Mat 15, 1890.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



339 



INTERNATIONAL RACING. 



THOUGH the letter of Lord Dunraveu has been in the hands of 

 the New York Y. C. for over a week, its contents are still 

 withheld, and its exact, nature is unknown. The English papers 

 allude to it as containing a statement of the ohjections to the deed 

 of gift which is satisfactory to British yachtsmen as representing 

 their view of the dispute. 



The following letter, however, appears in the Field of May 3, 

 having been mailed to New York on April 25: 



Sir— I am in receipt of your letter ot April 3, and have to thank 

 the New York Y. O., and the committee appointed by them, for 

 Die consideration given to ray letter of March 11. In their tele- 

 gram of Aug. 4 last the Royal Yacht Squadron said that "chal- 

 lenge holds good, providing cup can be held subject to challenges 

 under Volunteer-Thistle conditions." 



By the word "conditions" they undoubtedly referred to the 

 terms of the deed subject to which the Volunteer-Thistle matches 

 were sailed, and 1 used it in the same sense in my letter of the 

 lltk of last month, 1 am exceedingly sorry to learn that the New 

 York Y. C. are unable and unwilling to recede from the position 

 that the cup, if won by the club challenging, must be held under 

 and subject to the full terms of the deed of gift of Oct. 2-L1887, 

 which superseded the deed of gift of Jan. 4, 1882, under which the 

 Genesta-Puritan. Mayflower-Galatea, and Volunteer-Thistle 

 matches were sailed. 



I would not ask the Royal Yacht Squadron or any other yacht 

 club to challenge for me on these conditions. If 1 did, it is obvious 

 from the correspondence of last year that the Royal Yacht Squad- 

 ron would refuse, and 1 believe their refusal would be approved 

 by the Yacht Racing Association and yacht clubs generally over 

 here. 



A9 regards your desire that the Royal Yacht Squadron should 

 have giveu fuller particulars of their objections to the new deed 

 of gift, they would doubtless consider any communication on this 

 subject from the New York Y.C. I cannot, of course, say whether 

 they would deem themselves justified in criticising (hat docu- 

 ment, and, even if they were to do so, I fail to see what benefit 

 would result, as The New York Y. C. "neither can nor will depart 

 from the position taken up 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— that of Oct. 25, 1887." 



Regretting that there is no possibility of my having a race for 

 the cup, I remain, yours very faithfully, Drx raven. 



The Field also says: "The belief, or rather delusion, cherished 

 by the New York Y. C. that the Earl of Ounraven personally has 

 no objection to the 'new deed of gift'— under which future chal- 

 lenges for the America Cup are to be made— will be dispelled by 

 the dignified letter lie addressed to the club a week ago. This let- 

 ter will be found in another column, and we may say that, while 

 it speaks in plain language the mind of Lord Dunraven, it also 

 accurately reflects the opinions entertained in all British yacht 

 clubs. Beyond this, we understaud Lord Dunraven has formu- 

 lated his objection to the various clauses in the deed, and for- 

 warded them to Mr. Busk, the chairman of the America Cup 

 committee. This letter is a very important document, as it is the 

 first time the objectious to the deed have been collated by a chal- 

 lenger for the Cup, and even now we understand that Lord Dun- 

 raven has not formulated his objections to the deed in the char- 

 acter of a challenger. It is plain that all efforts to bring about a 

 match would be futile, and probably Lord Dunraven feels that 

 he is now at liberty to criticise the deed as freely as may seem 

 incumbent. 



"Probably the Royal Yacht Squadron will not trouble them- 

 selves about the matter; they would ho* like their own proceed- 

 ings criticised by another club, and would not have the bad taste 

 to interfere with matters entirely under the control of another 

 club. To us it seema astounding that a body of men like those 

 composing tne New York Y. C. sbould coolly appropriate to 

 themselves such startling advantages as the new deed routers and 

 then delude, themselves with the idea t hat the offended suscepti- 

 bilities of challengers can be glamoured over by a vague 'mutual 

 agreement' clause. In fact, t he suggestion that this invertebrate 

 "mutual agreement' clause condones the general unfairness, 

 meanness and inquisitiveuess of tbe new deed is an insult to 

 the self-respect of a challenger." 



Lord Dunraven has also written to Mr. Stephen Peabody de- 

 clining to cross and race the 70-footers. 



The following editorials are suggestive as showing the present 

 sta'e of public opinion, there being on the one hand onlv a gen- 

 eral dissatisfaction over the cessation of international racing mid 

 the substitution of disputes and squabbles: while others are •Mia-' 

 still further, and after at last reading carefully the deed are as 

 open in its condemn a tion as the Forest and Stkk\m has been 

 from the first. The Commercial Advertiser discusses the matter as 

 follow?: 



"It is to be regretted that there is not to be au internal ional 

 yu.ct.i rnvfi this season; still more to be regretted is the reason for 

 this failure. Both sides wish a race. Great Britain has the 

 Valkyrie, a challenger last year, and the untried Iverua. 

 America has the unbeaten Volunteer and the Tiiania, the Kat- 

 rina and the Shamrock, eager to show their mettle. But a race 

 cannot be made because, as it appears, each side distrusts the 

 otber. The New Y'ork Y. C. fears that the Englishmen would 

 take advantage of the liberal conditions which governed the 

 America's Cup when the Gonesta, the Galatea and the Thistle 

 successively tired to capture it. Th« Royal Yacht Squadron de- 

 clares that the Americans have imposed new conditions which 

 are unfair. Whatever may be the merits of the cause of differ- 

 ence of opinion, surely the yachtsmen of both countries should be 

 eager to remove the stigma of mutual distrust which now seems 

 to rest upon them. Yacht racing is essentially a sport of gentle- 

 men. With no other contests is the very spirit of fairness more 

 closely aljied. The honor ot victory is alone sought, for. Fair 

 play is as necessary to a good yadht race as wind. Yet hero are 

 the yachtsmen of England and America conspicuous as the only 

 sportsmen who cannot arrange a trial of skill because of quibbles 

 about conditions. It is not an edifying spectacle." 



This is very good as far as it goes", all that the opponents of the 

 new deed have asked for is lair play and an open discussion of 

 technical questions on their merits and without national preju- 

 dice. When this is done thoroughly, there is no doubt but, that 

 the decision of the great body of American yachtsmen will be in 

 favor of absolutely fair and equal conditions between all parties 

 The Times handles the subject much more in detail in the follow- 

 ing language: 



"The New York Y. C. has again been informed that British 

 yachtsmen decline lo compete for the America's Cup under the 

 conditions laid down by tbe instrument known as the 'new deed 

 of gift.' The first section of the act of incorporation of this club 

 states that it is formed 'for the purpose of encouraging yacht 

 building and naval architecture and the cultivation of naval 

 science.' The original deed of gitt of the America's Cup con- 

 tained these words: Tf is to be distinctly understood that the Cup 

 is to be the. property of the club, and not of the members thereof 

 or owners of the vessel winning it in a, match; and that the condi- 

 tion of keeping it open to be sailed for by yacht clubs of all for- 

 eign countries upon the terms above laid down shall forever attach 

 to it, thus making it perpetually a challenge cup for friendly com- 

 petition between foreign countries.' Here are three facts 'which 

 resolutely refuse to be reconciled; and the New York Y. C. finds 

 itself in a hopelessly indefensible position. As an organization 

 for the purpose of encouraging yacht building and naval science 

 it was made the custodian of a challenge cup which came to he 

 recognized as the emblem of the yachting championship of the 

 world. It has been demonstrated that there is only one people, 

 the British, skillful enough in naval architecture to compete with 

 Americans tor that trophy. That people has, since the making of 

 the new deed of gift, refused to compete under these conditions 

 pronouncing them unsportsmanlike and unfair to the challenger 

 In view of the fact that the deed of gift provides that the chal- 

 lenger and the challenged 'may by mutual consent make any 

 arrangements satisfactory to both as to the dates, courses, num- 

 ber of trials, rules and sailing regulations, and any and all other 

 conditions of the match,' the present position of the New York 

 Y. C. invites criticism. The club knows, for it has been repeatedly 

 informed, that there can be no mutual consent as to any or all 

 conditions cf a match when another section of the deed contains 

 stipulations which render mutuality impossible. But the history 

 of the races for the America's Cup stiows that there has never been 

 any reciprocity in the arrangements. The New York Y. C. has 

 offered terms, and the Englishmen have had to accept them or 

 decline to race. 



"The original deed of gift contained a clause stipulating that 

 the challenging party should give six months' notice in writin" 

 'this notice to embrace the length, Custom House measurement 

 rig and name of the vessel.' In the second deed of gift this was 

 altered to read as follows: 'Accompanying the six months' notice 

 there must be a Custom House certificate of the measurement 

 and a .statement of the dimensions, rig and name of the vessel ' 

 The significant change is from 'length' to 'dimensions.' In the 

 new deed of gift now in force the clause reads thus: 'Accompany- 

 ing the ten months' notice of challenge there must be sent, the 

 name of the owner and a certificate of the name, rig and follow- 

 ing dimensions of the challenging vessel, namely: Length on 

 load waterline, beam at load waterline and extreme beam, and 



draft of water, which dimensions shall not be exceeded; and a 

 Custom House registry of the vessel must also be sent as soon as 

 possible.' Instead, therefore, of asking for a six months' notice 

 and the length of the challenging yacht, the New York Y. C. de- 

 mands ten months' warning and all the principal dimensions of 

 its antagonist. The object of t his demand is unmistakably and 

 painfully unsportsmanlike. Its purpose is to put into the hands 

 of the Americrn designer who maybe chosen to produce a Cup 

 defender data as to the power of the challenger, which shall 

 materially aid htm in laying down the lines of a. boat, to beat her. 

 It is to this stipulation that the British yachtsmen refuse assent. 

 They decline to sail under it and declare that they would not be 

 pleased to hold the Cup, if won, open to challenge from other 

 nat ions under such conditions, 



"Mr. George L. Schuyler, the only surviving donor of the Amer- 

 ica's Cup, has declared that he will never make another deed of 

 gift. It is unnecessary that he should do so. Let him destroy the 

 present one and also its predecessor and stand upon the original 

 deed, adding to it, by way of amendment, those new clauses of 

 the last deed which have been the product of practical experience 

 in the America's Cup races and not of a desire to heat the English- 

 men at all hazards. The new clause requiring all courses to be on 

 the open sea is admirable. It was made under protest, after fre- 

 quent refusals, out of respect for overwhelming public opinion. 

 The clause declaring that centerboard yachts must always be al- 

 lowed to compete was necessary. These should be retained, but 

 the demand for dimensions, which has proved to have a prohib- 

 itory effect on international racing, should be removed. The 

 leading yacht clubs of this country classify their vessels for rac- 

 ing according to length on the l.w.l. That is the only dimension 

 which we have any right to demand of the English challenger. 

 Wo have a right to know the precise classification of his boat. 

 The other required dimensions do not, enter into the practical 

 arrangements for the races in any way whatever, not even into 

 the measurements for time allowance, which has been abolished 

 by the new deed. Information which is not needed tor ( he busi- 

 ness of arranging the races is desired for some less satisfactory 

 purpose. The unsportsmanlike nature of that purpose if obvious. 

 The New York Y. 0. should abandon it once and for all, restore 

 activity to international yaehtiiig, and resume its legal functions 

 of encouraging yacht building and naval architecture aud the 

 cultivation of naval science." 



The question here brought up, of tho duties and obligations of 

 the holders of the Cup, is one that unfortunately ha3 been lost 

 sight of in the eagerness to keep the trophy in New York. The 

 duty of the New York Y. C, as interpreted by the frame rs Of the 

 new deed, is above all to keep the Gup; such details as fair play 

 and the common usage of yacht clubs are merely secondary. 



The Boston Herald quotes the following frank opinion of the 

 objectionable demand for dimensions, by Captain Arthur Clarke: 



"The letter of Naval Architect Herbert. Wynne Fairbrass, of 

 Heme Bay, Kent., Eng., recently published in the Herald, shows 

 conclusively that, a race for the. Cup will take place next. year. 

 Mr. Fairbrass has completed his plans and is ready to go ahead 

 with the work. If Mr. Fairbrass is wise be will eome over here 

 with a AO-footer, and then, so far as length goes, be cannot be 

 outbuilt. The New York Club has decided that the Cup must be 

 raced for under the new deed. Oa|it. Arthur Clarke is not a be- 

 liever in all that goes to make up the new deed and some of its 

 clauses he considers unfair. In asking for the leadline length, ho 

 says there cannot be any objection, but when the beeim at deck and 

 locidline, and draught eind senne other matters of design are called 

 for, it is like asliing to see one's hand in a game of cards, ami then 

 'playing yours against if." 



The letter alluded to is as follows: 



HteNts BAT, Rest, April 111, 189(1. 

 Arthur Warren, Esq., London. S. IF.: 



Dear Sib— I duly received your wire, but am bound not to make 

 any disclosures with regard to the proposed new cutter for 

 America Cup contest. I may, however, say that I bave'prepared 

 the necessary plans, and hope to put a, boat in hand on due course. 

 I may also add that my client is as well known over in New York 

 as he is over here. Yours, very truly, 



Herbert Wyjtne Faibbrass, A. 1. N. A. 



The name of Mr. Charles Sweet, former owner of Clara, is men- 

 tioned in connection with this letter, but Mr. Sweet has had one 

 experience with the legal luminaries of the New York Y. C, and 

 is hardly likely to wish another. 



THE LAUNCH OF THE IVERNA. 



r pHE launch of the new Jameson yacht Iverna is described as fol- 



JL lows in Land and Water of April 36: 



There was evidence last Saturday morning, in the attendance 

 at Fay's yard, Southampton, of tbe great amount of interest that 

 is centred in the new Iverna. She was successfully launched 

 at 11 A. M. that dav, and prior to the time of being put afloat 

 her lines were very keenly conned by many critical eyes, pro- 

 fessional and amateur. The inclination was general to make the 

 "old Irex" a standard whereby to judge the new cutter; and this 

 was nothing but natural, considering who are identified with 

 both. The Iverna is, however, widely different in shape to the 

 Irex, and the load-water length is really the only dimension in 

 which the. two boats are anywhere nearly identical. Like the Irex, 

 she was designed by Mr. A. Richardson, of Liverpool; built by 

 Messrs. Fay & Co.. of North am, Southampton; owned, by Mr. 

 John Jameson; of Dublin, and supervised in her construction bv 

 Oil plain W. O'Niell, of Southampton. 



The Iverna is decidedly a big-bodied vessel, but has not a large 

 wetted surface, and, with a fairly big sail plan, is likely to be 

 very fast in light weather, while her power is sure to tell in a 

 blow. The Irex was a phenomenal vessel on a reach in a lower sail 

 breeze, but the probabilities are that the Iverna will show the 

 ability of attaining higher rates of speed on going free, while by the 

 wind— a point in which the Irex failed— the new boat is likely to 

 excel. If the centerboard is an advantage the Iverna will not be 

 handicapped for the want of one, and if the "barn door" does not 

 find favor the. space in the lead keel can easily bo filled up. The 

 boat does not look that she will require the mechanical aid of a 

 drop keel to make her hang to windward, and will not be light- 

 headed for want of gripe, not lack lateral resistance in regard to 

 depth. The forefoot comes round with a pleasing sweep, but 

 there is something outre in the exceeding rake of the pd&t— pOdek., 

 we heard. This cutting away, of course, modifies the surface area 

 of the hull, and the rudder, the post of which jogs iu above the 

 lead keel, is small for a vessel of Iverna's weight. She has been 

 prettily sheered with a bold spring forward, and rather quick run- 

 up from about the sternpostto the extremity of a long light coun- 

 ter. She has a gracefully-lined cutwater, and the fashionable 

 fiddle head, and on the tail boards appears the Jameson gold star, 

 and there is a little carved gilt work on eit her quarter. With 

 4ft. more beam, and about lift, more length over all than the 

 Irex, the Iverna shows a splendid deck, and the deck fittings and 

 ironwork at once suggest a study. Mr. Richardson deserves 

 credit for the plan he has adopted in fitting the chain plates and 

 runners plates, and it would be desirable to adopt the same method 

 in future composite yachts. Tho cabin plan is very much the 

 same as the Irex, and pencil cedar, Hungarian ash, and American 

 walnut is mainly used in the fittings. Only two small cases in 

 connection with the centerhoard break the space above the cabin 

 floor, and we believe that O'Niell has perfected a plan of working 

 the contrivance, and making the lowering and raising of the board 

 easy when the vessel is traveling at high speeds. The sail plan 

 is ample, but not excessive, and will, we believe, come out about 

 400sq. ft. less than the Thistle's cut-down spread. Appended are 

 the principal dimensions of the Iverna's measurement of spars, 

 etc.:— Length on water-line, about 81ft.; breadth, extreme. 10ft.: 

 length over all, about 110ft, ; draught of water, 1354ft.; draught of 

 water with centre-board down, about 21ft.; weight of lead keel, 

 "il tons 13cwt.; length of mast deck to hounds, 5Gft.; length of bow- 

 sprit outboard, 31ft.; length of mainboom, 77ft.; length of yaff, 

 •19ft.; length of topmast, 47ft.; length of spinnaker boom, 68ft.; 

 length of working topsailyarri, 44ft.: sail area about, 8,300sq. ft.; 

 rating by Yacht Racing Association measurement 115. If may be 

 mentioned that the mainboom of the Thistle was Sift. 4in. when 

 she sailed in America, and that of the Volunteer 82ft. Sin: The 

 sails have been made by Messrs. Ratsey & Lapthorn, of Cowes. 

 Iverna will, of course, have a "laced" mainsail, but a jackyard 

 topsail will not: be included in her outfit. 



Neither the owner nor Mr. W. G. Jameson were able to be 

 present at the launch, but, among others, we noticed Mr. G. L. 

 Watson, Mr. B. Nicholson, and the veteran Captain John Nicholls. 

 The christening ceremony was performed by Miss Cox. daughter 

 of otic of the directors of Fay & Co. 



The Iverna is getting on rapidly with her outfit, Captain O'Niell 

 having had everything ready in standing and running gear to go 

 into its place, and probably by the end of next week the vessel 

 will be nearly fit to go out on a trial spin. 



Thefollowing particulars of the origin of the name are given by a 

 correspondent of the Field: "As the name of the new yacht Iverna 

 has been variously rendered and conjec tured upon, i should like 

 to point out that in all probability the Greek lerne and the Latin 

 Hibernia were derived from the native name Etrin. Iern6, or 

 lernis, is the best Greek form of the word, and Hibernia the best 

 Latin form— Orph. Arg. 1186. Strabo and Aristotle also use lerne 

 or lernis. Two other Greek forms are found, however— viz., 



fvernia in Ptolemy and Iris in Diodorus Siculus. As to the 

 Latin word Hibernia, it is used by Ciesar, Pliny, and Tacitus, and 

 seems to be the more usual one. In P. Mela, Iverna (or, as same 

 commentators think, Juverna) is found. A commentator on Diod. 

 Sic. remarks that it is not easily explained why that author should 

 use Iris when all others use Hibernia, Iverna, or lerne, but sup- 

 poses that, as Eirin is the namo given to the island by the abori- 

 gines. Iris is only a corruption of the native name. lerne is 

 evidently the oldest form of the word, from its appearing in 

 Orpheus', and was probably formed by the Greeks from the native 

 name, as was Hibernia by the Latins of which latter I vcrnia is 

 plainly only a Greek transliteration. That. Hibernia and Iverna 

 are the. same is evident from the fact that b and v were probably 

 nearly interchangeable iu Latin pronunciation, the Romans per- 

 haps writing Hibernia by some analogy with tho Iberi and Iberia. 

 — G. K." 



CORINTHIAN MOSQUITO FLEET.— The open spring regatta 

 of the Corinthian Mosquito Fleet will be sailed on May 17 on Echo 

 Bay, the conditions beiug as follows: A pleasure boat of any 

 model or rig will be eligible, if said boat be not longer than 20ft. 

 l.w.l. There shall be no restriction on sail area, and any kind of 

 a sail may be carried, but no t wo sails of the same name shall be 

 set at the same time. No boat entered shall carry more than two 

 persons. After the preparatory signal no ballast or dead weight 

 of any kind shall he taken on board or put out. No ballast shall 

 be shifted during the race, or any out-rigger used for moving out- 

 board (canoes excepted). All boats, except canoes, will be classi- 

 fied according to their rig andl.w.l. measurement, time allowance 

 being given in their re pective classes on l.w.l. measurement. 

 Canoes will be classified and sailed according to the rules govern- 

 ing regattas of the American Canoe Association, except when in 

 competition with other boats for fastest time over the course, in 

 which event they will sail on the corrected time of this associa- 

 tion. St. Lawrence skiffs will be classed as such (and not as 

 canoes) and will receive special prizes. The classes are: 1, 17ft. 

 tiin to 20ft.; 2. 15ft. to 17ft. Gin.; 8, 12ft. Gin. to 15ft.; 4, under 12ft. 

 Gin. The course for all classes will be around a triangle, from 

 starting line off Echo Bay to red and black spar buoy north of 

 Execution Light, thence to red spar buoy east from starting line 

 one mile, thence back to starting line, leaving all buoys oh port 

 hand, crossing the finishing linn in the same direction as when 

 starting, two rounds, 8 miles. The start will be made at about 11 

 o'clock. This regatta will take place rain or shine. Regatta 

 committee: Dr. F. M. Wilson (chairman), 327 State street. Bridge- 

 port, Coun.; Dr. F. S. Grant, 120 Broadway, N. Y.; Mr. James M. 

 Motley, 43 John street, N. Y. The next regatta of the fleet will be 

 sailed off Larchmont on May 31. 



MONTGOMERY SAILING C— Second regatta. May 4.— Norris- 

 town to Indian Creek and return. Weather cloudy with light 

 rain. Wind fresh southerly: 



Length. Corrected. 



Starlight, canoe 10.00 1 03 40 



Sadie, canoe 16.00 1 04 10 



Igidious, tuckup 15.00 1 07 OU 



Iola. ducker 15.00 1 08 10 



Nellie, tuckup 15.00 1 10 00 



Stranger, sharpie 16.00 1 23 00 



Gracie, skiff 12.00 123 50 



Vesuvius, tuckup 15.00 1 24 20 



Katie L., tuckup 15,00 I 26 00 



Priscilla, tuckup 15.00 I SO 00 



J. S. Lover, tuckup 15.00 Capsized. 



Volunteer, tuckup lfLOO Withdrawn. 



Pennsylvania, hiker 16.00 Withdrawn. 



The Volunteer aud Pennsylvania stopped to help the crew of the 

 capsized boat, and thereby lost their positions ahead of Katie L. 



QUAKER CITY Y. C— The following fixtures have been ar- 

 ranged for the coming seasons: May 30, opening cruise, particu- 

 lars in fut ure orders; June 9, annual regatta over the club course, 

 from Gloucester to Marcus Hook and return; June 28, pennant 

 regatta; July 4 to 6, club cruise, particulars to be announced; July 

 20, pennant regatta; Aug. 2 to 16, annual cruise iu Long Island 

 .Sound; Sept. li. pennant regatta: Sept. 27, closing cruise and re- 

 view. All yachts enrolled in the club will be considered as entered 

 for the pennant races, which will be sailed under Corinthian 

 rules. The yacht in each class winning two of the three races will 

 he awarded a champion pennant of her class. Classification, 

 courses and other particulars will be announced by the regatta 

 committee iu their circulars for each race. 



NO MORE USE FOR THE SKIMMING DISH— The Boston 

 Herald comments as follows on the present tendencies of modern 

 designing in America: "Oa the design of the hull there is now 

 the greatest difference, but, judged hy some of the last Burgess 

 boats— Wayward and Salad in, for instance— certainly if the thing 

 goes on, 'British ward' is the road we are going. The boats of to- 

 day have little that is American left in them. The sail plan and 

 rig of the British have been adopted, and the old-time Yankee 

 sloop of the Fanny type has no caU in the market. 'Give me a 

 wide beam, shallow centerboard yacht to race with,' is the crv of 

 Capiains Half, Crocker and other expert skippers. 'None of your 

 deep-heeled boats for me,' these captains say. While all the forties 

 have been built on ideas not wholly American, tbe query might 

 well be asked, 'Who will build a Yankee 40ft. skimming dish ?' 

 Until one has been built the advocates of the 'skimmer' may still 

 hold forth." This reminds of a remark made some ume since by 

 Mr. Watson, to the effect that: the chickens were Yankee, but the'v 

 were hatched from British eggs. 



OBITUARY.— The New York Y. C. has lately lost two of its 

 oldest members, Mr. Fletcher Westray, who joined in 1855: and 

 Mr. A. 0. Kingsland, who joined three years later. Mr. Kings- 

 land wa3 the owner of the old Alarm, schr., lately broken up. Mr. 

 Frank L. James, owner of the steam yacht Lancashire Witch, 

 who lately sailed ou a long cruise, was fatally injured hy a 

 wounded elephant while on a hunting expedition, on the Gaboon 

 River, in Africa, on April 21. The yacht is now on her way home 

 with his body. Capt. Jake Schmidt, si well-known as a builder 

 and sailer of open boats about New York, died last week at Tomp- 

 kinsvillc, Staten Island. Captain Schmidt was at the height of 

 his fame between 1876 -'80, when his boats Dare Devil, Pluck and 

 Luck and Parole were almost invincible. Of late years he and 

 his dog Sailor were. faniiJar figures on the stakeboat at all promi- 

 nent races. Sailor was one of the first to windward on each tack, 

 his weight counting considerably. He was once sent ashore by 

 tbe judges in a race where the crew was limited, being counted 

 in as an extra hand. 



LARCHMONT Y. C.-The formal opening of the season took 

 place on May 10, Com. Lowery firing the gun at 4 P. M. After 

 dinner a meeting was held, at which the report of the measure- 

 ment committee, as published last week, was adopted, and classi- 

 fication by corrected length became the law of the club. It is a 

 noteworthy fact that this club, the last of the large (dubs to give 

 the mean length rule, should in doing so go further than any 

 others in the way of giving a fair rule and liberal allowance 

 table. Of course it will be. a difficult matter to arrange perma- 

 ment classes under the new rule, but this season the woik will he 

 experimental; and while it is likely to add a special interest to 

 the Larchmont races, it will do much to help the other clubs in 

 arranging permanent classes when the same rule comes to be 

 adopted by them. 



THISTLE.— Thistle, cutter, has been fitted out on the Clvdo for 

 the corning yacht-racing season. She is now owned by Mr.' James 

 Bell, of Glasgow, and will be under the charge of Robert Duncan, 

 who sailed Mr. Coats's Marjorie in all her matches. The Thistle 

 lias had her wings clipped, but the mast has not been cut, and, 

 instead of a sail area of 9,950 sq. ft. and a rating of 154, as in 1887, 

 She will be reduced to about 8,700 sq. ft. sail area and 125 rating. 

 At this computation she will have to concede the new Iverna 

 about l^min. over a 10 mile course,. The Thistle is under orders 

 to leave the Clyde early next month for the Thames— Land and 

 Wate>r. 



PORT TACK GIVES WAY.-If the following amendment to 

 the sailing rules of the New York Y. C. is approved at the meet- 

 ing to-night some sailor men will have to study up the question, 

 which is the port tack. The proposed rule is due to the flagrant 

 violation of the rules of the road, and the disregard of the rights 

 of smaller vessels on the part of some of the larger schooners 

 last year. It reads: "Any yacht violating the rar ing rules of this 

 club, or the Government regulation as to the rules of the road, 

 shall, at the discretion of the regatta committee, be debarred 

 from entering any race of the club, or races held under its man- 

 agement, for such time as shall in their discretion be deemed 

 advisable." 



a; Sept. 1 



and 40- 

 Oct. 4, 



has been sold to ^^MSk^M^^S^S^^^^^^m^^ 



