Jaw. 12 ,1895.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
35 
who possesses information as to the most available point and 
best means of getting such a boat across-from one river to the 
other will confer a great favor by addressing me either through 
the Fobest and Stream or direct to E. F, 0.,.Box 46o, Lansing, 
Mich. r . . • 
The Challenge for the , Cup. 
> r.' From the Yachtsman. 
'One has long since become accustomed to the marvellous 
amount of correspondence that must pass between a would-be 
challenger for the Amerioa Cup before the aspirant can obtain 
the honor of being permitted to race for a trophy which was 
originally given to the N. Y. Y. 0. as a perpetual challenge cup. 
open for competition to the yachts of all foreign yacht clubs. 
"Histories" galore have beeu written of the Cup, and it has been 
illustrated ad lib. in countless journals, and it may be doubted 
whether its celebrity is so much due to the actual contests tor it 
which have taken place on water, as to the wonderful amount 
of ink that has been shed for it on paper. It is the best adver- 
tised cup in existence, and its fame is at the present moment 
growing apace. 
It is to the New York Y. C. that the trophy owes the greater 
part of its distinguished status, and the club has ably proved 
its compatriotism with Mm who boldly proclaims his pills to be 
"worth a guinea a box," although he kindly sells them for less. 
The New Deed is the price the New York Y. C. has placed, 
upon the Cup, and they are willing to follow in the pillman's 
steps, and make a slight reduction. Everybody knows that the 
intrinsic value of the pills is far beloAv even the philanthropic 
consideration for which they may be obtained by suffering 
humanity, but then the pillman has a patient for his pills, and 
the New York Y. 0. has no patient for the Cup. It is not their 
absolute property, and never has beeD. Yet they have twice 
given it away absolutely, and the donees were sb much struck 
With their generosity that they actually gave it back, each time 
with increasing benevolence toward the N. Y. Y. C. expressed in 
legal phraseologv indeed, but plainly intimating their desire 
that the price should be raised. When bidders came along then 
the N. Y. Y. C. always kept this gniuea-a-box wish in mind, and 
although they did not slick to the outside figure, they were en- 
abled not only to make a fairly satisfactory deal, but, from the 
amazing quantity of higgling, to advertise the article still more 
and more; and Lord Dunraven's latest effort to attract their at- 
tention to ni6 coat-tails has materially assisted in the great 
work. 
But it must have been discouraging for the New York Y. 0. 
to hear that the Earl has expressed his willingness to leave the 
Cup out of the question altogether, if the New York Y. C. will 
only arrange matches similar to those which he hoped to sail 
before the "receipt" clause blocked the way. He actually means 
that he is content to play at racing for the America's Cup. This 
is a dreadful blow to the prestige of the trophy, and yet, after 
all, it is the only reasonable thing to do unless the New York 
Y. C. consent to make a flare-up of the new deed, and this is our 
reason for thinking so : The B. Y. 8. issued Lord Dunraven's 
challenge in 1892 with this proviso— that in the event of winning 
the Cup, it, the B. Y. S., should hold it subject to challenge under 
precisely similar conditions to those contained in Lord Dun- 
raven's challenge, provided always that the B. Y. S. should not 
refuse any challenge according to the terms of the New Deed. 
The New York Y. C. accepted that challenge, and now it is 
sought by them to show that the above condition was not. a con- 
tracting out of the "receipt" clause of the new deed, which en- 
tails the execution by the winner of a legal agreement to recog- 
nize all the terms of that deed; and they insist that in the pres- 
ent fase this "receipt" clause must be observed. 
Now the B. Y. S. have repeatedlv declined to recognize the 
validity of the Now Deed, and it is not likely that, anv honorable 
body of men will ever be brought to say that the document is 
binding, for it must be remembered that by doing so the club 
would deliberately place itself in the same relation to all foreign 
yacht clubs as the New York Y. C. did in 1887, and confess that 
they were wrong in uplifting their voice against what was the 
most unsportsmanly piece of trickery ever indulged in by any 
club. 
But even supposing that the B. Y. S. were content to indorse 
the new deed, and that the Cup should come into their'posses- 
sion, there would be nothing to prevent any of our big raters 
from immediately challenging the B. Y. S. under the terms of 
the original assignment, and compelling the alub to defend the 
Cup under its conditions. It mu«t be remembered that every 
yacht club has an interest in the Cup, and that the holders for 
the time being are merely their trustees; and, therefore, an 
agreement made by the B. Y. S. with the New York Y. C, to 
recognize the conditions of theNew Deed i= absolutely worthless, 
hecause the new deed varies the terms of the trust. Lord Dun- 
raven's idea of playing at racing for the America's Cup is the 
best: it is, in fact, what he did in 1893, for would not have got 
the Cup even if he had won it. 
YACHT NEWS NOTES. 
The Tackling World is laboring under a curious misappre- 
hension as to the nature of the dispute over the new deed, which 
it describes in the following words: "The present hitch is 
about the custody of the Cup. TheNew York Y. C. decline to 
hand it over, if won, to a private individual. They maintain that 
it is a challenge trophy, and that this characteristic should be 
preserved. We are inclined to think that this is by no means an 
exorbitant demand." This is quite as wide of the truth as the 
statements of the New York papers. In discussing the new deed 
in another article, the TacMing World quotes the mutual agree- 
ment and the receipt clauses as the material ones, omitting all 
mention of the real grounds of objection— the arbitrary and un- 
fair exaotions of the dimension clause. 
On Dec. 28 Col. David E. Austen, secretary of the Atlantic Y. 
C, gave a dinner > at the Democratic Club, New York, to Mr. 
George' Gould, the officers and some of the members of the club 
being invited. In the course of the evening Com. Banks pro- 
posed the nomination of Mr. Gould for the office of commodore 
in 1895. The annual election takes place on Feb. 11. 
The Chicago women who enjoy yachting at Fox Lake in the 
summer have thus early started arrangements for holding 
women's regattas there the coming season. They have formed 
the Ladies' Cascalver Y. 0. and appointed Miss Marion Mason, 
Miss Jennie Bropby and Miss Jessie Waters as regatta commit- 
tee. The first regatta is set for July 4, to start from Mi o col a 
Bay. About twenty-five entries have been made. — Chicago 
Tribune. 
The shoal yawl designed by Wintringham and recently built 
a.t Mumm's yard for H. M. Billings, has been named Wantauga, 
The nominating committee of the New York Yacht Baeing 
Association, comprising Charles E. Simms, Jr., F. M. Bandall 
and William Boss, have made the following- nominations for the 
coming vear : Pres., Alanson J. Prime, Com. Yonkers Cor. Y. C. ; 
Vice-Pres., Norman L. Bo we. Pavonia Y. 0. ; S^c'y, George Park- 
hill. Columbia Y. 0. ; Treas., Bobert K. McMurray, Staten Island 
A. 6. ; Executive Committee. E. Langerfeld. Com. Harlem Biver 
Y. C. ; Dr. E. N. Brandt. Tower Bidge Y. 0. ; A. C. Longyear, 
Newark Bay B. C, and Alexander F. Boe, Jersey City Y. G. 
Oongressman-eleot Philip B. Low has disposed of his rigging 
business to his foreman, John F. Byno, for whom he vouches 
that all work intrusted to the latter's supervision will be 
protnpHv and well done. OHpt. Low is one of the foremost and 
best- known riggers in the United States, and it is to b« regretted 
that he has concluded to abandon the profession he has so long 
and ably filled. Let us hope, however, that in his new ca'Uujy, 
that of assisting in law-making for the nation, he will make as 
great a name for himself as he has in the less conspicuous busi- 
ness of rigging.— Marine Journal. 
Tleika, centerboard sloop, has been sold by E. H. Converse. 
Brooklyn Y. C, to Chester W. Chapin, who will use her on the 
Florida rivers. Capt.Eldrodge is now refitting her, and she will 
soon be shipped South by steamer. 
The Chelsea (Mass.) Y. C. has elected the following officers: 
Com., W. H. Wedger; Vieo-Cora., T. G. Hughen; Sec'y., J. W. 
Pool; Fin, Seo'y., L. B. Butler; Treas., F. Y. Prior; Directors, 
Amos W. Kincaid, H. E. Fowle, F. T. Clayton, J. F. O'Kelley, S. C. 
Gleason. ■ 
"By a purchase of one-sixth interest from Mr. Governeur 
ftortright, and one-sixth interest from W.K.Vanderbilt , Messrs. 
Bobert and Ogden.Goelet are now the owners of all of the wharf 
property at Newport occupied by the New York Y. C. The 
property.is practically -in the hands of the New York Y. C, and 
will be improved to meet the club's requirements. 
Taurus, steam yacht, has been chartered by Hugh Andrews, 
an English yachtsman, to William Satomou, of the New York Y. C, 
for a Mediterranean cruise. 
Mr. F. P. Sands, one of the best known of the Newport con- 
tingent of the New York Y. C, owner of the cutter Uvira, has 
purchased Crowley's yard and ways at Newport. 
We have received from the Royal Hamilton Y. C, of Hamil- 
ton, Ont., a handsome New Year's card, in colors, with the com- 
pliments of the commodore and officers, and wishing fair winds 
and a prosperous voyage through the year. 
The indestructible nature of teak is an old story with the 
mariner. It grows only in India and Burmah, and no one save 
a shipwright knows just how many parts of a ship are built 
from this musole of nature, hut every one who has walked the 
deck of bark or steamer has a consciousness that no amount of 
holystoning, or dragging of cargo over, or wear and tear of feet 
and traffic can in sin ordinary sense affect a teakwood floor. The 
Burmese wood-carver knows that his art is almost hewn in stone 
when he coaxes leaf and flower, sacred cow and festival cart, 
grotesque sprites and elvos, gods and Buddhas. out of rugged 
trunks. The little prow of the sampan shaped like a wishbone, 
the stern of the paddv boat as brown with age as the naked fig- 
ure upon it is with the elements, the strange plinths of stranger 
pillars, the embellishments of the temples, the playthings of the 
children — all these are carved from teak. — Exchange. 
On Jan. 1 the Lynn (Mass.) Y.C. elected the following officers:: 
Com.. W. H. Bussell; Vice-^om., James A. Clouih; Clerk, F. E. 
Newhall; Treas., W. A. Estes; Meas.. A. H. Larrabee; Directors, 
J. G. Jones, J.W. Haines, F. E. Baker, F. L. Ingalls, J. A. Clough;: 
Begatta Committee, A. H. Larribeej C. J. Blethen. A. Putnam, 
W/M. Pingree, T. B. Howe: Membership Committee, H. P. 
Armstead, W. A. Estes, W. H. Bussoll. 
Messrs. Seabnry & Co. are building a mahogany flyer for Mr, 
Alfred Marshall, of the Larehmont Y. C. 48ft. 'long, 7ft. 5in. 
beam, 4ft. deep, 2ft. Gin. draft, and will be fitted with a triple ex- 
pansion engine and a water-tube boiler. The firm also have an 
order for a 35't. launch for Mr. H. G. Seguine, of Bossville, S. 1 . 
to be 35ft. long, 6ft. 9in. beam. 3ft. S^in. depth, 2ft. 6 in. draft. 
This boat will be cedar planked and be fitted with a standing 
roof top and canvas side curtains. The interior trimmings such 
as seats, coaming, etc., will bo of ash and oak. 
Huguenot Y. C. 
On the lower harbor of New Bochelle, just a few feet away 
from the landing for the chain ferrvboat to Glen Island, is 
located the new house of the Huguenot»Y. 0. The site is hap- 
pily situated ; in fact. a. more cosy berth for the little fellows 
could hardly be wished for than that offered by the long, narrow- 
stretch of water, with its many little coves, that is dignified by 
the name of New Bochelle Harbor. 
On New Year's Dav the Huguenots broke out their handsome 
burgee, and a exception and collation followed the formal bap- 
tism of the club. 
The ceremonies, which were in charge of Yice-Com. Connolly, 
were very well attended. Among those who graced the occasion 
bv their presence were Com. Cbas. Whann. Vic a -Com. P.has. M. 
Connolly. Bear-Onm. Rands Gorfiam, See'y Robert T. Badglev, 
Treas. Arthur F. Town send, Trustees McArthur and Ketchum, 
Fleet Captain Clifford. Messrs. Hazon Morse, J. D. Rparkrnan 
L'eut. V. L Cnttman, 0". S. N., T. F. Day, Thomas Webber, T. B. 
Aldrich and Lyons. 
The Huguenots have furnished their house and will hold a 
series of lectures on yachting during the winter months. 
The anchorage and the waters Iving adjacent to the house 
will be sounded, and a chart, prepared for the use of members. 
It is the intention of the officers to make the Huguenot Y. C. a 
thoroughly practical yachting organization. 
The Boston Knockabouts. 
On Dec. 2 a meeting was held in Boston at which the follow- 
ing definition of a knockabout was adopted : 
A knockabout boat is a seaworthy keel boat fnot to include 
fin-keelsl decked or half decked, of fair accommodations, rigged 
simply, without bowsprit, and with only mainsail and one head 
sail. 
The load waterline length shall not exceed 21ft. 
The beam at the load waterline shall be at least 7 and not 
more than 8ft. 
The freeboard shall be not less than 20in. 
The forward side of mast, at the. deck shall not be less than 
5ft. from the forward end of the load waterline. 
The planking, including deck, shall be not less %in. thick, 
finished. 
The frames shall be not less than lin. sqnare and spaced not 
more than 12in. on centers. 
The deadwood shall be filled In. 
The rudder shall be hung on sternposh 
Tho outside ballast not less than 3,5001hs. 
The limits of the freeboard, beam, planking, frames, dead- 
wood, rudder and place of mist shall not exclude any existing 
knockabout boats which otherwise come within the restrictions. 
The sail area shall he bmited to 500sq. ft., measured by the 
formula, viz. : Multiply 85 per cent, of the base bv half of the 
sum of the caff and the distance from the top of the sheave of 
the upper throat halliard block to the stern head. 
Shoal Draft Cruisers. 
The little skipjack recently illustrated in the Fobest and 
Stream: has struck the fanev of several of our readers; a friend 
informed us the other dav that he was having one built of about 
10ft. l.w.l. with iron keel for his wife to sail, the boa t being easily 
handled and non-capsizable. A correspondent in Maine writes 
us: "Though I have read the Forest ano Stream quite regularly 
for some time, T have not been a subscriber prior to last fall. 
Desiring to build a small sailboat, I felt that it would pay me to 
subscribe to the paper; in the first issue, Nov. 3. was a design 
which just suited me. that of the Mvra. from which I am now 
building." Another correspondent in Michigan writes for ad- 
ditional information prior to building from the design. 
John MacGregor' s Philanthropy. 
John MacGregor ("Rob Roy"l was a very Low and Broad 
Churchman; officially he fought the battle of the Protestant 
faith as secretarv of the Protestant Alliamee. He has all the 
credit of originating the Shoeblack Brigade, in spite of the 
sneers and horseplay of the ragged Rtreet arabs, and the un- 
friendly indifference of the police. The brigade gradually grew 
from insignificant beginnings till it earned an income of some- 
thing like £70.000. With his amphibious temperament and sea- 
going tastes, he took an immense interest in the boys in the 
training ships, and followed them anxionMv in their subsequent 
career's. He was concerned with his friend Laurence Oliphant 
in the various schemes for the restoration of the Jews to their 
land and the revival of the prosperity of Palestine, and, during 
the absence in America of his eccentric chief and ally, he used 
to act as Oliphant's secretary and representative. 
For many years he contributed to Punch, and once, in Pales- 
tine, he showed not only his humor, but his presence of mind, 
by persuading an Arab chief to commit niuiself with a pinch of 
salt ; when slapping the Bedouin pleasantly on the shoulder, he 
made a sign equivalent to "sold." He saved his property and 
possibly his life, for the man who had eaten salt with the Sbeikh 
was inviolable. His generosity was extraordinary. His books 
sold well, and we believe that the profits were invariably handed 
over to charitable purposes. 
Einally, when "Bob Boy" came up as a lion of the day from 
the swellings of Jordan, he intimated his intention of giving a 
course of lectures, and, fixing a minimum price, he drove rather 
hard bargains. He actually realized £10,000 at the cost of 
extreme personal exertion, but not one penny did he pocket 
himself. John MacGregor had his foibles, but there are very 
lew men who have acted sq consistently up to their principles 
<or who have done so much practical good.— The Saturday Review. 
The Field of Dec. 29 states, "on good authority," thai; Mr. 
William Willard Howard intends to challenge again lor the 
B. C. C. cup. Nothing is known in New York of this rumored 
intention, and no notice has thus far been received by the New 
York C. 0. ' 
Handicap in Canoe Sailing. 
Bochkstee, N. Y., Jan. 6.— Editor Forest and Stream: I have 
been trying to figure out some plan for handicapping canoes for 
next, season, but can think of nothing better than two which I 
suggested to the chairman of the regatta committee, as pub- 
lished by you some three or four weeks ago. If canoe sailors 
must be handicapped I should be in favor of the second sug- 
gestion, that of using a well-known canoe as a basis and allow- 
ing a canoe of her weight a certain amount of canvas, then 
adding or deducting a certain amount of canvas for each pound 
of weight— weight to include all fittings and not to go over or 
fall below a certain figure. 
I do not wish to take up too much space, but I would like to 
quote some notes that I have at hand in regard to handicapping. 
The first is an editorial in the American Canoeist for July, 1893. 
"The handicap matter is a problem never yet solved for the 
canoeist. It has always to be given up. * * * So our advice 
would be to allow no time, * * *' but start all at scratch." 
The second is from the same paper and is a letter from W. 
Baden-Powell, published in August, 1885, wherein he suggests 
that in classifying or handicapping size, weight and sail area 
should be considered. 
In the same journal of February, 1887, the editor favors the 
handicapping of the Canadian paddling canoes by restricting 
them to the use of the single blade, and in March. 1887, appears 
a wail and a protest from W. G. MacKendrick, in which occurs 
the following: 
"Editor Canoeist: I notice that in your February issue you 
state that it is the idea of the regatta committee to handicap 
open Canadian canoes, and these only. Is it because they are 
too fast or because they are Canadian? If it is the former I 
have a few words to say on the subject. I will just copy from 
my letter to Mr. Gibson on the same subject: 
"With reference to the open canoe question, I would say that 
the single blade was the legitimate paddle of the open canoe 
before the A. 0. A. was established, but since then in paddling, 
as well as in sailing, a great many legitimate things have been 
ruthlessly discarded for the sake of speed, and the single blade 
is one of them. In '83 all of the open canoes but two used the 
single blade. Now, go to the '86 meet and count them ; you'll 
not find a single one in the races there. 
"You see the chickens are coming home to roost. When the 
A. C. A. should have given races for open canoes and single 
blades to encourage that kind of craft they did not doit, and 
the open craft were compelled to use the double to keep uDwith 
the times. 
"Now, as one who has tried them, * * * and because 
they are light and fast yon want to handicap them. 
"I will have to twit you with inconsistency, for when writing 
about 'Pecowsic' in the Forest and Stream you say: 
" 'It is provoking, but it a rival will not go as slow as we do 
we must try to even up by going- as fast as be does. We don't 
want to hold him back, that is not the way at all, and what you 
were preaching on Oct. 28 you go back on now and say we do 
want to hold the men with fast open canoes back, they are too 
fast, i. e., you want to so fix the races that the slow canoe 
wins. * * *" 
Now, I agree with Mr. McKendrickin a great many particulars. 
Of course, his was a plea for a special canoe, and would differ 
in a great many respects from the'present intention. But, first, 
don't you think a whole lot of chickens are coming home to 
roost? Haven't you put a large and valuable premium on 
special appliances and large sail area, and the sacrificing of 
everything to speed? And if you handicap by limiting sail area 
or any kind of handicap are you not putting a further premium 
on light, unseaworthy canoes, cut away to nothing and fit for 
nothing but to sail one season to win the A. C. A. trophy with? 
Does not a handicap bring you right back to the thing that 
"Snake" so emphatically declared on Oct. 28, 1886, he didn't 
want to do? to the fact that you are trying to hold back the fast 
man and let the slow one win? 
~VWhy not for a starter try the suggestion of "Mab," in the last 
issue of Forest and Stream, and throw away the sliding seat? 
I guess that would be handicap enough for most of us and we 
would not carry over a thousand feet of sail. 
Why try to handicap a canoe anyway? Yon all know you can't 
do it and what's the use of trying the impossible? 
For my feeling in the matter I would refer you to my words 
quoted in the last issue of Forest and Stream. No. 1511. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
The proposal made bv "Lieda," in your issue of December 29 
amounts to this. Having already got too much canvas on 
our canoes, let us now invent more devices to hold them up, 
and the device he proposes is a 6ft. draft centerboard ; imagine 
6ft. -draft for a canoe. 
This is traveling in the wrong way, it is working in a vicious 
circle. Having got one evil— excessive canvas — other evils are 
proposed to iwlanee it. 
Once you begin scheming on "devices" to hold up a boat to 
its canvas there . is no knowing where to stop, and you are 
inevitably led to such monstrosities as the "bulb- fin," etc. 
The only legitimate outcome of the sliding seat, if it is car- 
ried far enough, is to convert every canoe into a "catamaran." 
Why not prolong the sliding seat a dozen feet or so and hang 
another canoe to the end of it? 
The only possible way out of thin mess is to abolish once 
and for all everything in the nature of a "device" aimingto make 
a hull carry more canvas than it can naturally and rightly carry 
not to propose new devices as "Lieda'' does. 
As suggested in my letter printed in the same issue, if the 
sliding seat is abolished and a large practical open well insisted 
upon, those measures alone will go very far to abolish the sail- 
ing machine and place canoe racing on a natural and rational 
footing. 
A slight misprint (or was it a slip of my pen?) in my letter 1 
may here correct, though it is sufficiently obvious. The last 
paragraph but one should begin "If points 3 and 4 are admitted, 
etc." 
Tf canoes are onen and the sliding seat abolished there will be 
no need to limit s lil area. It will limit itself. Bassili/f;. 
Boston.— Editor Forest and Stream: It seems to me, from my 
experience in these waters, that the falling off in the interest in 
