Aug. 22, 1889.] 



FOREST AND STREAM, 



97 



steam yacht. John Martin, of Noma, achr., entered to make a. 

 race, out was beaten by Shniubo, the prize being $11) and $5 

 Riven by Com. Gerry, in addition to the flag. 



The launch race was quite exciting, the course being 3 miles 

 and each boat being handicapped at the start according to its 

 power. There were nine starters, two from Electra and oue each 

 frrm Oneida, Videttc, Unquowa, Noma, Daunthss and Intrepid. 

 The. little fellows were well over the first half of t he course before 

 the big ones were staried, the three 5 h. p., Electra, Oneida and 

 Palmer going off before Electra'? large launch, an 8 h. p. Ofeldt 

 boat. Oneida's launch won, with Electra's larger launch second. 

 The prize was $25, given hy the commodore. 



After the race a met ting of captains was held on the flagship, 

 and the fleet was formally dishanded. Com. Gerry leaving in the 

 Electra tor Sag Harbor, returning to New York by Monday morn- 

 ing. Many of the yachts left, a few remaining over to seethe 

 Corinthian sweepstakes sailed tor on Monday. 



The winners of the squadron cruise cups are Constellation, For- 

 tuna. Grayling, Iroquois, Quickstep, Titania, Hildegarde, Bertie 

 andGorilli. In the fourth schooner class a remeasurcm.cn t of 

 Marguerite and CEnoneis necessary before it is certain whether 

 er no Iroquois wins. A summary of the cruise show that it 

 lasted 10 days, in which time four runs, each a race of about SO 

 miles, were made, and three special races were sailed, with three 

 days spent at anchor. Whde this has made the cruise interesting 

 and exciting it has made a great, deal of hard work, especially for 

 the crews, and in the smaller classes. The influence of this com- 

 petition has been beneficial, and it is in the right direction theo- 

 retically, as the races are of necessity sailed in cruising trim. 



The regatta committee have worked hard, and the result has 

 been a success, as all of the races have been sailed without any 

 hitches or mishaps. They have been greatly aided in the work 

 by the perfect appointments of the flagship, in the way of fast 

 launches and every convenience for work, and the club owes a 

 great deal to Com. Gerry for the generous way in which he turns 

 the flagship into a committee boat for all races. The work is 

 done as it never could he from a tugboat; iu fact without such a 

 yacht as the Electra a racing cruise like the present one would 

 not be possible. There is ouo point in which the present squad- 

 ron cruises are weak, the absence of visiting and social inter- 

 course between the yachtsmen. At New London, Newport 

 and Cottage City, as soon as the anchor is down the gig is at the 

 gangway and all hands are ashore. Of course there is a good 

 deal of gaiety and life about the hotels, and all meet in the even • 

 ing, but there is not the close intimacy among the yachtsmen as 

 would result from one or two stops at out of the way harbors, 

 where there are no outside attractions, and where the evenings 

 are spent on board of one yacht or another. In spite of the dis- 

 appointment due to some bad weather, the cruise of 1889 must be 

 set down as a very successful one, to be looked hack on with 

 pleasant memories in the future. 



THE CORINTHIAN SWEEPSTAKES, NEWPORT, 

 AUG. 19. 



THE few yachtsmen who waited in Newport until Monday were 

 treated to a race such as is very seldom seen, a. contest only 

 equalled in quality by those of the great sloops in the trial races 

 of 1885 and '6. The number and excellence of the entries, the 

 size of the stakes, and the number of designers interested were 

 enough to make the race of special importance, and in addition 

 the course and weather was such as to make a most exciting race, 

 and a far fairer test ihan has yet been made of the merits of the 

 new forties. Unfortuuately the centerboard side of the. question 

 was allowed to go almost entirely by default, all but one of the 

 eight boats starting being keels, and so no fair chance for co i - 

 parison was afforded, but this is of little importance when it is 

 considered that the winner has beaten the best of the center- 

 board boats, Chiquita, Verena and Nymph, as badly as she has 

 the other keels. The race was arranged last. June by the Corin- 

 thian Y. C. of New York, at the suggestion of Mr. August Bel- 

 mont, Jr.. the entrance being $100 per boat, 60 per cent, to go to 

 the first boat, 18 per ceut, to the second. 12 per cent, to the third, 

 and 10 on- cent, to the club. The date was set to follow the New 

 York Y. C. cruise, the course to be 25 knots triangular, startiug 

 from Brenton's Reef Light ship. Nine entries were received, all 

 but Chiquita starting: 



Corrected Allow- 

 L.W.L. Sail Area. Length, ance. 

 Liris, C. W. Wetmore, et ah. ..39.70 3,603 49.80 Allows. 



Tomahawk. E. D. Morgan 39.65 3,832 48. 68 118 



Gorilla. R. P. Cr.rroll 39.92 3,257 48.50 1 32 



Maraquita, A. Belmoot, Jr — 39.92 3,173 48.12 1 58 



Alice, P. D. Wheatland 39.90 .... H3.35 3 56 



Helen, C. D. Prince 39.90 .... J6.35 3<SB 



Minerva, C. H. Tweed 39.96 2,754 46.07 4 17 



Pappoose. Bavatd Thayer 39.90 2,332 42.60 8 45 



Of the above boats Lir s was nesigned by Mr. William Gardner, 

 Tomahawk, Maraquita and Pappoose by Mr. Burgess, Gorilla by 

 Mr. A. Cary Smith, Abce and Helen hy Mr. A. G. McYev, of the 

 Boston Herald, and Minerva by Will Fife. Jr. The ra< e has nat- 

 urally been looked to as the most important of the year, and 

 everything was done to put the yachts in the best possible form. 

 Alice, and Helen wtre do ked at New Bedford, Liris hauled out at 

 Pall River, Tomahawk had hauled out at Newport just as the 

 cru'se tiegan, not being nsed since, and Gorilla and Pappoose also 

 hauled out at Newport at the last moment, only Maraquita being 

 unfortunate enough not to be able to haul out at all. The great 

 draft of some of these boats, upward of lift., has made it a matter 

 of difficulty to find dockm< facilities in a hurry, only the lareer 

 railways being capable of hauling them. Tomahawk was hauled 

 at Newport, with great difficulty, the same ways refusing to at- 

 tempt to haul Liris, while Maraquita was unable to get out on 

 account of a moderate tide only. 



All were stripped for the race, every spare bit. of wood and fur- 

 niture being taken ashore, while the best skippers and crew were 

 picked for them. Liris had Capt. George Pit tuck, of Bedouin, at 

 the stick, with nr. Gardner and a p oked crew of Corinthians and 

 prof ssio-als; Tomahawk had Mr. .VI organ at the stick, with Mr. 

 Burgess beside htm and a picked crew: Maraquita had Capt. Ila.tr 

 of Titania at the wheel, with young Capt. H»ff as mate and part 

 of Titauia's crew, Mr. Belmont >->eing on board; Gorilla was sailed 

 hy her skipper, Capt Smith: Pappoose was sailed bv Capt. Nat 

 Watson; Helen had Capt. Crocker, of Puritan and Shadow fame 

 at the wheel, with Mr. J< hn Bryant, owner of Shadow; Alice was 

 sailed by Capt. James T. Smith, the talented desiguer being on 

 board, while Minerva was steered hy young Capt. Charles Ban- 

 ner skipper, Capt. John Barr wit h some, of Clara's crew being en 

 hoard- 



The tug Assistance, with the regatta committee, Messrs Ehen 

 B. Clark and W. H. Plummy, and Mr. W. Lloya Jeffries, of the 

 Beverly Y. C, as.iudge, ran out of the bailor about 9:30, ther e be- 

 ing then a. nice. S.W. air stirring. The. start was not hurried, as 

 mcire wind was needed and the breeze was freshening, hut when 

 Brentou's Reef Lightship was reached there was quite a breeze* 

 The eight boats bad worked out with cluhtopsails set, and carrii d 

 them for i time, but about 10-30 Pappo ■se started to douse hers 

 showing only a jibheader. One by one the others followed, Min- 

 erva setting a small clubtopsail, nntil only Liris was swinging a 

 elub. 



The. course for the first leg was laid out S. W., s>f, knots, being 

 nearly parallel with i lie trend of the shore from Narraganseft 

 Pier to Point Judith. The preparatory whistP whs blown at 10:18 

 but owing to the wording ot the sailing directions there was some 

 doubt as to whether the interval was 10 or 15 minutes. Toma- 

 hawk, closely followed by Minerva, came for the line at lOmin- 

 utes, beautifully timed for the start, but both were obliged to 

 return. Gorilla, crossing the other way, was also sent back. When 

 the start was finally given, at 11:03, the fleet, was to the west, of 

 the Lightship, the line being on the east side. Tomahawk again 

 came first for Uie line, but Liris was lapping her, though unable 

 to force her way between Tomahaw k and the ship. Minerva was 

 cl ^se after tnem and stuck her nosepole in bet ween Liris and the 

 ship, coming on the weather of Tomahawk as the three cleared 

 the line. Gorilla was next, the first, four crossing within a min- 

 ute, hut the rest were a little later, crossing in processson, with 

 Helen last. Strange to say none were handicapped, something 

 seldom seen. The times were: 



Tomahawk 11 03 59 Alice 11 fffi 28 



Liris 11 04 04 Maraquita ; 11 05 39 



Minerva 11 04 11 Pappoose. -. . .11 05 4f> 



Gorilla 11 04 52 Helen 11 na is 



All crossed on starboard tack, but Pappoose was hardly clear of 

 the Hue before she wont on poi t tack, beading in for Narrngan- 

 sett Pier. As there was every chance for more wind inshore,' the 

 move seemed a good one, and later events proved it so. Toma- 

 hawk was now a little ahead of Minerva, but the latter was 

 climbing out to windward at a great pace. Liris was not holding 

 either, being the leeward boat. Gorilla, Helen and Alice fol- 

 lowed Pappoose at once, but the leaders held their first tack, fol- 

 lowed by Maraquita. At 11:19 Minerva went on port tack in- 

 shore, the others following. She had now a decided lead, wit h 

 Tomahawk second, and Liris and Maraquita dropping astern. 

 Gorilla was leading the inshore division, with Helen next. Min- 

 erva was holding the best wind, outpointing and footing Toma- 



hawk. Liris was well out to windward, hut astern, while Mara- 

 quita. to leeward of Tomahawk, was abeam of her but not holding 

 to windward. At 11:27 Liris lowered her clubtopsail, geTt ing it 

 on deck before setting her jibhendcr. The second division 



jibtopsails. 



The two divisions were approaching rapidly, Minerva, on port 

 tack leading one, and Gorilla on starboard the other. They met 

 at llSoO, Gorilla being close enough to cause Minerva to tack It 

 was a curious Bight as the two fleets, separated tor three-quarters 

 of an hour, came together again. Minerva, leading the first 

 division, -was ahead of Gorilla, leading the second, while Alice 

 Pappoose and Helen, of the second division, dropped into line re- 

 spectively ahead of Tomahawk, Liris and Maraquita, of the first 

 division. Evidently the inshore work of the smaller and pre- 

 sumably slower boats had been better than the offshore tacks of 

 Minerva, Liris aud Tomahawk. That this was the case is proved 

 by the work of the next hour, with the fleet now in the same wind 

 and water and sailing on even terms, as Tomahawk and Liris 

 pulled up several plHces before the turn was reached. At 12-20 

 Minerva was off Point Judith, with the mark about two miles 

 away. The others were coming up astern in the order iu which 

 they afterward turned, Tomahawk having now headed Gorilla 

 while Liris was next to the latter. Minerva set her balloon jib- 

 topsail as she came for the mark, and then dropped her spinaker 

 boom to starboard, running up and sheeting out the sail at once 

 The times at the first turn were: 



Minerva 12 41 45 Helen 13 48 59 



Tomahawk 12 44 46 Alice 13 49 43 



Gorilla 12 46 24 Pappoose .%% 56 28 



Liris 13 46 41 Maraquita 12 51 43 



Elapsed time, first leg to windward: 



Minerva 1 37 34 Liris 1 43 21 



Tomahawk 1 40 41 Alice 1 43 47 



Gorilla 1 41 23 Pappoose '1 44 33 



Helen X 41 57 Maraquita I 45 46 



Minerva thus heats Tomahawk by 3m. 7s. in 8 knots to wind 

 ward, and Gorilla and Helen about 4m. The. conditions of the 

 windward work were unusually fair, the only advantage bein"- 

 that gained by tne early tack inshore by four of the hoats. " 



Going down wind there was a marked difference of opinion 

 among the fleet as to the best canvas to carry. Minerva set her 

 spinaker at once, making it draw, but the rest were very slow 

 Liris carried hers in stops 10 minutes after turning, while Toma- 

 hawk ran the whole 8 miles under balloon jibtopsail. As Minerva 

 .continued to gam and Tomahawk lost most on this leg, the former 

 must have been nearly right. All carried balloon jibtopsails, and 

 cluhtopsails were sent up, Liris lowering her jibheader to set the 

 baflooner at I o'clock, Minerva at the "same time shifting her 

 small for the largo club. At 1:33 Minerva lowered spinaker and 

 hauled up a Utile for the tug, carrying balloon jibtopsaiL balloon 

 foresail and clubtopsail. She made a serious blunder in not dous- 

 ing the balloon jibtopsail before coming on the wind for a close 

 reach, the wind being now nearer west, as she had a safe lead on 

 elapsed time, without, her allowance, and risked the race on the 

 chances of losing her topmast. She staggered along a short dis- 

 tance, after making a very pretty turn, and after running up off 

 her course a little she was obliged to lower the balloon jibtopaail 

 Liris had run Tomahawk over the second leg and was Very (.lose 

 to her at the mark, when Tomahawk swung off for a wide sweep 

 giving Liris a fine chauce to cut her out. Capt. Pittuck made a 

 handsome turn, close aboard the lug, and was off and away before 

 Tomahawk. The most amusing bit of work in the entire race 

 was the clinch at this mark between the two Me Vey boats. Capt. 

 Crocker had brought Helen close, to the tug for a neat turn when 

 her white sister, Alice, with Designer McVey on board, rushed 

 down on her, forcing a passage between her and the mark at the 

 imminent risk of a. foul. Helen was f >rced to give room. Mara- 

 quita had set her balloon jib on the run, and held to it. all the way 

 home. The turn was timed: 



Minerva 1 43 20 Alice 1 52 19 



Liris I 49 30 Helen 1 53 17 



Tomahawk -..1 49 49 Pappoose 1 54 00 



Gorilla 1 50 07 Maraquita 1 5« 05 



Elapsed time, second leg, free reach: 



Minerva 1 01 35 Pappoose 1 03 48 



Alice 1 02 34 Gorilla 1 (£ gg 



Liris 1 03 05 Maraquita 1 04 40 



Helen 1 03 32 Tomahawk .'. '1 05 09 



Minerva had also gained oh (his leg, Alice doing good work, 

 while Liris had run Tomahawk considerably. The wind was now 

 well ahead and strong enough to swing cluhtopsails to. Minerva 

 was hopelessly ahead of the fleet, but there was si ill a number of 

 scores to be settled, aud all did their best. Liris had shaken Tom- 

 ahawk at the turn, while Gorilla collared the latter, and was now 

 to windward of her. On this L g Liris traveled very fast aud none 

 of the rest could catch her. Gorilla worked out on Tomahawk 

 thereby hurting her, and at 2:15 was hanging to Tomaha - k's 

 weather quar er. She then set a baby jibtopsail and began to 

 walk by Tomahawk to windward, soon passing her and leading 

 her over the line. The finish was a fine one, the boats traveling 

 very fast under a good press of canvas. Alice. Helen, Pappoose 

 and Maraquita crossed iu a bunch. The full times were: 



Start. Finish. Elapsed. Corrected. 



Minerva 11 04 II 2 27 20 3 23 09 3 18 52 



Pappoose 11 05 49 2 40 15 3 34 26 3 25 41 



Gorilla 11 04 52 2 35 20 3 30 28 3 23 58 



Liris 11 04 04 2 33 25 3 29 21 3 jjg 31 



Helen 11 06 48 2 40 20 3 33 32 3 29 36 



Alice 11 05 28 3 39 20 3 33 53 3 29 56 



Tomahawk 11 03 56 2 35 50 .3 31 51 3 30 33 



Maraquita 11 05 39 3 40 10 3 34 31 3 32 33 



Elapsed time, tuird leg, close reach: 



Liris 43 55 Tomahawk its 01 



Minerva 44 90 Pappoose 40 15 



Maraquita 44 05 Alice. 47 01 



Gorilla 45 13 Helen 43 03 



Minerva wins 8 540, Pappoose $163, and Gorilla $108, the money 

 to be put into ( ups. 



As the day was clear and the legs short, the intermediate times 

 were taken with more accuracy than common, and are correct to 

 a quarter of a minute or less. They show a. clear gain for Miuei va 

 in 1 he windward work and off the wind, while Liris, Minerva and 

 Maraquita were practically equal on the reach. Tomahawk was 

 second boat in the windward work, but slow in running and 

 reaching. The little Pappoose did good work all day, and takes 

 second money on cor. ected time, while Gorilla lakes third money. 

 The elapsed times are instructive, as Minerva beats Pappoose 

 over 11m. on eveu Bailing, she beats Gorilla over 7m. and Liris 

 over 6m. The two McVey boats did very good work, heating both, 

 the Burgess hoats, Tomanawk and Maraquita. 



In view or what Minerva has done before this season, there is 

 no escape from the conclusion that she is a good deal too fast for 

 the test of her eiass, and that they have no business with her. As 

 to the rest, the present race, though a perfectly fair one, cannot 

 he taken ?s a conclusive test of the merits of all, as its results 

 havi been contradicted, or only partly supported by the previous 

 races of the year. It is to be regretted that such centerboards as 

 Nymph ard Verena were not in it, as their performance with the 

 keels would have beeu very instructive. Gorilla did fairly well, 

 though a. part of her gain was made by the early tack in' shore, 

 but taken all through she has made a very creditable showing in 

 the late races. There are a number of races yet to be sailed be- 

 fore the season closes, and Irom them all it may be possible to 

 tell which is really the second best forty, but as to the fastest of 

 the class there can no longer be any doubt. Minerva has settled 

 that. She will be in the Corinthian races at Marblehead this and 

 next week, where she will meet Gorilla, Helen, Verena, Mara- 

 quita, Chiquita, Pappoose and probably Alice. Liris is not likely 

 to go round, as her owners have no time and wish to use her for 

 cruising about the Sound within reach of business. The Nvmph 

 is out of racing for the present, and will not go round the Cape, 

 hut she will be in the fall races about Larehmont and the Lower 

 Bay. 



ATALA AND MABEL.— These two hoats have matched for a 

 series of three races, for a silver cup, the first being sailed on 

 Aug. 17, over course No. 7 of the Hull Y. C, 6 miles. Mabel, 

 owned by F. L. Dunne, Hull Y. C, is 21ft. OJ^in. sailing length, 

 and Atala, owned by E. F. Linton, of Weymouth, is 23ft. 3)^in.; 

 both centerboards. The wind was from light to moderate during 

 the race, which was started at 11:20 A. M. The times were: 



Elapsed. Corrected. 



Atala, E. F. Linton 1 52 44 1 Dl 32 



Mabel, F. L. Dunne 1 56 50 1 36 03 



Atala wins by 3m. 31s. 



QUiNCY MOSQUITO BOATS.— The first race of the Quincy 

 njosquito hoats was sailed on Aug. 17, off Hough's Neck, the times 

 being: 



Length. Elapsed. Corrected. 



Teaser. Fred Estes .15. 04 1 43 30 1 10 53 



City Point, Frank Pray ..15.02 1 44 15 1 11 43 



Coot, White and Nicol 15.03 1 45 00 I 12 15 



Eva, Edith, Dart and Oosett withdrew. 



Elapsed. 



Corrected 



2 01 00 



2 06 00 



1 29 38 



1 18 06 



1 35 35 



1 24 08 



Disabled. 



1 29 47 



1 21 20 



1 30 a5 



I 21 14 



1 34 44 



I 23 21 



1 41 35 



1 25 31 



1 42 16 



1 27 08 



BEVERLY Y. C. 



150th regatta, THIRD CHAMPIONSHIP, AUG. 17. 



THE pennant In the second class having been twice won bv 

 , Sword fish, there was no race in that class, and no one seemed 

 anxious to tackle Saracen, who had a walkover. 



In third class an excellent entry appeared and a close rare was 

 the result, separate prizes with allowance being raced for by the 

 cats and sloops, but the whole class sailing for one championshin 

 on actual time, Mosca and Kiowa each having won a leg 



In fourth class Nonpareil and Dolphin, who each bad a leg to 

 their credit, sailed a close race. It is to be regretted that Psyche 

 who was entered, did not put in an appearance. 



Before the start Mosca tried the experiment of setting up her 

 jibstny till her hollow mast was bent well forward; Hie mast 

 could not stand it and was sprung a little during the windward 

 work. Kiowa had just come from the shops, where she had had 

 the rail on her mast taken off and hoops substituted; this required 

 that throat halliard fastenings be removed from mast ana re- 

 placed. The workmen improved on owner's orders and replaced 

 fastenings with a patent eyeboit, in place of a band round mast as 

 ordered; the result was that when she left her moorin°s ten 

 minutes before start, the eyeboit drew out at once, and saif came 

 down with a run; the block was lashed onto mast again in time to 

 start, but rope lashings stretched badly, leaving sail very slack 

 and bothering her on the windward work. 



There was a nice westerly topsail breeze blowing at the start 

 with occasional puffs of some force, which died out somewhat to- 

 ward the finish. 



Wraith was handicapped hy a bad start; Kathleen was off first 

 with Kiowa just astern, then Hoiden, Mosca and Edith . -lose to- 

 gether, Wraith bringing up the rear. 



Kathleen and Kiowa began to drop the others on the run to 

 Bowmtch, Kathleen luffing as tar as obstructions near course 

 would allow, to prevent Kiowa getting by her: the result was 

 they sailed a longer distance than the others in every puff 

 Kiowa gained: between puffs Kathleen drew ahead; finally Kiowa 

 got by, rounding Bowditch Ledge about 30s, ahead; Mosca was 

 third, then Hoidan, Edith and Wraith. 



It was a beat to Curtis Point, the boats standing in to the shore 

 with the wind very light. Kathleen could not point with Kiowa 

 hut omlooted her, so when she came out on the starboard tank 

 the Gape cat had to give way to avoid a foul. Mosca at this time 

 was closing well. 



After the wind grew stronger and when boats next met Kiowa 

 w as ahead, rounding wind ward mark about. 30s. ahead of Kathleen 

 Mosca third. At this time the others were close together some- 

 distance astern, Edith having a trifling lead. wh«n she broke ber 

 rudder and was forced out of the race. Running back to buoy 3 

 Kiowa held her own on Kathleen, but from 3 to the finish with 

 wind forward of abeam and dying out, Kathleen gained, and 

 Mosca gained on both, but they were not able to catch her. 



In the fourth class Nonpareil made a bad start, and never 

 caueht her competitor. Result as follows: 



First class course. 10 miles round Half-Wav Rock, S. E Pig 



reaker and return. Third and fourth classes ' round RmwiYtni, 



FIRST CLASS. 



Length. 



Saracen, W. P. Fowle 38.01% 



THIRD CIjASS — CATS. 



Kiowa, W. A. & W. L. Jeffries 22.(11 



Hoiden, Gordon Dexter 22.0,' 



Edith, F. H.Wood 20.0a 



SLOOPS. 



Kathleen; R. S. Peahody 25.07 



Mosca, C. H. W. Foster 24.06 



Wraith, H. P. Benson 32.03 



FOURTH CLASS. 



Dolphin, Roval Robbins 18.00 



Nonpariel, W. O. Taylor 18.(19 



Saracen wins in first class, Kiowa in third class cats, Mosca in 

 sloops. Dolphin in fourth class. Championship for first class won 

 and held by Saracen, championship for third class won and held 

 by Kiowa, championship iu fourth class won and held hy Dolphin 

 Judge, Patrick Grant, Jr. 



THAT NAPHTHA LAUNCH EXPLOSION. 



A TERRIBLE casualty occurred at Buffalo, N. Y.. lug. 7, when 

 a quantity of naphtha g-is exploded, burning a boat bouse 

 and the bull of a naphtha launch, and killing three children and 

 a man and seriously injuring a woman and another child. The 

 newspapers reported that the accident was caused by the "ex- 

 plosion of the yacht's boiler." The launch was one of those manu- 

 faeturea by the Gas Knj jiue and -Power Co., of this ^ity, wlio have 

 advertised in our columns that nundreds of their launches were 

 in use without, a siugle accident. The naphtha launch is rapidly 

 winning its way iu popular favor, and it is recognized as a dis- 

 tinct advance in navigation. The craft are m use by so many 

 readers of Forest and Stream that we have been at some pains 

 to gam accurate information about the facts of the Buffalo affair 

 and t o learn whether the accident should be charged to the launch' 

 or to sheer culpable carelessness in handling naphtha independent- 

 ly of the working of the launch. The facis are given m the sub- 

 joined letters, sent to us by the manufacturers. From this examin- 

 ation by Buffalo pat ties, it appears that the yacht's "boiler" did not 

 "explode;" the explosion was caused by naphtha gas, formed bya 

 large quantity of naphtha spilleu in the boat bottom and thrown 

 overboard, where it floated on the surface. This naphtha uniting 

 witn the atmosphere formed explosive, gas, and it was this gas 

 that was ignited, not in the "yacht's boiler," but outside, and in- 

 dependently of any legitimate handling of naphtha in connection 

 with the yacht. An analogous case would be that of loading a 

 shotgun, scattering the powder about on the floor, and then 

 touching a match to it. Gun aud powder and yacht and naphtha 

 are perfectly safe engines so long as handled right. The Buffalo 

 casualty, we are satisfied, cannot be regarded as in the slightest 

 degree damaging to the safety of the naphtha launch, out it 

 should impress upon all who use the craft tne importance of ex- 

 treme care in handling the naphtha itself, when by uniting with 

 the atmospncie it may form an explosive gas. The letters are as 

 follows: 



Buffalo, Aug. 10.— Gas Engine & Power Co., Morris Dock, New 

 York ( Jtf.77.— Gentlemen : After having quiteihorough.lv investi- 

 gated the cause of the recent explosion of gas in Mr. Crocker's 

 boat house, 1 am fully satisfied that it occurred as the result of 

 gross carelessness in the handling of naphtha, and that it was en- 

 tirely independent and iu no way connected with the machinery 

 or apparatus of the naphtha launch which was in the boat house 

 at th-< time. In fact, although the hull of the launch was almost 

 consumed by T fire, communicated to it by the burning naphtha 

 spilled on the water and m the boat which ignited from the ex- 

 plosion of gas generated therefrom, yet the naphtha tank, the re- 

 tort or coil, and every part of the machinery of the boat, is to-day 

 whole, and unimpaired, except in so far as it may have been af- 

 fected by the intense heat of the Are to which it was subjected. 



Of course, everj intelligent person (and none others have any 

 business to handle such a u agent) understands that naphtha, when 

 poured, slopped or spilled about over a large surface, exposed to 

 the atmosphere, will evaporate rapidly, and mixing with the at- 

 mosphere, will form an explosive gas. By pumping a large quan- 

 tity of naphtha into the bottom ot the boat, with nothing to pre- 

 vent its flowing freely undents floors, then dipping out I he napn- 

 tha, or such part of it as was easily accessible, pouring consider- 

 able quantities of this overboard on the surface of the water, 

 leaving the bottom of the boat, well saturated with the naphtha 

 and then lighting a match in the midst of all this immense expo- 

 sure of naphtha-saturated, gas-generating surtac?. is it anv won- 

 der that a disastrous explosion occurred? H one had gone delib- 

 erately at work to manufacture, just the conditions necessary to 

 produce a powerful explosion of naphtha gas, he could hardly im- 

 prove upon these methods. As an owner of a naphtha launch 

 which 1 have now run for two seasons with the greatest satisfac- 

 tion, and as I believe, with great safety, I was much pleased to 

 find, upon getting at the bottom tacts, that the recent explosion 

 was due to no fault of' construction or defect in the naphtha 

 launch, but was entirely dependent upon gross thoughtlessness in 

 the handling of naphtha, contrary to all proper usage in dealing 

 with an agent which requires a little care and prudence wherever 

 it may be handled.— Yours truly, R. V. Pierce, M. D. 



Buffalo, N. Y., Aug. 15.— Git* Engine & Power Co., Morris Dock, 

 N.Y. City.— Gentlemen: in reply to your recent inquiry as to the 

 cause of the burning of the naphtha launch and boat house, 

 would say I learned of the accident about two hours after its 

 occurrence, and just as my sons and self were leaving our boat 

 house in the naphtha launch Louisa, purchased of you some two 

 years since. As we were going to the yAcbt club aouse to take 

 my family for an evening sail, I determined to visit the scene of 

 the disaster before doing so, to learn if possible the cause. I ex- 

 amined the wreck, and became satisfied that neither the coil, or 

 retort, as you choose to call it, nor the tank had been injured, 



