260 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[April it, 1890, 



TRANSPORTATION TO A. C. A. MEET. 



THE Atlantic Division has undertaken a good work in sending 

 out the following circular to all its members. There are 

 numbers of canoeists in each division who should but, do not be- 

 long to the Association, and the time has come for active mis- 

 sionary work in this direction. The A. C. A. does not need them 

 nearly as badly as they nefid it, but at the same time they can 

 only be brought to a realizing sense of what they miss in not join- 

 ing by some active worn on the part of the officers, ami we are 

 glad to see that the Atlantic Division is the first to inaugurate it. 

 A similar effort was planned last year, bat an unforeseen occur- 

 rence made it impossible. The. matter of transportation is a most, 

 important one, and if the officers are willing to undertake the 

 heavy and thankless task of providing suitable means, the least 

 that members can do is to lend their hearty support. The plan is 

 to charier a steamer which shall make the circuit of New iork, 

 probably starting from Yonkers and calling at Staten Island and 

 Bay Ridge, collecting canoes and duffle, the return trip to be 

 made in the same way. The circular reads as follows: 



Yonkers, N. Y., Aprils.— Dear Sir— The executive committee 

 of the Atlantic Division being desirous of securing the largest 

 possible representation at the A. O. A. meet, this year (to be held 

 at Jessup's Neck, near Shelter Island, If. 1., Aug. 8 to 23) have re- 

 solved to do all in their power to provide a means by which mem- 

 bers may be relieved of any feeling of uncertainty as to the sure 

 and careful transportation of canoes from New York to Jessup's 

 Neck aud return, it is proposed to collect the canoes and duffle 

 from different clubs in tne division in such a way that it will be 

 an easy matter for every man to send his canoe and be' assured of 

 its prompt return, and avoiding transfers through New York city. 

 The executive committee are willing to undertake this at an 

 expense not to exceed the cost of sending in any other way, but 

 must have the cooperation and assistance of every member in the 

 division. . , 



You are requested to reply promptly to the purser, inclosing a 

 remittance of $2.50, or to sign and return the slip attached; also, 

 to aid in securing prompt replies from all you know. The carrying 

 out of this plan will depend entirely upon the encouragement re- 

 ceived from the members of this division, and which the answers 

 received before May 15 shall determine, when a circular will be 

 issued giving full particulars. Our division is the largest in the 

 A.C.A., but. that should not satisfy us; we have use for good mem- 

 bers, and every canoeist can derive much benefit from an A.C.A. 

 membership. There are many (club members as well as unat- 

 tached) who are not, but should be, in the Association. Let every 

 man make a personal effort to secure at least one good mem- 

 ber; and club officers are specially urged to present the matter to 

 their Hssociates. An application blank is inclosed herewith, and 

 more will be provided upon application to the purser or any mem- 

 ber of the executive committee. 

 M. V. Brokaw, Vice-Ootn. I. V. DorI/And, Rear Com. 



W. R. Havxland, Purser, Yonkers, N. Y. 

 Dr. F. W. Kitcheij.. Dr. H. La Motte. 



A. C. A. REGATTA PROGRAMME, 1 890. 



RECORD events. 



1. Paddling, mile straightaway. 



2. Paddling and sailing combined, % mile alternately, 3 miles. 



3. Sailing, iVz miles, no limit to rig or ballast. 



OTHER EVENTS. 



*4. Trophy paddling, 1 mile straightaway. 



S. Trophy sailing, no limit to rig or ballast. Time limit 3 hours; 

 total 7^miles. 

 8. Tandem paddling, % mile 



7. Sailing. "Pecowsic Cup," 4*4 miles, no limit to rig or ballast. 

 Winner of sailing trophy race barred. 



8. Sailing "Club," to windward and return, 2 miles. Time limit 

 2 hours. First three members of any one club to count. (To be 

 the first sailing race called.) 



9. Paddling large canoes, with crews of not less than ten men 

 each, 14 mile. 



10. Paddling upset. No special appliances allowed. At signal 

 every canoe must be turned completely over, righted and with 

 crew inside paddled across the finish line. Distance 200yds. 



11. Sailing upset maneuvering race. No special appliances 

 allowed. Canoes must carry two sails. No limit to rig or ballast; 

 U mile. At signal throw paddle overboard astern and then re- 

 cover. Second signal, canoe to be heeled over until top of fore- 

 mast touches the water, then righted and sailed across the finish 

 l' ne - 



12. Hurry scurry race, run, swim, paddle. 

 13 Gymnastics, etc. 



14. Paddling, "club fours," in any canoe, J^mile. 



15. Sailing cruising race, 6 miles. In this race canoes must have 

 a well not less thau Pun. wide for a length of 4ft., with a sleeping 

 space of at least 6ft. , of which 5ft. must be clear. There must be. 

 no projecting centerboard when housed, and no sliding seat or 

 standing sails. Start to be made with sails down, and sails must 

 be lowered on deck once during the race. 



Note. — All sailing races will be started to windward and fin- 

 ished at regular home buoy irrespective of distance. The novice 

 race open only to members who never sailed a canoe before Sept. 

 1, 1889, will be awarded on the result of t he first round of race No. 

 3. All paddling races will be straight away. 



♦There iB now an amendment on its way to the executive com- 

 mittee requesting the repeal of the present restrictions governing 

 the paddling tronhy, and that the entries be not limited to only 

 eight, but unlimited, etc. 



CENTRAL DIVISION REGATTA. 



BEGINNING Tuesday. 9:30 A. M., July 8, on Lake Chautauqua, 

 New York. All sailing races on the mile and a half triangle, 

 unless otherwise ordered by the regatta committee. 

 No. 1. Sailing race; free for all canoes; 3 miles. 

 No. 2. Sailing; classes A and B; 3 miles. 



No. 3. Sailing; novice, 134 miles. To be decided by first round 

 In event No. 2. 



No. 4. Sailing; all classes; 3 miles; 75ft. sail area limit. 



No. 5. Sailing; for the Jabberwock Cup; 6 miles. (See condi- 

 tions). 



No. 6. Sailing and paddling combined; \y> miles. Sail first half 

 mile, paddle second, saii third. 



No. 7. Sailing capsize and maneuvering. No special appliances; 

 two sails; ]4 mile. First signal, throw paddle to leeward and re- 

 cover. Second signal, canoe must be tipped till top of foremast 

 touches water. Finish under sail. 



No. 8. Sailing; consolation; open to all canoes not having won 

 a prize; 1 mile to leeward or windward and return. 



No. 9. Paddling; open and decked canoes Class II.; mile. 



No. 10. Paddling; opeu and decked canoes Class III.; mile. 



No. 11. Paddling upset; 2O0yds. No special appliancss. At sig- 

 nal, canoe to be turned completely over, and finish with crew 

 inside. 



No. 12. Illuminated parade and fireworks. 



C. F. Hold8hip, chairman; Win. R. Huntington, T. H. Stryker, 

 regatta committee. 



The Jabberwock Cup— Conditions: Six miles, classes A and B, 

 no limit to ballast or rig; to be sailed for each year by members of 

 the Central Division, either at the division or general meet. At 

 least five canoes must start. Time allowed for race, two and a 

 half hours. The cup to become the property of the member whi- 

 ning it twice. It must be returned by the holder to the purser, 

 prior to the succeeding meet. Presented by Vice-Coin. George A. 

 Warder. 



A CANOE AND SKIFF RACE. 



THE Pointe Claire Boat Club, an organization that includes 

 witbin itself a canoe crew, upon the lists of which are the 

 names of the only fleet of sailing canoes, to be found in the 

 vicinity of Montreal, has decided to hold a regatta, open to all 

 A. C. A. men, upon Aug. 2. which is the "middle Saturday" of the 

 Northern Division's Two Mouutain Meet. The principal event of 

 this regatta is to be a race for class B canoes, in which it is hoped 

 that all the crack canoe sailers in Canada, at least, will take part, 

 for it is to be tried under peculiarly interesting conditions. 



During the past few years, skiff racing has become a very popu- 

 lar pastime on the St. Lawrence, and a fleet of 21 and 22ft., two 

 man canoes, have been built up. Last year, having won the 

 championship of Lake St. Louis in her, Mr. W. J. Wallace took 

 the Yukwa up to Brockville and beat the fastest two boats that 

 Prescott and Gananoque could turn out. No race was sailed 

 with a Clayton boat, but the championship of the river was 

 claimed for that place, and as things now stands, all the skiff men 

 are ready and more than ready for a great international race. 

 This race the Pointe Claire people are going to give as a part of 

 their "Meet" regatta, and already entries from Prescott, Gana- 

 noque and, Brookville have been assured. The canoes and skiffs 

 will he sent over the same course, and If possible a time allow, 

 anoe, fair to each, will be given, so as to penult of a thorough test 



of the relative speed of a 16ft. and of a 22ft. canoe. The regatta, is 

 intended of course to be a pleasant thing in itself and also to add 

 an attraction to the coming Northern Division Meet. 



NEW CANOES.— The fleet of the New York Q. C. has received 

 two additions this soring from the shop of Thos. McWhirter, 

 West Brighton, Staten Island. One of these, for Com. B. H. 

 Nadal, is a copy of the Lowell canoe, Elicta, but reduced a little, in 

 depth. She is i6y.29>|, with small well and a large board in the 

 middle. The masts are stepped well forward, as is now the fash- 

 ion. The other canoe, for Mr. W. W. Howard, is from a design 

 by W. P. Stephens, but with some slight modification in the keel 

 by the owner. Unlike either the Lowell or Ruggles boats, she is 

 between the two, having a V floor carried well fore and aft. with 

 a strongly marked bilge, the purpose being to obtain as stiff and 

 powerful a boat as possible, but with an easy form. As the design 

 was made primarily for a fast, cruiser rather than for racing 

 alone some ballast will be required for racing. This boat, 16x30, 

 has been built, however, solely for speed, being fitted with a well 

 of the footbath pattern, a 4ft. centerboard dividing it into two 

 pans. The mizenmast is near the center of the boat, and she will 

 be tried with a mainsail of about 55ft. and a mizen some 10ft. 

 larger. The Butler steering gear is used, and both boats will 

 carry deck seals. They are built of clear cedar with hackmatack 

 stem and stern and mahogany decks, the ribband -carvel method 

 of the Lowell canoes being followed, giving a smooth skin. The 

 workmanship is excellent, and Mr. Mac Whirter has turned out 

 two very creditable craft in every respect. 



THE IRRAWADDI C. C— This club held its annual meeting 

 on April 7 and elected the following officers: Com., Joel M. 

 Parker; Viee-Com., M. Bunker; Sec. aud Tteas., Louis E. Knocke; 

 Executive Committee— The Commodore with E. S. Hammattand 

 Edgar E. Snyder. The club is now in splendid condition, finan- 

 cially, the last note having been paid off this month. During the 

 past year the club house has been renovated and put in first-class 

 order. Plans for further improvements are being discussed, but 

 nothing definite has been agreed upon. Last year a river carnival 

 was given under the auspices of the club, and it was one of the 

 most magnificent spectacles ever seen on the river at this place. 

 An effort is now being made to repeat it this summer, with every 

 prospect of success- The club decided to take a long cruise this 

 summer, probably in July. The Maquoketa River has been chosen 

 as the objective point, and then a few weeks will be spent in 

 fishing. 



FIXTURES. 



MAT. 



If,. Larchmont, Open, Larchra't. 30. Knickerbocker,Openiug,N.Y 



15. New Rochelle, Opening. 30. South Boston, Annual, City 

 17. Corinthian Mosquito Fleet, Point. 



New Rochelle. 30. Fall River, Annual, Fall 

 24. St. Lawrence,Open,Montreal River. 



1. Atlantic, Opening. N. Y. 30. Harlem, Open, New York. 

 I-Junel. Portland. Cruise. 31. Cor. Navy, Open, New York. 



_J. Cleveland, Squadron Sail. 31. Corinthian Mosquito Fleet, 

 30. Brooklyn, Opening, N. Y. Larchmont. 



JUNK. 



3. Savin Hill, Moonlight Sail, 17. Atlantic, Annual, New York 



Savin Hill. 18. Oolumbia.Annual Open.N.Y. 



5. Seawanhaka, Special. 18. Pleon, Pennant, Marblehead 



7. Larchmont, Spring. 19. New York, Annual, N. V. 



7. Quincy, First Club. 21. Quincy, 1st Cham., Quincy. 



T. Massachusetts, Club, Dor- 21. Corinthian, Marblehead, 



Chester. Club. 



7. Savin Hill, Club, Savin Hill. 21. Seawanhaka, Annual, N. Y. 



7. Great Head, Aunual Open, 21. Great Head, Pennant, Great 



Great Head. Head. 



9. Hudson River, Open, N. Y. 21. Yonkers Cor., Annual Open, 

 12. Corinthian, Annual, N. Y. Yonkers. 



12. New Jersey Annual, N. Y. 21. Saviu Hill, Club, Savin Hill. 



14. Beverly, 1st Cham., Marble- 23. Seawanhaka, Special. 



head. 27. Corinthian Mosquito Fleet, 

 14. Brooklyn, New York. Staten Island. 



16. Portland, Challenge Cup. 28. Hull, 1st Cham.. Club House. 



17. Massaehusctts.Open.Nahant 28. Beverly, Cup, Marblehead. 

 17. Corinthian, Mar ble head, 28. Cor. Navy, Spring Regatta, 



Penuant, under 21ft. New Rochelle. 



17. West Lynn, Annual. Lynn. 30. Great Head, Moonlight Sail, 



17. American, Annual Pennant, Great Head. 



Newburyport. 



JOLT. 



2. Pleon, 1st Cham., Marbleh'd. 19. Beverly, 2d Cham., Marble- 

 2. Savin Hill, Moonlight Sail, head. 



Savin Hill. 19. Sippican, Open, Marion. 



4. Larchmont, Annual. 19. West Lynn, 1st Cham., Lynn 

 4. Boston City, Annual, City 19. Great Head, 1st Cham.,Great 



Point. Head. 



4. Beverly, 1st Cham., Mon. 23. Quincy, Ladies' Day, 



Beach. 23. Pleon, Club Cruise. 



5. Savin Hill,Ladies'Day, Savin 26. Hull. 



Hill. 26. Corinthian,Marblehead, 

 5. Beverly, Sweep, Marblehead. First Champ. 



5. Quincy, 2d Cham., Quincy. 26. Great Head, Club Cham., 

 5. New Rnchelle, Annual. Great Head. 



5. Cor. Navy, Regatta, New 26. American, Club Cham.,New- 



York Bay Squadron. buryport. 



7. American, Annual, Milton's 26, Beverly, 2d Cham., Mon. 



Point. Beach. 



8. Massachusetts, Club, Dor- 20. Cor. Navy, Regatta, East 



Chester. River Squadron. 



9. Hull, Point Allerton. 26. Corinthian Mosquito Fleet, 

 12. Corinthian, Marblehead, Greenwich. 



Club, under 2lft. 26. Marine and Field Club, Bath 



12. Beverly, Open Sweep, Mon. 29. Great Head, Moonlight Sail, 

 Beach. Great Head. 



12. Cor. Navy, Regatta, Hudson 29. American, Moonlight Sail, 



River Squadron. Newburyport. 



12-20. Larchmont. Cruise, Long 30. Pleon, 2d < !ham., Marbleh'd. 



Island Sound. 31. Savin Hill, Moonlight Sail, 

 16. Pleon, Club, Marblehead. Savin Hill. 



19. Quincy, 3d Cham., Quincy. 



ACGOBT. 



2. Beverly, 2d Cup, Marblehead 22. Quincy, Club, Quincy, 



2-9. Cor. Navy, Cruise, Long 22. Pleon, 3d Cham., Marbleh'd. 

 Island Sound. 23. Hull, Cbam., Hull. 



3. West Lynn, 2d Cham., Lynn. 23. First day of the midsummer 



6. N. Y. Cruise. New London. series for 30 and 40-footers. 

 6. Great Head, 2d Cham., Great 23. Larchmont, Oyster Boats, 



Head. Larchmont. 

 9. Savin Hill, Club, Savin Hill. 23. West Lynn, 3d Cham., Lynn. 

 9. Oofinthian, Marblehead, 23. Beverly, 2d Sweep, Mon. 



Club, under 21ft. Beach. 



13. Hull, Ladies' Day. 23. Savin Hill, Cham., Savin Hill 



18. Pleon, Club, Marhlehead. 23. Great Head, Sail-off, Great 



14. Massachusetts, 30 and 40ft., Head. 



Dorchester. 23. American, 2d Cham., New- 



16. Sippican, Club, Marion. buryport. 

 16. Beverly, 3d Cham., Marble- 23. Cor. Navv, Regatta, West 



head. Long Island Sound Squad. 



18. American, Open, Newbury- 29. Savin Hill, Moonlight Sail, 



port. Savin Hi U. 



20. Hull, Cham., Pt. Allerton. 30. Beverly, 3d Cup, Marblehead 



2, Corinthian Mosquito Fleet, 30. Sippican, Sweep, Marion. 



Cruise. 30. Savin Hill, Cruise. 



SEPTEMBER. 



1. N. Y. Y. R. A., New York. 0. Great Head, Annual Club, 

 1. Lynn. Open, Nahant. . Great Head. 



1. Beverlv, Open, Marblehead. 6. Beverly, 3d Cham., Mon. 

 1. Corinthian, Marblehead, Beach. 



Second Champ. 6. Massachusetts, Clnb. Dor- 



3. Beverly, 2d Open, Mon. Be'ch Chester. 



6. Larchmont, Fall Regatta, 10. Pleon, Sail off, Marblehead. 



Larchmont. 13. Corin thian, Marblehead, 

 6. American, 3d Cham., New- Champ. Sail-off. 



buryport. 20. Beverly, Sail -off, Mon. Beach 



6. SaviuHill,Sail-off,Savin Hill 20. West Lynn, Sweep, Lynn. 



QUEE'N CITY Y. O. OF TORONTO.— This club held its sec- 

 ond annual meeting on April 8. There was a large attendance 

 of members, and from the various reports read the club proved 

 to be in very good standing. Upward of 30 new members have 

 already joined this season, the roll call now being about 100, 

 with every prospect of being greatly increased before the sail- 

 ing season opens. Several members are going in for new craft, 

 and it is expected that the club will have some fast boats. The 

 following oflicers were elected: Com., Jas. Allan; Vice-Corn., 

 F. Whitehead; Capt., W. Ward; Sec.. Louie Jmandt, H Wood 

 street; Treas, W. Sfansont Maas,, Q. Martin, 



THE GREAT SCOT. 



UNDER the above title a facetious c orrespondent of the Toronto 

 Mail drops into poetry in the following strain: 



Alas! for Boston's vaunting pride, 



For wondrous Yankee skill. 

 To think of Burgess' rapid slide 



Down glory's slippery hill. 



Though Volunteer the Thistle heat, 



The land where thistles grow 

 Sent Fife-designed Minerva fleet, 



To lay great Burgess low. 



Past Nymph, Verena, Tomahawk, 



Designed by Burgess' skill, 

 Minerva glides as past a rock, 



And beats them all to nil. 



Let Englishmen on Fife now call, 



To build a "ninety yacht," 

 The Volunteer she'll soon o'erhaul. 



While Yankees cry, "Great Scot!" 



INTERNATIONAL RACING. 



THE letter from the committee of the New York Y. C. to Lord 

 Dunraven was made public on Monday, and reads as follows: 

 New York, April 3, 1890.— My Lord: Your letter of March 11, 

 1890, was received shortly before the date of the second general 

 meeting of the New York Y. C. It was read at that meeting in 

 clue order of business.'and, as you have been advised, was referred 

 to a committee with power. This course was taken that yon 

 might be assured of the appreciation by the club of your desire to 

 contest for the America Cup with Valkyrie. 



By reference to the correspondence which passed last year be- 

 tween the New York Y. C, the Royal Yacht Squadron and your- 

 self, and more particularly to the letter of J. D. Smith, chairman, 

 under date July 16, 1889, you will without doubt see that the chal- 

 lenge of last year could not be considered by the New York Y. C. 

 us merely postponed, and that, therefore, a new challenge on your 

 behalf by a recognized yacht club is a necessary formality. If 

 this can be arranged— and, of course, it is indispensable- we think 

 it probable that tne New York Y. C. would be giad to waive the 

 condition of ten months' notice, and to make a match with 

 Valkyrie this season, with the best boat they may have, on the 

 same terms as were agreed upon last year. 



In reply to the inquiry you make as to whether the Cup "can he 

 held subject to challenge under Volunteer-Thistle conditions," if 

 by "conditions" you refer to the terms of the match, I am re- 

 quested to point out that under what is termed the "mutual agree- 

 ment" clause, the club holding and the club challenging for tbe 

 cup can make any arrangement as to the conditions of the match 

 that may lie satisfactory to both parties; and further, that all the 

 recent matches for the eup have been arranged for under the 

 "mutual agreement'' clause, notably those between Genesta and 

 Puritan, Galatea and Mayflower, Thistle and Volunteer, as also 

 that with Valkyrie. 



But on the other hand, if by the word "conditions" you mean to 

 include not only the terms of the match, but also the terms of the 

 deed of gift in existence at the time, of the Thistle and Volunteer 

 contests", the committee wish me to state that, the New York Y.C. 

 neither can nor will depart from the position taken by them last 

 year, viz , that the Cup, if won by the club challenging, must he 

 held under and subject to the full terms of the deed of gift, under 

 Which the New York Y. C. now holds it, viz., that of Oct. 24, 1887. 



While on this subject the committee desire me to convey their 

 regret that, in place of expressing general dissatisfaction with the 

 present deed of gift the Royal Y. S. should not last year have 

 given particulars of their objections to that document, which, as 

 yet have never been definitely stated. 



Hoping that we may have the pleasure of seeing you over here 

 this season with Valkyrie, I remain, my Lord, yours sincerely, 



J. R. Busk, Chairman. 

 To the Right, Honorable, the Earl of Dunraven, V. P., 27 Norfolk 

 Street, Park Lane, London, W. 



The reply is a clear and satisfactory statement of the New York 

 Y. O.'s present position; a position which, however wrong it may 

 be, the club is now committed to, and will hold until it is either 

 confirmed permanently in it by the complaisance of British 

 yachtsmen in challenging under the new deed of gift or until it is 

 driven from it by public opinion on both sides of the water, 

 backed by a clear and intelligent statement of the faults of the 

 new deed. The club in its reply reiterates its demand for a recog- 

 nition of the new deed as the first requisite for a challenge. It 

 states clearly what is evidently the case, that in addition to this 

 recognition of the new deed, an entirely new challenge would be 

 needed from Lord Dunraven, the failure of negotiations last year 

 being final, so far as the Royal Yacht Squadron challenge is con- 

 cerned. It also joints out that If the Cup should be won abroad, 

 the new holders, instead of availing themselves of the many ad- 

 vantages secured to them by the new deed, would be at liberty to 

 waive them all, and to offer perfectly fair terms to an American 

 challeneer. ,' . 



Finallv, in the event of compliance with the two prime condi- 

 tions of a fresh challenge and a recognition of the legality of new 

 deed, and the manner in which it was concocted, the club is will- 

 ing to waive the ten months notice and to allow Valkyrie to sail 

 '•■with the best hoat they may have" in one word. Volunteer. 



There is nothing especially new or surprising in all of this, hut 

 the most important point in the letter is the final clause, which 

 touches the weak spot of the other side. In all the three years 

 that have passed since the new deed was promulgated with sui h 

 a flourish of legal trumpets, and in spite of the general denuncia- 

 tion which greeted it abroad, neither the Yacht Racing Associa- 

 tion, the Royal Yacht Squadron, nor any other British club has 

 stated clearly and distinctly the objections to it. The time for 

 such a statement was on the first publication of the deed in 1887, 

 or again last year when the challenge of the R. Y. S. in behalf of 

 Valkyrie was withdrawn. 



While the subject is one that concerns every American club as 

 deeply as it does the British, it happens from the circumstances 

 of the case that the latter alone can make objections now. Tbe 

 main fault of the deed is, that every one of its many and volumi- 

 nous clauses is in favor of the club holding the Cup, it has the 

 challenger completely at its mercy. From the point of view of 

 the practical American yachtsmen, this is entirely satisfactory 

 now, and will continue to be so as long as the Cup is held here. 

 If, however, in spite of the care with which the nautico-legal 

 lights of the New York Y. C. have tied up the Cup, it should acci- 

 dentally be won from them; then the Eastern, the Larchmont, the 

 Seawanhaka, the Atlantic, clubs would be in the position of the 

 Royal Yacht Squadron and the Royal Clyde to-day. 



It is plain that none of these clubs can or will formulate objec- 

 tions to the deed, deeply as they are interested as possible chal- 

 lengers if international racing is allowed to run its free and 

 natural course; from foreign clubs only, and the R. Y. S. in 

 particular, must objections be looked for. From the first day 

 that the new deed was allowed to see the light after being signed 

 and ratified in the darKness and secrecy of a committee room, we 

 have been confident that it could not stand in the face of fair 

 and impartial criticism and well organized opposition. Although 

 it had behind it at first the popular cry and the support of the 

 majority of American yachtsmen, flushed with three victories, 

 and ready to accept as infallible any action of the successful de- 

 fenders of the Cup, there has been a marked change in the two 

 seasons that have passed without new challenges, and many now 

 admit, not only that the change in the deed was hasty and ill- 

 advised, but that material concessions must be made by the New 

 York Y. C. before more challenges can be expected. 



The heartiest indorsement that the new deed has yet received 

 has been the open declaration of Lord Dunraven that he was not 

 competent to discuss the question of its fairness, while at the 

 same time he disregarded utterly the principles at issue and per- 

 sisted in his challenge. Should he now, or any other reckless 

 challenger in future, find a club so foolish as to stand sponsor for 

 a challenge under the new deed, the New York Y. C. will be in 

 position to do exactly as it pleases in all that pertains to the 

 America's Cup for all future time. 



In its issue of April 5 the Field comments as follows on the 

 "mutual agreement" clause aliuded to in the letter of the New 

 York Y. O. of July 16, 1889: ' . . 



"From the foregoing it appears the New York Y. C. holds the 

 view that, however objectionable the terms of the new deed are, 

 they are rendered nugatory or inoperative by tbe proviso that all 

 the terms for a match may be made outside the deed altogether 

 by 'mutual consent.' We do not see that this^proviso in any way 

 alters the objections to the new deed, or renders them susceptible 

 of easy explanation. The terms were put into the deed to be 

 acted upon if the holder of the cup considered it expedient to do 

 so, and the challenger is given no right to vary the terms, and he 

 can only have a variation of them made as a concession by the 

 club holding the cup. This gives the club an enormous advan- 

 tage in making terms 'satisfactory to both by mutual consent.' 

 The challenger, to esoape from the onerous terms of tbe new deed, 

 is to plaoe himself in the humiliating position of asking eonees. 

 siouB. This ought not to be. The terms of the de«d ought to be 



