874 



FOREST AND STREAM, 



[Oct. 28, 1893. 



VslUtyrie apniiig her mast on the windward work, and that Captain 

 Cranfleld did not dare to put sail on; but such has proved to be the 

 case, as the mast has been condemned and a new one ordered for next 

 season, the stick having split just below the hounds. Further than 

 this, we understand that Valkyrie dropped her topsail yards overboard 

 before the start, not expecting to use them, a refinenjent of racing 

 which has mainly come in this season and which is not to be com- 

 mended. 



We cannot speak as to the esact condition of Valkyrie's mast, and 

 the possible danger of a serious disaster in carrying It away: but there 

 are some instructive points of comparison which present themselves 

 in connection with the latter half of a race that promises to be histori- 

 cal. Valkyrie set her first spinaker admirably, taking barely two min- 

 utes to do it, but the sail should have been set in stops and broken out, 

 in which case it could have been better tacked down. She sliould, had 

 her mast permitted it, have set a balloon jibtopsail at once, instead of 

 the large jibtopsail ; and she should then have set a clubtopsa.il, even 

 though her small reef might not have paid for the trouble of shaking 

 out. The work with the torn spinakers was beyond criticism, the 

 crew worked rapidly and dextrously under very discouraging circum- 

 stances. 



Vigilant was very slow with her spinaker, taking at least 5m,, and 

 then the sail was not tacked down. She was also in trouble with her 

 balloon jibtopsail, the spinaker fouling on a hank, just as in Valkyrie, 

 and being cleared after some delay by a man who went down the stay. 

 Apart from these two blunders, or mishaps, the work ou the run was 

 deserving of the highest praise. Every chance wa.s taken in piling on 

 light sails in a strong and rising wind, and the \v(irk of shakirg out 

 the reef, lashing the working topsail and setting the clubtopsail over 

 it was done rapidly and skillfully. 



It is also a question as to the exact merits of the rigging on the two 

 yachts, that on Valkyrie is certainly strong and heavy enough, and 

 yet her mast sprung, the result, probably, of a long and heavy gaff. 

 Opinions differ as to the esact merit, of the rigging which Mr. Herres- 

 hofl has put on Vigilant and Colonia; it is novel and ingenious, and 

 has stood the test of this season successfully, but there is a question 



Set as to its durability, and more than eight or nine races, nearly all in 

 ght weather, will be required to settle it. The masthead shrouds 

 and the double stays down the foreside of the mast certainly hold the 

 spar perfectly to all appearances, but it is a question vvitl/nmny ex- 

 perienced sailors whether the large number of stays and the neces- 

 sity for the perfect adjustment of the strain on each is not in itself a 

 serious element of weakness. 



On behalf of Vigilant's performance in this race, it has been urged 

 by her friends that the centerboard was not working properly, but 

 there is good ground for doubt as to the material loss from this cause 

 Mr. Iselin states that the Tttmrd could only be lowered lift., but this 

 means a total draft of at least 2.5ft , which it is claimed is inadequate 

 for proper windward work. .Just how deep Vigilant's board can be 

 dropped we do not know, but it would seem as though a draft of 25ft. 

 should be nearly enough for an American centerboard sloop to work 

 with, and that the lack of greater draft could hardly be a serious 

 hindrance. In many of the large centerboard boats, such as Volun- 

 teer and Lascfl, the best windward work is done with much less than 

 the whole drop of the board. Off the wind the board was raised by a 

 tackle until but ,5ft. projected below the keel, and as this is of polished 

 Tobin bronze the resistance could hardly be serious in view of the 

 wide keel which Valkyrie managed to carry to leeward. 



To our mind the remarks of the Herald concerning Valkyrie's light 

 spinaker, as quoted in Capt. Beckwith's letter, apply very closely to 

 the loaded centerboard of .great size. A weight of three or four tons, 

 loosely hung beneath the boat, supported by a chain which is inaccess- 

 ible save by the aid of a diver, is a most undesirable and unseaworthy 

 appliance, and puts a new aspect on the question of the centerboard 

 in seagoing vessels. Both Navahoe and Vigilant have experienced 

 trouble with the lifting gear or chain, and it is easy to imagine that 

 the parting of the chain, even in such a sea as in the last race, while 

 not a remote contingency, might be a most serious one, involving 

 even the loss fo the vessel. 



In the various comments both in England and America, on the result 

 of the races, there is evident quite a general disposition to make the 

 centerboard, as of old, the great point of difference. In the case of 

 the EngUsh, who know little or nothing about centerboard boats, as 

 has been repeatedly proved, this may be excused; but American 

 yachtsmen have had before them for some years a far wider series of 

 practical demonstrations, which should have disabused them of an- 

 cient fallacies, and of theories which, though once correct, are npw 

 obsolete. 



Leaving out the question of rig, whjch has disappeared in the uni- 

 versal adoption of a modified and improved cutter rig by both sides, 

 the original issue of centerboard I's. keel involved two vital points of 

 design— power and lateral resistance. The centerboard sloop em- 

 bodied the idea of an excess of power at all moderate angles of heel, 

 derived from excessive beam, and of ample lateral plane in a most 

 effective form in the centerboard. The keel cutter, on the contrary, 

 through her narrow beam and low lead, possessed a very moderate 

 amount of power at normal saiUng angles, though coupled with an 

 unUmited reserve for purposes of safety: and her latpral plane, de- 

 pendent on the form of the hull alone, was but moderate in area and 

 ineffective through its curved form and the great angle of heel. 



It requires no deep knowledge of designing or naval architecture to 

 perceive that these old and extreme points of difference no longer 

 exist in the two vessels now under discussion. Both possess ample 

 power for match sailing, as well as reserve stability for mere safety 

 from capsize, through their great beam and extreme low lead Both 

 also possess a very large and effective lateral plane in the hull alone, 

 apart from the centerbo-ard; even in Vigilant the board is not re- 

 quired for windward work in cruising or ordinary sailing, but only in 

 racing, and with the centerboard fully housed, or with the slot filled 

 with lead, she would unquestionably defeat any keel cutter buih be- 

 fore this year, such as Thistle, Iverna, Irex or Genesta. 



In the old type of boat the board was everything; with it jammed, 

 lost or otherwise disabled, the boat was a helpless hulk so far as wind- 

 ward work was concerned; but in Vigilant the board has shrunken to 

 the position of a mere auxiliary, intended to give a necessary but very 

 moderate increase of weatherly ability. While Vigilant would un- 

 questionably be slower than Valkyrie without her lioard, just asis 

 Colonia, it is by no means the case that Valkyrie could be maie in any 

 way better to windward by the addition of a "board; in fact she stands 

 nearly or quite even with Vigilant to-day in pointing and in holding 

 on, in this respect presenting a very marked contrast with all of the 

 older cutters that have raced for the Cup. There is no denying the 

 equality, if not the absolute superior! lv, of the keel over the center- 

 board in the 30, 40 and 46ft, classes, and Valkyrie has shown herself as 

 a boat of remarkable weather ly power in the largest class. 



Valkyrie certainly would not be improved by the addition of a center- 

 board; and on the other hand, there is good proof that Vigilant, if 

 deprived of her board, could be made quite as fast and weatherly by 

 the addition of a deeper keel. 



Assuming for the moment that with an increase of draft of about 

 3ft., making her as deep as Valkyrie, Vigilant would be as fast as she 

 now is with a centerboard, the main points of difference are more 

 clearly visible. In the first place Vigilant's driving power is greater 

 by 12 per cent , a radical difference in the average racing weather. Ivo 

 less important is the extra beam of 3 to 4ft , coupled with an extreme 

 hollow section with its higher center of buoyancy and an equally low 

 center of gravity. 



It is no longer a case of moderate beam and ample power against 

 narrow beam and insufficient power; but of extreme beam and ex- 

 treme high power against moderate beam and absolutely high power. 

 In short, the superior speed which we freely concede to 'S'igilant in 

 topsaU breezes, is not due, as in the case of Thistle and Genesta, to 

 marked deficiences as compared with the new American yachts of 

 their class; but solely to the fact that in her the designer has gone to 

 far greater extremes in dimensions and power than his predecessors 

 have deemed necessary or expedient: and in doing this he has pro- 

 duced a vessel that, while very fast under certain conditions, is nearer 

 to the machine and fiu-ther than anything of her size before floated 

 from that vague ideal which we all cherish of a sailorman's yacht. 



Whether such an advance is either legitimate or desirable is hardly 

 a matter for discussion in the present state of yachting, when the best 

 of authorities either have no opinions on the question of restricting 

 design and encouraging or discouraging certaui types, or else are 

 afraid to express them. With perhaps certain reserv.Ttinns iu the 

 matter of unhmited crew and the measurement of the waturline, we 

 are content to assume that Mr. Herreshoff has acted fairly and wisely 

 in Introducing in the largest class a type which, by general consent, 

 has heretofore been confined to yachts of 40ft. and'imder; but we do 

 wish to point out clearly and emphatically to English and Americans 

 alike, that in these great modern racers the question of keel or center- 

 board is solely one of detail, and that the real essence of the discus- 

 sion hes in the application of extreme power on a given length, to 

 meet certain conditions which generally, but not invariably, decide 

 the winner in American racmg. 



Society of Naval ArcMtects and Marine Engineers. 



The first general meeting of the Society of Naval Architects and 

 Marine Engineers will take place in New York at 10 A. M., Thursday 

 Nov. 16, 1893. Through the courtesy of the president and managers 

 of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the meetings wilt 

 be held in the rooms of that society. No. 12 West Thirty-first street 

 the sessions extending through Thursday and Friday, Nov. 16 and 17. 



The society was organized last winter with every prospect of suc- 

 cess, the leading men in shipbuilding circles being interested in it. At 

 tJie coiping meeting sQflie fovirte^n papers wiU be read, 



How a Yacht Race is Reported. 



Thjs problem of publishing in an evening newspaper on the days 

 when tliey were held accurate descriptions of the races for the 

 America's Cup, sailed as they were on the ocean, for the most part 

 out of distinct sight, at least of land, was solved by the Evening Post 

 by recourse to rather unusual means. The progre.'ss of each race was 

 related in the successive editions up to the point reached a few minutes 

 before the appearance of the paper on the streets, and in an extra 

 edition, issued in as short a time after the fiuish gun oroclaiaied the 

 result, the story of the whole race was told, in some detail. 



The races, as is well known, were begun at Sandy Hook Lightship, 

 which IS anchored eight miles from the point of Sandy Hook— the 

 nearest land— and about the same distance from the Navesink and 

 Atlantic Highlands of New Jersey the highest points within sight, and 

 eleven, nine and twelve miles respectively from Coney Island, Eocka- 

 way and Far Eoekaway— the only available place for observation 

 from the Long Island shore. At all of these places it was necessary to 

 establish the best obtainable means of observation, so as to provide 

 against the chances of failure at any of them on accouut of fog, in- 

 terference by passing vessels or the attending fleet, or any other of 

 numerous possible causes of mistake or delay. To make the most of 

 these coigns of vantage, such as they were, it was essential to have at 

 each of them telescopes of great power. Even from Sa.ndy Hook or 

 the hills at the Highlands the naked eye, under the most favorable 

 conditions, was useless at such a distance. These glasses are not 

 easily obtained; they are very costly and of such size that the trans- 

 portation of them, nicely adjusted and fragile as they are, is a difficult 

 matter, especially to places so comparatively inaccessible as are those 

 mentioned, most of them being used chiefly by the marine observers, 

 who report the arrival of the incoming ships. 'These men, by the way, 

 have strong glasses for their work, but even they have been found 

 inadequate for following these yacht races with distinctness; the 

 marine observers are satisfied if they can make out large steamers 

 after they pass the lightship: the reporters had to dist inguish small 

 yachts starting from the lightship from among a great fleet of other 

 boats, and keep track of them fifteen miles further away, that is, for 

 a distance in one case of nearly twenty-three miles fro'm the High- 

 lands. 



One of the glasses^ used there was an astronomical telescope, re- 

 quiring the services of three men to carry, and with a maximum mag- 

 nifying power of 400. Lower-power lenses could be substituted in case 

 of fog or haze. An observer thoroughly accustomed to the use of the 

 glass and calculations of distances by means of it made the most ef- 

 fective use of this fine instrument. As an instance of its power it may 

 be mentioned that in one of the races over the coarse, fifteen miles to 

 windward and return, the time of turning the i sur-r stakeboat, twenty- 

 one miles from where the glass was mo'i' ; r hen through it, was 

 within six seconds of Vigilant's official ; i : i : . me seconcis of Val- 

 kyrie's, stop-watches being employed u-, '.-.h Nii l ue record as accu- 

 rately as possible. The apparent horizon fi-oni i iris elevated point was 

 about twenty-three miles distant. To insure safe carriage of this tele- 

 scope it had to be conveyed from its owner's house near this city to 

 the Highlands hy wagon. 



In addition to these places, which were useful principally for view- 

 ing the start and finish, other stations were set up further along the 

 coasts of New Jersey and Long Island, so as to make sure of having 

 observers constantly as near to the racing yachts as practicable. The 

 direction of the two courses over which the races were sailed alter- 

 nately was governed by the wind prevailing at the time of the start, 

 and the line followed by the yachts might at any time be affected by 

 changes of the breeze, as it actuaUy was on more than one occasion. 

 Course No. 1, for instance, fifteen miles against the wind and back, 

 might be from the Lightship to a stakeboat at a. point more or less off 

 shore from Long Beach on the Long Island side or from Asbury Park 

 on the New Jersey side, or it might be straight out to sea. In the first 

 case Eoekaway, Far Rockaway, Long Beach and Fire Island were the 

 points from which to see it. In the last the progress of the race was 

 most distinctly in view from Seabright, Long Branch and Asbury 

 Park- In the event of a course straight out to s^a each of these points 

 might at times be found successively the best, as the yachts in going 

 to windward must tack first toward one shore, then to another. The 

 same was true of course No, 2, tliirty miles around an equilateral tri- 

 angle beginning at the same place as the other, except that for this 

 course no observers were needed as far away as Asbury Park or Fire 

 Island, as the stakeboats would not be anchored far be.yond Far Rock- 

 away near the one shore or Long Branch near the other. 



But while it was of prime importance that the reporters at these 

 points should have the best possible means of seeing the race, their 

 observations were worthless in New York unless their reports could 

 be transmitted here without loss of an instant that could be saved. 

 To guard against this the men had command of special rapid tele- 

 graph operators, with telegraph instruments as near to them as they 

 could be set up, and assistants ready to carry to the wires each sen- 

 tence as it was written. In some instances long-distance telephones 

 were pressed into the urgent se.I:^'^ee with good results. 



By these means every movement of the yachts was flashed to the 

 office in New Y'ork as quickly as what was seen could be sent, by 

 fingers deft in writing and telegraph ticking, or by voice over the 

 electric wires. 



But experience had taught that the best obser'cations from shore, 

 no matter how powerful the glasses or how numerous the lines of 

 vision, were not absolutely to be reUed upon. When the yachts were 

 running along a straight line before the wind or on a broad reach, 

 their relative positions and speed might be determined with fair 

 accuracy, but in the fight against the wind, where short tacks were 

 the order and windward position rather than speed through the water 

 was the measure of advantage, only those who followed' the race on 

 boats could properly describe its progress. Formerly this was left 

 to the newspaper of the next morning to do. This time the evenmg 

 newspaper, whose object it is to pubUsh aU the news of the day that can 

 be secured, wherever it originates, before the paper goes' to press, 

 determined that the yacht races, in which public interest was so great, 

 should be no exception to its rule of forestalling the belated morning 

 paper. 



Two of the fastest ocean tugs in the harbor were chartered, boats 

 able to steam at a high rate of speed in any sea. They were provided 

 with surf boats, a life-hne caimon for throwing a projectile ashore 

 carrying with it a rope, twenty homing pigeons of tested speed, and 

 telegraph operators who could be landed at any point along the Long 

 Island or New Jersey shores. It was the duty of one of these tugs to 

 follow the yachts from their anchorage at Bay Ridge to the starting 

 point, and thence over the course from start to finish. From time to 

 time a pigeon was sent oft', bearing a message telling of the race, to 

 cotes at Tompkinsvflle, S. L, and Seabright, N. J. The birds had been 

 trained to this work during the month before the races by being taken 

 out every dnx and released near Sandy Hook. In this way they be- 

 came accustomed to the routes they had to travel during'the races, 

 and by the time of the first race had improved greatly in speed and 

 precision, one of them which took forty-eight ininutes to fly from 

 Sandy Hook Point on its first practice flight to Tompkinsvifle having 

 covered the distance the day before the race in twenty-four minutes. 

 So as to make the most of these swift carriers, a typewriter was used 

 on the tug, by means of which as many words as possible might be 

 put on the single sheet of tissue paper with which a bird may bs safely 

 freighted. The best work done in this way was by a iiigeon whu-h bore 

 a sheet containing 821 words from a point six miir.s east of the IJght- 

 ship to Tompkinsville in forty-eight miuutes. From Seabright and 

 Tompkinsville these messages were telegraphed or telephoned. By 

 one of these pigeons news of the accident to Valkyrie that de'ayed the 

 start of the last race was brought to this city before the committee on 

 the flagship knew of it. 



The second tug was employed as a tender to the other. Its part was 

 to carry "copy"— that is, the accounts of the race written on the first 

 tug— to the nearest point of land. A watertight tin can was used for 

 making the transfer from one tug to the other. The manuscript was 

 wrapped in canvas and placed in the tin box. to which was attached a 

 strong line. This line was thrown from the first tug to the tender, as 

 it was generally impossible to bring the tugs together in the heavy 

 seas, and by that means the box was hauled aboard the tender through 

 the '^ ater. All steam was then made by the second tug to a point as 

 near land as possible, whence, if the surf permitted, the manui^cript 

 was sent ashore by the surf-boat. If the waves were so high that the 

 boat could not safely be landed, the cannon could be brought mto 

 play, ilie projectile being shot across the high waves, and by means of 

 the line, it carried the tin box containing the "copy" once liiore pulled 

 through the water, this time to land. If the surf-boat could be used, 

 the telegraph operators were sent with it so as to insure speedy trans- 

 mission of the message to New York. More than once the surf-boat 

 barely escaped being swamped, and some of the men in it had a more 

 practical taste of salt water than they bargained for when they set 

 out for the races. Serious accident was guarded against b}^ men sta- 

 tioned at places along the shore where the tug would be likely to go 

 in. They stood by with surf-boats ready to be launched in case of 

 emergency or to haul in the line carried to them by the projectile. A 

 system of Morse code signals on the tug's whistle was devised to ap- 

 prise the men on shore of the intentions of those on the tug, so that 

 there might be no misunderstanding. 



The same signals conveyed messages from tug to tug, when they 

 were far apart, in case of urgency, and in this way it was found pos- 

 sible to report the final stages of the races from the tug which was 

 following tue yachts to the other whfle the latter was near shore, thus 

 saving: time in getting the news to the wires. Signal men expert in 

 the wigwag system were also found of service for this purpose between 

 the tugs and thence ashore, but they were only effective at compara- 

 tively close range. 



The men stationed along shore were obliged to keep bicycles in 

 rea4inesB ^ <ip lose no tape getting to t}ie nearest telegraph station 



with "oopy," fitidina- them faster in most cases than horses, where the 

 road.s were good, ijnce. when neither biovele nor horse was procur- 

 ablfi biitween the Atlantic Highlands arid Navesink, an unattached 

 locomotive on the Jersey Southern Railroad was found of good ser- 

 vice in .Lfettiiitr ."i report from the tug to the wires in quick time. 



The attemj.r, of an hiventive genius to use kites tlown from a tug to 

 siFtuil the position of the yachts proved impracticable. 



\\\t]i .such numerous sources of infornu^timi it will be readily im- 

 agined that the office in New York was bp.sie£;ed with reports while the 

 ra'2es were on; and as the points of view alom.- the line from which 

 they came varied, so, frequently, did the pnrporr of the tnessages that 

 came in. As the fufl description from the tuy- was received it super- 

 seded the less dependable bulletins from shire, Tn tJiis wav. for every 

 column published despatches that would have filled ten probablv were 

 received, involving no little assortment and condensation. But that is 

 an ordinary part of making a newspaper — &\'ew«i()f Post. 



Move Myths. 



The New York Sun has discovered the inventor of the centerboard 

 in the person of a New York hoatbuilder, as told in an interesting 

 article last week. While the story may be in part correct, it is cer- 

 tain that the first use of the centerboard dates back some fifty years 

 prior to the alleged date. The story brought forth the foUowing 

 reply, which covers all the essential points: 



To the JSditor of the Sun: In the .S'lwi, of yesterday appears, under 

 the heading of "A Cherry Street Device," an interesting account of 

 what purports to be the origin of the "centerboard." in which account 

 it is claimed that this device was first brought into use by Salem 

 Wines shortly after the year 1820. I would not detract from the 

 merits of any man who may have assisted in the introduction of this 

 useful feature in the modern sailing craft, and very likely much 

 credit may be due Mr. Wines for this introduction; lint for the inter- 

 est of verity in history, let me say that the use of the centerboard in 

 vessels about half a century previous to the dnte named for Mr. 

 Wines's invention appears to be sufliciently weU established. In the 

 Meld for Oct. 15, 1887, and again in the number for the week following 

 may be found detailed particulars of. the introduction of the center- 

 board into several vessels by the British Admiralty from 1774 onward, 

 through the suggestion and advocacy of Admiral John Schank, the 

 earliest of which were used upon the America.n lakes during the war 

 of the Revolution. The account in the Field gives extracts from 

 magazines of the period, which extracts furnish particulars of trial 

 trips made in the summers of 1791 and 1792, with small vessels built 

 with centerboards in them by the Government for experimental pur- 

 poses. One such experiment was with the Trial, cutter, and was made 

 off Gravesend on July 3, 1798. The same account states that the sixty- 

 ton brig Lady Nelson, fitted with centerboards, left the Thames River 

 for Australia, in January, 1800, and that her model is now in the 

 Naval Museum at Greenwich. The results of these different experi- 

 ments seem to have given satisfaction, but do not seem to have led to 

 the common use of the centerboard in transatlantic vessels, and indeed 

 for coast service, in yachts or trading vessels fexcepting, perhaps, for 

 certain ports and localities), the centerboard doubtless better meets 

 the requirements of these waters than it does those of Europe. Very 

 respectfully yours, John Hyslop. 



The following letter is interesting merely as another erroneous ver- 

 sion of an old tale: 



"To Ihe Ed ilor of the Sun: Ha.ving a vivid recollection of the trip 

 of the schooner America to England to capture the Queen's Cup, and 

 that she won tlie .said cup, and never having heard it contradicted. I 

 submit the fohowing: On the night preceding the race the owners on 

 hoard the America were notified that the schooner America was ruled 

 out and could not contend for the cup, as it was a rifle of the club 

 that cotnpeting yachts must be owned by but one owner, and as the 

 America had several owners she was therefore disqualified. The next 

 day (Aug. 21, 1851) the America sailed from Cowes at the moment the 

 regatta sailed from Ryde, and although the distance sailed by the 

 America was nine miles longer she heat them -with ridiculous" ease. 

 Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and young Albert Edward paid a com- 

 plimentary visit, however, to the winning yacht that did not get the 

 prize. When the t^ueen took her leave .she gave a polite invitation to 

 the yachtsmen to visit her at Osborne. The Queen presented thera 

 with another Queen's Cup. an exact dnplicjire of the Queen's Cup for 

 which they had not been allowed to coiupete. Tliis is the cup that 

 was brought home by the schooner Auierica, and deposited by Mr. 

 John O Stevens and his friends in the hands of the New- York Y. C, 

 and which has ever since been the bone of contention. Respectfully 

 submitted, T. B. Tompkins." 



The First Race for the America's Cup. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In your issue of Oct. 21, 1 notice an irreverent editorial allusion to 

 "the touching incident of the Queen and Quartermaster, or 'Your 

 Majesty, there is no second," " followed by an intimation that the story 

 had not the, slightest foundation. While this may be strictly true in 

 one sense it IS n()t quite so true in another. If I were to assert that 

 the story was published in good faith by a reputable London paper in 

 1851, 1 should be telling the truth, but not quite the whole of it. 



If I am not mistaken it was a paper cahed The Jllustrated Loridon 

 Journal (I quote from memory, so please do not accuse me of wilfiil 

 misrepresentation), that published shortly after the America's victory, 

 a cartoon representHng the dining room of the Royal Yacht, with the 

 Queen aud her famil.v at lunclieou. To them appears the quarter- 

 master, or as I remember the types— the "signalmaster,'' and the little 

 cUalogue occurs as stated. 



There are a great many people even in this enlightened age, who 

 believe that the cartoons of the comic papers are from sketches of 

 real life. "I seen it all dra^ved out in Fuck or Life'' you may hear 

 them say, and it is not inconceivable that certain of those who saw 

 the original "quartermaster" accepted it as literal fact. Thus it easily 

 began its career in the papers, and even (Daptain Coffin reprints it 

 apparently in good faith in his history of the America's Cup, 



A "myth" you may not improperly term the story, but hke most 

 myths it has a foundation— however slight. 



By the by, since you went out of your way to belittle the margin 

 whereby America won the Cup, wouldn't it have been just as well to 

 mention that the race was largely a drift, and that of the .seventeen 

 English boats entered against her not one, save Aurora, was in sight 

 at the finish. America's fame does not rest upon this race, but upon 

 her unofficial performances in Briti.sh waters, which gave her such 

 prestige that matches could be arranged only by courtesy and to save 

 the reputation of British yachtsmen. ^ In those days small pains were 

 taken to keep a yacht's powers mib rnm-i. .\rnerica sailed freely about 

 Cowes, accepting brushes with any chance craft that came along. The 

 effect of this free and easy policy was to give the Royal Yacht Squad- 

 ron such an idea of lier pi'owe.ss that it took a general howl of indig- 

 nation from in-e-.ss aiifl pcLiijle t.j remind them that, for the credit of 

 their flag, ttiey must v'oituitaril,^' ;sail to certain defeat. When once 

 their attention was called to tiiis, they came forward like men and 

 took their beating with a good grace. " Chas. Ledyard Norton. 



A Voyage of 2.500 Miles. 



W. S. Rogers and A. M. Bower, too Lansing, Mich,, young men who 

 arj embued with more or less of the spiirit of adventure, are about to 

 enter upon an outing trip which if carrieii out as planned wifl, because 

 of its lengthjand the manner in which it is to be accompUshed, prove a 

 novel one and furnish fit material for a hook of modern adventure. 



Tampa, Pla., is their objective point. Starting on the Grand River, 

 the course of that .stream will be followed to its mouth, thence south 

 and west along the coast of Lake .Mictugan to Chicago, where egress 

 from the lake will be tnade by way of the Chicago River. From the 

 Chicago River they will utilize the' canal that forms connection with 

 tne Illinois River, which stream, when reached, wiU be followed to its 

 mouth, the Jlississippi Having reached the Mississippi, that river 

 will be made to earr.y tliem to New fjreleans, where thes nope to make 

 connections V. itii the Gulf of Mezdco by way of Lake."]'ontcbartrain. 

 The gulf bavin," been reached, the coast will then be foUosvod to the 

 end of the journey, making in all ,'5 mute of nearly 2,500 mfles. 

 Messrs. Rogers and Bouer are i)rintci's and are weU known in this 

 city. On several occasions heretofore Ijoth successfully made shorter 

 journeys in a small boat, and are tlier.:-fr.i-e .soijDewhat prepared for 

 the unexpected turn of events which always e/iterinto a trip of this 

 kind. Their journey, whicn chey begin on Monday ne.vt, they hope to 

 complete in time to take theh- Christmas dinner among the everglades 

 of Florida. 



The boat that is to withstand the trials and hardships of this long 

 journey was buUt expres.sively for it. It is ISft. in lengtii. of the 

 chnker pattern, with a small cabin in the stern, and is rigrged with a 

 sail at the bow which, with a pair of oars, will constitute the only 

 means of locomotion. That the voyagers mean to enjoy their trip is 

 shown by the variety and quantity of the furniahinsrs of the boat. 

 Besides the usual amount of fishing tackle, hunting outfits and the 

 paraphernalia for camp life, they will take with them a goodly 

 number of live fowls and other articles which wifl come ia handy when 

 the hunting and fishing is poor. 



After spending the wnter in the South, during which time some of 

 the famous hunting grounds of Florida will be visited, the voyagers 

 will return to Lansing by rail.— Lansing, Mich., Exchange Clipping, 

 sent by Jir. Julius A. Post. 



