proven that Thistle beats Irex on account uf ner greater 

 beam, because the two are designed by different men, and it can 

 be rightly advanced that Thistle owes her success to superior 

 grace of fashioning without reference to difference in proportions 

 That there is a possibility of equalling her with a narrow boat 

 were it desirable to do so, we know to be the fixed opinion of Mr.' 

 Watson himself. 



THE FORM AND SPEED OF YACHTS. 



UNDER the above title Prof. R. H. Thurston contributes to the 

 June number of the Forum a very timely and interesting dis- 

 cussion of a subject that has of late obtained great prominence 

 not only with those specially interested, but among scientists and 

 with the general public. Speaking of the late in tcfnalional races 

 the author says: "In reality the contest for the America's Cup did 

 not yield any such decisive determination of the relative merits of 

 thoso widely different forms of yachts as was confidently expected 

 on both sides of the Atlantic, in fact, it simply resulted in prov- 

 ing that the two constructions are substantially of equal merit- 

 for although the Puritan and Mayflower gained 'their vic tories and 

 preserved for us the prize, the Genesta and Galatea showed them- 

 selves so nearly equal in speed, under such conditions as arose 

 during the races, that it was evident, that the advantage gained 

 was too slight to settle the great question decisively, and that an v 

 small improvement in construction, in handling^ or even in the 

 streak of wind struck on the course, might reverse the result 

 The impression left on the minds of such disinterested spectators 

 as were familiar with yachting matters was probably that the 

 British yacht might possibly do the best work in heavv weather 

 while the American type should be expected to excel always in 

 light winds. It became evident that a vessel may be built broad 

 and shallow or deep and narrow, and yet give substantially equal 

 speed When pressed to its most favorable performance under most 

 favorable conditions of wand and sea. The form of the cross sec- 

 tion is thus, apparently, not of serious importance where speed is 

 the principal object." 



After considering the conditions of maximum speed the author 

 touches on a very important subject, as follows: ^'One of the im- 

 portant unsettled problems of yacht construction is that relating 

 to proportion of length to midship dimensions. Taking the pro- 

 duct of the breadth by the depth, and extracting the square root 

 we have a measure of the midship section which can be applied to 

 either of the two extreme types. The usual method of taking the 

 length as so many times the beam is evidently not capable of afford- 

 ing a comparison of the wide with the narrow's tup. An investigation 

 made recently at the request of the writer by Mr. BE. DeB. Pal-sons 

 and reported by the writer to the British Association of Naval 

 Architects at the recent meeting, has shown that the fast-swim- 

 ming fishes have all about, the same proportions, thus measured as 

 the best modern steamships, and about the same as the fastest of 

 the sailing yachts, i. e., a proportion of eight to one nearly 

 Another problem seems to have received at least an approxi- 

 mate solution in the investigation just referred to: the question 

 where, should the greatest transverse section be located in the 

 length of the vessel? It was found that in all the fishes studied' 

 whether fast or slow swimming, the trout and the mackerel the 

 bluetlsh and the shark, as well as In the haddock and the slower 

 fishes, the "midship section," as this maximum section is techni- 

 cally called, is placed at the distance of 40 per cent, of the length 

 of the fish from one end, and 60 per cent, from the other, the length 

 being taken as measured from the tip of the nose to the root, of the 

 tail, the length of the body of the fish." The paper goes on to 

 show that these same proportions are found in manv of (lie fastest 

 vachts, both sailing and steam, but that in some cases the bow is 

 the longer and in others the run. The general conclusions reached 

 by the author are that as far as the principles of design are con- 

 cerned, the proportions and forms, the best results" have been 

 practically reached, and that no radical improvement is probable 

 hut that any further gain in speed or other desirable qualities 

 must be looked for in the directions of lighter construction and 

 improvements in details of build and fitting and in increased per- 

 fection in handling. 



PAPPOOSE AS A CHILD OF REFORM. 



Editor Forest, and Stream: 



The victory of the cutter Pappoose over the Shadow in the Dor- 

 chester match last Friday was a genuine triumph all around the 

 course. It will bo hailed with pleasure by all true salts, for it 

 will do much to remove the ludicrous hallucination, that the 

 centerboard "creates" speed and that a centerboard yacht lias 

 fundamentally superior possibilities for speed by virtue of her 

 board. 



It is easily understood that the majority of yachtsmen should 

 object to extremely narrow small cutters like Shona for cruising 

 purposes and that regardless of their claims to speed. But it is 

 also certain that if the "moderate cutter," exemplified in the new 

 Pappoose and the whole of her kind, can be shown to equal or sur- 

 pass the best centerboard ever built, the great majority will not 

 hesitate any longer between an unrepairable, able, roomy, smart- 

 looking keel ship and a shoal, centerboard makeshift without 

 headroom, unreliable, unsightly and not ship -shape in hull or rig. 



The Pappoose is only one more step in the inevitable evolution of 

 the old-time American trap into the hona fide cutter of good all- 

 round proportions and characteristics. Her splendid sailing will 

 have an immediate and tangible influence in leading up to the 

 general adoption of the English cutter of "cruising" dimensions, 

 of which type thousands now exist in British waters with the 

 new Scotch Thistle at the head of the list. To this end the "cut- 

 ter men" have been striving, and Pappoose proves their reasoning 

 and foresight well founded. Honest Boat. 



VOLUNTEER.— This will be the name of Gen. Paine's new steel 

 sloop now nearly ready for launching at Wilmington, Del, 



