Auo. 8, 1896.1 
1^ ORE ST AND STREAM. 
117 
I 
Ojjdensburgh T. C. Begattai 
' OODteNBflUEOH, N. S*. LAWBfeNOHi KIVBH. 
TUBsday^ July ^B. 
T£[S OgdensbUrgh "t. C. is a new organi*atioC, formed only this sea- 
ioil. in OgdensblirRh, oa the 8b. LaSrenco BlVer. In 8t)ite of the 
grfiat number of jileasure geekers on the rivet and tbe liianjr sailing 
and Bteam craft, there are few yactt cluba and few J'achts fit for rac- 
ing at the present time. The racing skiffs that once furntshed 8o 
much sport to all the river towns, with the large fleet of closely' 
matched boats, sailed by picked crews, both American and Canadian, 
Involving an international issue, have all disappeared as the type de- 
veloped a most useless and eipenaive racing machine, and no other 
class has taken Its place. Such sailing craft as the river boats of be- 
tween Cape Vincent and Ogdensburgh are of all models and sizes, 
within a moderate limit, a heterogenous collection of catboats, 
sloops, skiCFs, etc., from which not one good racing class can be 
gathered. The object in organizing the new club was partly to make 
use of the prevailing popularity of the 15 footers on the river to boom 
racing for the time being, with a view to its pennanent establishment. 
To this pnd the club offered the very handsome J300 cup illustrated in 
the Forks* aSD Str&aM of July iS, to be raced for by any yachts of 
the l5tt, class on July 38. Besides this there Was open to competltlott 
the Bell cup, a challenge trophy twice wOn by the late o*ner of the 
Catboat Gethar. Arrangements were also tQade fo* rowing races in 
fCut oared shells, foiir crews coming do\Vn from Brookville. 
It was arranged to start the Bell cup race at 10 A. M., the 15ft. class 
&t S P. M. and the rowing races late in the afternoon, but on Tuesday 
'iiiof nirig ttlerfe wSs rio witid on ttte river. The yachts were all under 
way by li o'clock; btit with barel^ enough wind from thS north to 
carry them up agains' the current of thfe^ river with spihakers set. 
The steam yacht Vailima, W. H. Post, of Ogdensburgh, -fraS uSed aS 
the judges' boat, and WLesars. W H. Post and S O. Averill, of the tfi- 
gatta committee, with Mr W. P. Stephens as referee, went; out and 
set the markboats for a triangle of a little over 3 miles, starting just 
above the shops of the 8paldlng-St. Lawrence Boat Co. There were 
present to race for the Bell cup the catboats Gethar, Pee Dee Que and 
Cricket, and the sloops Gloria, Okieha and Pie de-I-Dee. The 15- 
footers were: 
Ifame. Owner. Selmsman. Grew. 
Yesper. . , , . . .Paul Sutler, ...... .Paul Butler , .Butler Ames. 
»othl8 I f i'h^eTwood 'f «• H- fiiggad H. Wlcksteed. 
Mlssie I Bev. H. Kittson..; J. V. Pelletier G. A. Itittsotl. 
Mischief. . . . ..Arthur Hamilton.. Arthur Hamilton. . Arthur fltamilton. 
Anita ;H. G. Eadie Shirley Davidson ..H. G. Eddie. 
Peggy C. A. Hay den W. I. Serega. . , ... .0. A. Hayden. 
Gold Bug Joseph Leyare. . . .Q. S. Dorwin .,J. Le^are. 
Three of the ^achts— Spthis, Anita and Mischief— were designed by 
Mr. Duggan this i^ear, the fOfmer being built by men specially em- 
ployed by Mr. Duggan, ihe other two by H. F. Hodson, of Toronto. 
Sothis is very similar to Qlencairn, with less freeboard and an open 
cockpit, with floor boards on the timbers. She was originally fitted 
with two deck hatches in each side deck outside the coamiiig* and 
abreast of the well, the feet of the helmsman being in the after open- 
ing and those of the crew in the forward one. These were closfd up 
permanently, as, though very good for biking, they admitted too 
much water. The mainsail is e battened leg-o'-mutton, with a mast 
a4ft. above deck, and the jib la carried on a bowsprit which is extended 
to form a jlbboom for the balloon jib. The mainsail hoists on a novel 
ra'lway, a single strip of sheet steel about ^in. wide and of No. 16 
flatlge, this being lightened By holes ^in. in diameter, spaced about 
Am. apart. The slides are stamped out of phosphor bron/e, and are 
Doth light and strong; they ate iaShed to the luff rope. The mainsail 
was made by an English sailmaker by the nariJo of. English. The ex- 
tension tiller, double travelers, centerboard and fittings generally are 
the same as in Glencalrn. One novelty in all the Montreal boats is the 
fitting of the shrouds; there are no chain plates for shrouds or pre- 
venters, but wire rope is made fast below decfe to the frames, then led 
through the deck, and a thimble is spliced in about lOin. above the 
<deck. The end of the shroud has a similar thimble, the two carrying 
a light lanyard. There Is nothing but the J^in. wire rope to drag 
ty^hfch the deck is Ufldet water. 
Mlsdhief is a gimilttr boat in model, rig and dimensions, but not 
quite as much of a scow as Sotnis, She dafrles the plain leg-o'-mut- 
ton of the Scarecrow pattern, with the same thdst slides as Sothis. 
Anita is much the same, but has a gaff maiiisall. Missie was de* 
signed by an amateur, George A. Kittson, of the Royal 8t. Lawrence 
Y. C, and built by N. Gilbert, of Brockville. She is a powerful bofit,- 
but too heavily built, with thick oak coamings, etc., and thus handi- 
capped in light weather. 
VeBper In this race had a gaff mainsail and new jib, but the rig was 
of poor proper I ions, being made to fit the old spars and position of 
mast) and did not do the hull justice. She has only been under sail 
oljce since the SeaWanbaka races. She had also a new steel center- 
board about 18in. wide and 6ft. long. In place of the lead loaded one 
then used Peggy is a duplicate of Ethel*ynn in hnW and rig. but of 
lighter construction than her or Ideal, She carried about 23§8q, ft. 
and Vesper about SiOsq. f t . as opposed to upward of SSOsq. ft. on the 
shorter Montreal boats, and the only wonder is, in the light of recent 
developments, that Vesper did so well beside gnthis. It must be said 
for the latter that she was handicapped by a ne* hand forward who 
was not used to the quick work with light sails which these many 
turns called for. 
None of the New York boats eame up, though every preparatiofl 
was tflade to f edeive and «are for them, the lower shop of the 8. S. Co. 
t)elng placed at thfeir servifie, -^ta efeiry eonvenlence for storing and 
aunfehing. Vesper alone availed herself of Itt the others lying afloat 
ih the bisln bf a Ibtial boat buildei- in the to*n. 
There was ho possibility bf S Staf t during the naorning* but the 
yachts were all out after luncheon *ith i lafge gaf hei'itig of specta- 
tors. The shores and wharves abreast of the Starting line were 
crowded with people, many skiffs androwboats were afloat with some 
flailing yachts, and several steamers from various points on tfla five* 
Carried special excursions. Beside these were numerous steam yachti^^ 
Sopae from Montreal and others from Alexandria Bay, Clayton, Brock- 
tijle, etc. Thfe day tfras Clear and bright, and save for the lack of 
%lnd e^erythin^ was tiiost favorable. At 3 o'eloek the committee, 
which itt addition to those already itientldnea Ineluded A. B. Porte, 
secretary of the cltib, decided to start Both daaeeSi and a preliminary 
signal was given at 3:05 for the 19ft. class, follo^^ed tjy the prepara- 
tory at 2:10 and the start at 2:15. By commoH consent fi<5ne of the 
boats were measured by the club, all having be^n accepted by their dwfl 
clubs as within the class limit. Vesper was flrst Over the line with aS 
food a start as was possible in the light wind. Mischief being second 
nd Sothis, Anita, Gold Bug, Peggy and Missie in order. Tfaeiy bad a 
free reatih aci-oss i o the first mark in mid channel up the river, where 
the order was Sothis, Vesper, Peggy, Mischief, Missie, Anita, Gold 
Bug. The second leg was a close reach with the current to the mark 
on the Canadian shore near the old Rothesay wreck. When near this 
mark Vesper took a slant and ran up quickly;on Sothis' weather beam, 
promising to blanket and pass the leader, but she stopped as suddenly 
as she started, failed to blanket Sothis and soon dropped clear astern. 
The order at the second mark was the same as at the first. They had 
an easy reach across the river under balloon jibs, the first round 
ending; 
Turn. Elapsed. 
iothls....,, 2 54 00 0 39 00 
iresper,,, , 2 54 20 0 89 20 
Peeev 3 55 10 0 40 10 
SUsaief 3 55 40 0 40 40 
Missie 2 5G 55 0 « 65 
Anita Not timed. 
Gold Bug Not timed. 
Splnakers and balloon jibs blossomed out quickly for the run to the 
mid-channel mark, the wind being more nearly up river than before, 
the only change in the order being that Mischief passed Peggy. On 
the second and third legs, with a little more wind, Sothis managed to 
droD Vesper, the times at the end of the second round being: 
*^ Turn. Elapsed. 
Sothis 3 33 53 0 29 52 
VesDer 3 25 06 0 30 46 
Mischief 3 25 33 0 29 52 
Peeey 3 26 06 0 30 56 
ffiUisle.'.V.V.. 3 27 46 0 30 51 
Anita 328 47 
Gold Bug Not timed. 
The third round was similar to the preceding ones, a run with wind 
abaft the beam, some carrying splnakers, a close reach and a free 
reach to the line, the times being: 
Turn. Elarsed. 
Sothis ...3 50 08 0 26 16 
Vesoer 8 51 10 0 26 04 
Mischief..". 3 51 37 0 26 05 
Peggy ..,,..3 53 08 0 27 02 
Missie ,...i.......i..».(...i..»-...f.i.t.--8 55 08 0 27 22 
Anita Not timed. 
Gold Bug .Wthdrew. 
The fourth round brought the 15-tooters in close with the larger 
yachts, which had started 20m. later, but were on their third round. 
The 15ft, class was timed. Start, 2:15: ; 
Fourth Whole 
Round, Course. 
ElBlsb. Elapsed, Elapsed. 
Sothis ,i„.,,,........^ 4 17 43 0 37 35 3 03 48 
Mischief 4 50 04 0 28 27 S 09 04 
Peggy 4 21 84 0 28 26 2 06 34 
Anita.' ,. 4 35 43 2 10 43 
Missie 4 25 51 0 29 43 3 10 61 
Gold Bug Withdrew. 
Immediately after finishing Sothis ran up beside the judges' yacht 
and Mr. Duggan reported that at the end of the third round his yacht 
had fouled the mar kboat As It seems, she had rounded the bow of 
the tnarkboat, a l4ft. skitf , and straightened on her course, but her 
helttisman removed his hand from the ti.ler for a moment and she 
swung round, touching the stern of the markboat 
The race for the Bell cup was started, also from the gUn, 20 minutes 
after the 15-footers were off, the course being three rounds of the 
same triangle. The first round was timed: 
Cricket 3 11 20 Gloria S 15 00 
Gethar 3 11 86 Pee Dee Que 3 1? 20 
Ple-de-I-Dee 3 18 00 Okieha 3 18 10 
Cricket and Gethar sailed a very close race, so close in fact that they 
were t«'ice in collision at marks, giving rise to protests, Gethar look 
the lead on the last leg of the second round, but was repassed by 
Cricket before the finish, the times being, start 2:35; 
Finish. Elapsed. 
Cricket. 4 15 4.3 1 40 43 
Gethar..,..,.,,..,.,,..,,..,,.,!..,.... 4 is 53 1 40 53 
Gloria., 4 18 19 143 19 
Piede-I-Dee ,.,.4 20 20 1 45 20 
Okieha 4 24 52 1 49 58 
Pee Dee Que , , ... .Withdrew. 
The yachts were not all measured in their present rigs, but pending 
a remeasureraent the cup probably goes to Pie-de l Dee. This craft 
with the mellifluous name is an 18ft. ^Scarecrow, originally christened 
Ciooseberry by her owner, Chas. Lyon, of Ogdensburgh. In the four 
yfeSrs that she has been afloat she has been struck by lightning and 
hag toliphed Oh every rock In the St. Lawrence Biver between Clayton 
and Ogdensburgh. _ 
The wind barely lasted to the finish, but before the rowing races 
were called a thunder squall to the northward sent a lively breeze 
down the river, too late to enliven the race. The flrst rowing race was 
called at 5:30, the crews being: No. 1— Watson stroke, Loosemore 2, 
Ritchie 3, Bose bow. No. 3— Jones stroke, J. Ritchie S. Cana 3, Mc- 
Laren bow. 
The heat was won by No. 1 crew. The second heat was rowed in 
quite a sea at 6:45, the squall, such as it was, being at its height. The 
competitors were: No. 3— McNaughton stroke, Sheriff 3, Martin 2, 
Clark bow. No. 4— C, Wilkinson stroke, A. Wilkinson 3, Weatherhead 
2, Green bow 
No. 4 won. The final heat was rowed off between crews 1 and 4 at 
8 P M., No. 1 being the victor. 
In the evening a reception was given to all the yachtsmen and oars- 
men at the new Century Club, a recently organized social club of 
Ogdensbilrgh, in its handsome club house. Mr. Butler, by special 
request, miied the punch. A meeting of the committee was held 
parly in the evening, and on the statements of Messrs. Duggan and 
Wicksteed that Sothis had actually touched a markboat, there was n» 
course but to disqualify her and award the first prize— the cup—to 
Vesper, and the second— a pair of marine glasses— to Mischief. When 
Mr fiatler was called in and notified of the decision he said that, 
although he did not consider that Mr. Duggan was entitled to the cup. 
he himself did not want to take it in such a way, adding that he would 
like to sail a special match for it next day with Mr. Duggan. The 
latter was strongly urged by the committee and others to agree to 
this, but he maintained that the cup was fairly Mr. Butler's property, 
and that he had himself forfeited his rights to it, declining to sail 
again. While the whole Incident was a disappointment to all parties, 
the absence of everything but the best of good feeling on all hands 
was most satisfactory. Mr. Duggan returned home the same night, 
paddling Sothis across to Prescott, to bo shipped down by steamer. 
Mr. Butler remained until next day and then left Vesper at the boat 
shop) he will use her at the A. 0. A. meet, as she is already on the 
river, and has left her with Mr. 8. Q. Averill to sail her in a regatta at 
Brock ville on Aug. 8 It would be hard to do justice to the hospitality 
of the members of the home club and in fact of the whole city as dis- 
played toward the visitors. 
Indian Harbor T. C. 
QRBENWIOH— LONG ISLAND SOUND 
Saturday, Aug. 1. 
TSB Indian Harbor Y. 0., of Greenwich, Conn,, sailed its annual re- 
gatta on Aug. 1 under very favorable conditions of fair weather and a 
good sailfng breeze. A calm in the morning delayed the yachts com- 
ing from o'ner points, but a light 8. W. wind came along, strengthen- 
ing into a fresh breezie by the time the race was well under way, The 
race w as sailed over triangular courses on the Sound, and under the 
rules of the Y R. U. A new IS-f ooter made her first appearance in the 
class. Waxy, designed and built by Hanley for Wllmer Hanan. The 
start was made at 1:35 for the larger yachts, the others following at 
the usual intervals. Br>th Riverside and Mai were over the line too 
soon, the former returning and recrossing, but Mai continued and 
was disqualified Sirene, sailed by Richard Outwater and a crew of 
three ladies, was fouled by Raccoon at the start, but still won in her 
class. The start was off Little Captains Island, thence to Matinni- 
cock, Center Island and home, for all above 20ft. and under 36fr., the 
larger yachts continuing back to Matinnicock from Center Island and 
home as they eame. The 15 and 30fi. classes saUed a 9-mile triangle. 
The oSRcial times are: 
SLOOPS AND COTTERS— 60FT. CLASS. 
Start, 1:35; distance, 19J^ miles. 
Length. Elapsed. Corrected. 
Daphne, Com. C. T. Wills. 55.20 3 25 46 2 53 51 
51 FT. CLASS. 
Start, 1:35; distance, 19}^ miles. 
Penguin, Geo. E.Brightson... 48.94 3 25 21 2 46 34 
Choltaw, J. M. Strong 46.28 3 25 47 2 45 45 
43pt. class. 
Start, 1 {35; distance, 19}^ miles. 
Norota: F. M, Hoyt 41 .64 3 16 19 2 29 07 
Iosco, Mr. Poucher 3 41 48 2 51 06 
36]W AND SPKCIAL 34pT. CLASS. 
Start, 1:40; distance, I9J^ miles. 
Cymbria, Thos A. Mclntyre 35.57 3 42 23 2 46 14 
Acushla, Wllmer Hanan 34.00 3 25 41 2 26 31 
Ittinta, Bolet Brothers 34.00 3 49 54 2 51 04 
Fldelio (yawl;, Bobt. E. Tod 33.75 8 51 14 2 48 09 
30ft. class— cotjrsk no 4. 
Start, 1:40; distance, 15 miles. 
feydeh. E. D. Cowman 29.05 3 14 00 2 23 66 
Ninlta, F. A. Dingee 28.00 3 00 02 2 05 20 
CABIN CATBOATS— 30ft. CLASS. 
Start, 1:40; distance, 15 miles. 
Dosoris IL, G. P. Vail et al 28.80 2 63 22 1 59 06 
Estelle, H M. Crosby. , , 3 02 08 8 05 14 
Onaway, S. C. Pirie , 26.48 Did not finish. 
Oconee. C. T. Pierce 26.88 3 08 36 8 04 42 
CABIN CATBOATS- 85PT. CLASS 
Start, 1:45; distanc?, 19}^ mUes. 
Weasel T. E Ferris 34.85 3 08 67 8 07 52 
Penelope, T. V. Ketcham 24 . 06 Did not finish. 
Presto, F. M, Randall 23.30 8 01 53 1 57 38 
Mellta. O. H. Chellborg 32.25 3 33 28 8 26 81 
Hornet, H. Tinque 22.00 3 30 46 2 22 59 
Mary s!, E. B. Hall 24.03 3 32 25 2 30 OOi 
OPEN SLOOPS— SOrr. class, shiftable ballast— course no. 4. 
Sfart, 1:40; distance. 15 miles. 
E, Z. Sloat, Bottomly & Parks 87.18 2 55 31 1 59 06 
OPEN sLoop.s— 25ft. class, pixbd ballast and 21ft. l,w.l. 
start, 1:45; distance, 15 miles. , ^ . ^ 
Titan, Russell Raymond , 1 1= . . . .85.00 Did not finish. 
Celia, W. 8. Gould 8 56 03 Not meas. 
Houri, E B. Hart, Jr 3 56 49 Not meas. 
Vaquero, W. G. Brokaw « 54 58 Not meas , 
Maysie, Wm. Osborn, Jr. 8 26 48 Not meas , 
Shrimp, C. M. Pratt 21.34 2 59 41 1 50 38 
OPEN SLOOPS— 20FT. class, FIXED BALLAST— SPECIAL COURSE B. 
Start, 1:45; distance, 9 miles. 
Eos, P. T. Didge , .19.05 2 20 67 1 35 07 
Teddy, P. C. Pfeiffer 2 58 29 2 18 46 
OVKS CATBOATS — 85FT. CLASS, FIXED BALLAST. 
Start. 1:45; distance, 15 miles. * 
Sirene, R. Outwater, F. S, Doremus . . .25.00 3 10 46 2 10 07 
Brant, J. C Varlaa 81.00 3 37 45 2 27 17 
OPEN CATBOATS, 25FT, CLASS— SHIFTABLE BALLAST. 
Start, 1:45; distance, 15 miles. 
Osprey, C. H. Holmes 25.00 Did not finish. 
Annie, W. I. Sawyer & A. V. Seymour. . 21 . 00 Did not finish. 
Bubble, A. M. Bradley 20.89 3 12 10 2 01 88 
OPEN CATBOATS, 20fT. CLASS — FIXED BALLAST, 
Start, 1:45; distance, 9 miles. 
Dorothy, John E. Sanborn.... , 19.47 3 49 55 2 04 54 
Chippie, H. R. Hatfield 17.99 2 52 41 2 04 42 
Doctor, Joseph Brush 15.09 8 51 26 1 58 36 
SPECIAL SOFT. CLASS. 
Start, 1:50; distance, 15 miles. 
Musme, J. M. Macdonough , . . .30,00 S SB 53 3 86 68 
Departure, 0. B, S§ele,y., ,,..„,,,..„, 80,00 2 86 15 3 86 » 
Mai. O. Q. Jennings 30.00 Disqualified. 
Raccoon, T. R. Hostetter 30.00 2 45 49 2 45 49 
15ft. class. 
8tart, 1 :55; distance, 9 miles. 
Willada, W. G Newman 15.00 Did not finish. 
Paprika, C. 8. Hoyt .......16.00 2 11.30 3 1180 
Glance, F. L, Downing....,^,, 15.00 Did not finish. 
Riverside ,. ...........15.00 2 07 00 2 07 00 
Yola, C Mallory 15.00 2 12 00 2 12 OO 
Waxy, W. Hanan 15.00 2 11 00 2 11 00 
The winners are: Daphne, Choctaw. Norota, Acushla, Ninita, Doso- 
ris, Oconee (2d), Presto, Weasel (2d), Sloat. Eos, Sirene, Bubble, Doc- 
tor, Departure, Minme (2d), Riverside, Waxy C2d). 
In the 25ft. class Hhrimp and Vaquero I. were the leaders, the latter 
not being measured. Penguin and Cymbria each lost her topmast, 
Osprey sprung her mast and withdrew just after the start. Minta's 
balloon jibtopsail blew away and anchored her for a time. The re- 
gatta was very well managed by Messrs. Geo. E, Garland, D. W. Mer- 
ritt, Judge Wm. E. Simms and Chas. E. McManus. 
Measurement by Sail Area Only. 
Editor Forest and Stream; 
Ever since men began to race yachts they have been trying to de- 
vise rules by which the speed of yachts of different size might be 
fairly compared in terms of their respective sizes; In other words, 
rules by wbfch yachts of different sizes might be reduced to a standard 
Size for purposes of comparison. 
This effort has been a vain one because the siae of a yacht depends 
upon so many variable factors tbat it cannot be stated in simple 
terms which may be readily applied to another yeoht. Practically, 
the "size" of a yacht cannot be measured. She has sundry dimen- 
sions, as length, beam and draft, that can be stated in linear units, but 
"size" cannot be similarly stated. 
One result of imperfect and illogical measurement rules Is that the 
designing of racing yachts, especially in the small classes, has become 
Ihe art of discovering some way to get speed by evading these rules — 
the art of discovering speed factors which are not included in the 
measurement formulas, and of selecting and emphasizing those speed 
factors of the formulas which contribute least to the final "rating" or 
"racing length," 
As might be expected, keen competition has developed the ingenuity 
of designers in this direction to a marvelous degree, and the victory 
of Glencalrn seems to be a notable instance of clever "rule cheating." 
Whether she has a more scientific form for driving through the water 
than Ideal or Riverside has not been demonstrated. That Glencalrn 
is the fastest boat under the Seawanhaka rule is the only certain con- 
clusion to be drawn from the races. 
Another result of imperfect and illogical measurement rules haa 
been the necessity of giving them a new and distinct function, viz., 
that of strangling their own progeny— the necessity of adding to their 
original function of measuring the speed of yachts the power of in- 
fluencing the type of yachts that can be profitably raced under such 
rules. 
The chief objections to all rules of the present type are that they are 
based so little upon fundamental principles that they are practically 
temporary expedients only, and that, being effective in controlling the 
types of yachts buUt under them, they entirely interrupt the natural 
or scientific evolution of the yacht. 
It may be aBsumed that no perfect measurement rules can at pres- 
ent be divlsed, and that it Is wise to restrict in some way the building 
of yachts of undesirable type that are inevitably foitered by imperfect 
rules. But the necessary restrictions should be made in such manner 
as will least interfere with the natural development of the yacht, and 
the two functions of measurement rules should be distinctly kept in 
mind. 
There is one large, constant and fundamental factor in the speed of 
yachts that can always be measured in simple units, viz., sail area. 
Let this be taken to be the "size" of yachts for the purpose of com- 
paring their speed. This will stop all evasion of the rule, and wiir fur- 
nish a basis for a measurement rule that will be permanent, and 
t herefore will promote instead of interfering with the scientific evo- 
lution of the yacht. 
If this rule for measuring speed would develop the building of an 
undesirable canoe type, let an empirical restrict ion of any objection- 
able and easily measured dimension of a canoe, such as beam or draft, 
be incorporated into the rule. It should not be introduced into the 
measurement formula. The two functions should be kept sepa- 
rate. 
There could be no evasion of such a rule. The evolution of other 
undesirable features could be discouraged from time to time by simi- 
lar restrictions^ 
This would not interfere with the continuous development of the 
highest speed consistent with a desirable type. This development 
would be hastened by cumulative experience, instead of being re- 
tarded, as it is now, by periodically throwing overboard our accumu- 
lation of experience, and starting anew to discover ways to cheat a 
new rule. During the evolution of the best measurement rule the 
relative speed of contesting yachts would be measured by a standard 
readily and fairly applicable to all, viz, : sail spread or driving power. 
Why is not this a fairer test of the skill of the designer in fashion- 
ing a form to be driven through the water than the rules now in use? 
A great advantage of a sail area rule would be that by reason of its 
simplicity it woiild be understood by every yachtsman, Amendments 
needed from time to time would relate only to objectionable features 
In yachts, about which the body of yachtsmen wou'd be good judges, 
and not to Intricate formulsB which almost no yachtsmen understand. 
The restrictions as to objectionable features would relate to the 
principal dimensions of botts, such as length, beam, draft and dis- 
. placement; and. being absolute, the tendency would necessarily be 
toward uniformity In type. Enough leeway would be left for nat- 
ural selection through moderate variation ; and this would eventually • 
narrow the field of selection. As the evolution toward the highest 
speed proceeded, the variations of form would necessarily decrease. 
The sail area would at t-ach step become a better measure of speed; 
and finally, when the differences of form become zero, the speed of 
yachts would vary directly as some function of their sail spread, and 
the sail area measurement rule would be the ideal rule. 
The foregoing criticism of existing measurement rules is offered 
with considerable confidence; but, in view of the amount and quality 
of the thought that has been devoted to such rules, it behooves one 
who thinks they may be improved to be modest in estimating the 
worth of his amendments. He may learn something if the experts 
deign to notice his offerings. 
The suggestion that sail area be made the sole element of a size 
formula, and that the matter of restricting the growth of undesirable 
types be left to specific provisions disconnected with the measuring 
formula, is offered in the hope that it may provoke discussion of this 
interesting and, it is believed, timely sabject. Sextant. 
Newport Races. 
The 30-f ooters sailed a race off Newport on July 27 in a strong 
S.W. wind, the course being an 18-mile triangle. Before the start 
Vaquero III. was in collision with a rowboat and had a hole stove in 
her bow, but it was patched with canvas and she started in the race. 
The flrst round was timed: 
Asabi 3 33 33 E'peracza .3 34 40 
Vaquero 3 33 31 Wa Wa 3 35 17 
Hera , ....3 34 10 
The final times were: 
Finish. Elapsed. 
Vaquero 4 32 40 146 40 
Asahi 4 24 05 1 48 05 
4 24 58 1 48 53 
Hera 4 25 15 1 49 15 
Wa Wa 4 26 55 1 50 55 
Another race was sailed on July 29 over the Wickford course, 18 
miles, to leeward and return. The times were: 
Htart. Finish. Elapsed. 
Aaahi, Bayard Thayer 2 38 00 5 35 33 2 57 33 
Puck. E. D Morgan 2 38 00 5 40 84 3 02 24 
Wa Wa, James Stillman 3 38 00 5 40 50 3 02 50 
Dorothy, H. P. Whitney 3 38 CO 5 41 50 3 03 50 
Carolina, Mr. Jones 3 38 00 5 43 08 3 05 08 
Hera, R. N. Ellis Did not finish. 
A Tragic Trial Trip. 
The first actual sea trial of the new steam yacht Josephine was 
terminated in a most tragic manner on Aug. 1, by the death of Mrs. 
Anna Josephine Widener, wife of the owner, shortly after the yacht 
arrived at Bar Harbor from New York. Mrs, Widener, after whom 
the yacht was named, was about sixty years old, and had suffered from 
the grippe last winter. Though apparently in her usual health when 
she retired, she was found dead in her stateroom next moraing, the 
cause being heart disease. The yacht returned at once to New York 
with the body. 
The Forest and Stream is put to press each week on 
Tuesday. Correspondence intended for publication 
should reach us at the latest by Monday, and as mucfi 
$a/rHer as pra< ticable. 
