Nov. 11, 1893.j 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



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RACING CUTTER SIGRUN — -Designed by Will Flfe, Jr., 1893. 



YACHT NEWS NOTES. 



Our New Orleans correspondent, "Anodrac," writes: I have 

 learned that the great and fast catboat, Edna H, of Biloxi. Miss , was 

 completely wrecked in the recent cyclone that visited the Gulf Coast. 



Secretaries of canoe clubs are requested to send to Forest and 

 Stream their addresses, with name, membership, signal, etc., of their 

 clubs, and also notices in advance of meetings and races, and report of 

 the same. Canoeists and all interested in canoeing are requested to 

 forward to Forest and Stream their addresses, with logs of cruises, 

 maps, and information concerning their local waters, drawings or 

 descnptionB of boats and fittings, and all items relating to the sport. 



THE A. C. A. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 



Annual Meeting, Nov. 4, 1893. 



The present year marks the close of the first full series of meets in 

 the four divisions of the American Canoe Association. The scheme of 

 divisions of the one existing body was first begun in 1886, but ic was 

 not untU two years later that the fourth division, the Atlantic, was 

 formed, and though the meets of 1888 and 1889 were nominally held 

 under the new sj'Stem in the Central and Northern Divisions respec- 

 tively, as a matter of fact the real inauguration of the scbeme of a 

 meet m turn in each division dates from^l890, when for the first time 

 the inland waters, the St Lawrence. Lake George and Lake Cham- 

 plain, were abandoned for theseacoast and salt water. While the di 

 vision scheme has been followed ever since, a certain departure has 

 been made in holding one meet outside of the territory of the division, 

 and also of holding two successive meets in the same place, Wills- 

 borough Point, in the Central Division, though practically on the 

 boundary line between it and the Eastern. 



While opinions difl'er as to the success of the whole scheme of meets 

 in the various divisions in rotation, it is safe to say that the expecta- 

 tions of the originators of the scheme have by no means been realized, 

 and such serious objections have developed in the practical lest, that 

 there is now a strong and growing feeling infavorof the abandonment 

 of an import-ant pai-t of the division scheme, and the selection of a cen- 

 tral camp ground which shall be used for an indefinite time, until cir- 

 cumstances dictate a change of location. 



The question has been discussed this year, but, as the rules stand, 

 there ai-e some obstacles in the way, even if such a course were gener- 

 ally desired ; and there is also a very strong feeling on the part of a 

 number of the members In favor of a meet near New York city. 



The chief business of the executive committee at the annual meet- 

 ing held last week was the selection of a site, but the circumstances 

 were such that a final decision by the committee was impossible at 

 that time and the location of tfit- next camp i< not yet known, ihougti 

 there is every probabiUt j- that it will be at Crolou Point, on the Hud- 



son River, just above Sing Sing, New York. Like the previous meet 

 ing in the Atlantic Division in 1889, the meeting of 1893 was called at 

 Clark's restaurant, in New York, for Saturday, Nov. 4. The members 

 of the A. C. A. executive committee, including the general oSicers of 

 the Association and the division executive committees, are as follows, 

 those present being marked thus *: 



* Commodore, Irving V. Dorland, Arlington. 



* Sec'y-Treas., Geo. A. Douglass, Newark. 



* Librarian, W. P. Stephens, Bayonne. 



Eastern Division: * Vice-Corn., E. H. Barney, Springfield; * Rear- 

 Com., C. F. Shuster. Jr., Holyoke; * Purser, E. C. Knap pe, Springfield; 



* Ex. Com., G. L. Parmele, Hartford; * Paul Butler, Lowell; * R. Ap- 

 polonio, Winchester. 



Atlantic Division: * Vice Com., C. V. Schuyler, New York; * Rear- 

 Com., Barron Fredricks, Newark; Purser, P. L. Dunnell, Brooklyn; 



* Ex. Com., J. R. Lake, New York; F. W. Noyes, Philadelphia; * J. K. 

 Hand, New York. 



Central Division: * Vice-Corn., W. C. Witherbee, Port Henry; *Rear- 

 Com., 0. G. Belman, Amsterdam; Purser, C. E. Cragg, Port Henry; 



* Ex. Com., C. V. Winne. Albany; W. R. Huntington, Rome. 

 Northern Division: Vice-Com., H. M. Molson, Montreal; * Rear- 

 Corn., George Schofield, Peterboro; Purser, H. R. Tilly, Toronto; Ex. 

 Com., W. H. Macnee, Kingston; W. L. Scott, Ottawa: C. E. Archbald, 

 Montreal 



Mr. Noyes was not present, but was represented by Mr. R. H. Peebles. 



Saturday was one of the most unpleasant days of the fall, a very 

 heavy rain fahing steadily all through the day and evening. Those 

 who once reached the friendly shelter of Clarke's were glad to stay 

 within it as much as possible, and one continuous session was held 

 from about 10 o'clock until 6 P. M., a great deal of business being 

 transacted in a very complete and satisfactory manner. Besides the 

 executive committee there were present Messrs. Whitlock, Wilkin and 

 other A. C. A. members, and, apart from the immediate business 

 which appears on the minutes, the affairs and prospects of the Asso- 

 ciation were very thoroughly discussed. 



Before the meeting was called to order Com. Dorland appointed a 

 special committee, Messrs. Wilkin, Stephens, Douglas, Schofield and 

 Butler, to arrange and formulate the various proposals for amend- 

 ments to the racing rules, these proposals not being presented in such 

 shape that they could be voted on. 



The first business of the meeting when it was finally called to order 

 was the report from the retiring Sec'y-treas , Mr. R. Easton Burns, 

 and also the report of the regatta committee. 



Contrary to the usual procedure, by which the amendments to the 

 racing rules are taken up after all other business toward the end of 

 the meeting. Com. Dorland called for the reports of the retiring 

 regatta committee and of the special committee at once, and both were 

 read. 



The first amendment proposed was to the "one man, one canoe" 

 rule, a question having arisen this year over the right of a man to use 

 more than one canoe in the races, other than the paddling trophy. A 

 reference to the Year Book disclosed the fact that the second clause 

 of Rule n., prohibiting the use of more than one canoe except when 

 specified in the regatta programme, was no longer in the book; though, 

 so far as we have been able to learn, there is no record or recollection 

 of the rule having been legally changed. After discussion, it was de- 

 cided that, in view of the changes in racing since the original rule was 

 iramed in 1SS4, and of the fact that the conditions which called out the 

 rule no longer existed, there was no necessity of amending the present 



reading, which does not prohibit the use of more than one canoe; and 

 that a member may in the future enter as many canoes as he may wish 

 to in the various events. 



The next amendment related to Rule V., the record races, two of 

 the canoes entered this year having carried standing rigs, which were 

 unshipped and shipped at each turn of the comoined race. Both 

 canoes were disqualified by the regatta committee at the time, the 

 common understanding and the established custom being that a hoist- 

 ing and lowering rig must be used in the combined race, and in order 

 to prevent dispute in the future the committee recommended a posi- 

 tive statement to that effect in the rules. After discussion it was de- 

 cided to insert after the third clause of Rule V. a clause to the follow- 

 ing effect: The same canoe and rig shall be used in each of the three 

 record races, and the rig must be fitted to hoist and lower practically. 

 The existing conditions are not altered by this addition, as the prac- 

 tice in the past has been in accordance with it. It refers, of course, 

 only to the three record races. 



The next proposed amendment related to Rule IX., the change pro- 

 posed being to admit of an appeal to the executive committee 

 from a unanimous vote of the regatta committee, such 

 appeal being now permitted only in case the regatta committee 

 is not unanimous in its decision on an appeal- A lengthy discussion 

 followed, bearing less on the matter in hand than on the question of 

 any appeal at all from the decision of the regatta committee to the 

 executive committee, in the course of which the original proposition 

 was entirely lost sight of. Finally Mr. Winne moved to amend the 

 motion originally made, to adopt the amendment as proposed by the 

 special committee, by adding the following words, "which shall con- 

 sider and decide the same immediately." The result of this amend- 

 ment to the original motion would be that an appeal might be made 

 to the executive committee, whether the decision of the regatta com- 

 mittee were unanimous or otherwise, and that the executive commit- 

 tee must meet in camp and make an immediate decision. Mr. Appol- 

 lonio then moved to amend Mr. Winne's motion, making it apply to 

 the rule as it now stands, and also demanding the deposit of a dollar 

 with the second appeal; and this motion was finally carried. 



In this connection the committee recommended som« minor changes 

 of the rule to correct some obvious errors, and they were adopted, the 

 rule as finally adopted reading as follows: Rule IX. — Should the 

 owner of any canoe duly entered for a race, consider that he has fair 

 ground of complaint against another, he must give notice of same to 

 the Regatta Committee; and must present the same in writing to the 

 Regatta Committee within one hour The sum of one dollar shall be 

 deposited with each protest, to be forfeited to the Association should 

 the protest not be sustained. The Regatta Committee shall, after 

 hearing such evidence as they may deem neccessary, decide the appeal; 

 and the decision, if unanimous, shall be final; but, if not unanimous, an 

 appeal may be made to the Executive Committee, which shall con- 

 sider and decide the question immediately ; and whose decision shall 

 be final. The sum of one. dollar shall be deposited with the second 

 appeal also." The final clause of the rule stands as before. 



The next amendment proposed was to Hule XII., permitting back 

 strokes of the paddle, but it was not adopted. Rule XIX. was amended 

 by dropping the words, "with the wind free," correcting an obvious 

 inconsistency in the existing wording. 



The question of a positive decision as to the awarding of a record 

 prize in the case of a tie, such as occurred this year, was brought up 

 and discussed, but was laid on the table. 



The report of the purser of the Northern Division was read and ap- 



