F.W.M 
DODO. 
rule, was generally taken up by yachtsmen as something 
English, and with a "smart" sound, and misapplied to all 
kinds and classes of yachts. In the same way the silly 
fashion of using one name for a series of yachts with a 
string of numerals, as the Whitewings IIII. and the 
Mary VI., has become common in this country, as being 
the proper thing in England. 
The true reasons for the failure of the girth rule are 
plain enough to all who care to look for them. In the 
first place the Yacht Racing Union of North America, 
just organized and under the serious handicap of an 
awkward and cumbersome title, had a difficult task ahead 
to overcome many obstacles, the most serious being the 
opposition, passive or active, of several large yacht clubs, 
especially the New York Y. C. The demand for a nktion- 
al organization and a uniform set of rules came from the 
many smaller clubs of the United States and Canada, and 
the large metropolitan clubs at the least had no sympathy 
with it. Under the scheme of organization of the Union, 
not for the promotion and encouragement of American 
yachting, but solely of yacht racing, the one thing by 
which it could justify its existence was the immediate 
adoption of a standard set of rules. This it proceeded to 
1o, to the best of its ability, and a great deal of time and 
bor was expended on the work. The task of deciding on 
„ measurement formula proved a most difficult one, and 
the easiest solution seemed to be the adoption of the rule 
then in use in Great Britain, 
In introducing this rule to American yachtsmen, the 
trouble was not that it was of British origin, but that little 
could be said for it except that it had been adopted by 
competent authorities, the British designers, and that in 
England, as applied to keel yachts and with centerboard 
yachts practically barred, it gave a fair chance to the 
moderate keel or the semi-fin type in racing against the 
extreme fin. It was not shown that the initial principle 
of the rule, the use of skin girth as a factor, was a cor- 
rect one, or that the rule would apply fairly to all types, 
centerboard and keel alike, as demanded in this country' 
or that it would act positively even to a moderate degree 
to encourage a yacht of reasonable accommodation. 
Opposed to it were the arguments of Mr. Hyslop and 
the Forest and Stream, showing that the measurement 
of girth did not of necessity promote a better form of 
hull, and that as applied to the centerboard type it might 
operate exactly the reverse. 
The result was simply and plainly that the new rule did 
not awaken the interest of the Sound Y. R. A. yachtsmen 
Apart from the opposition of one club, the Seawanhaka, 
to the technical features of the rule, there was no attempt 
to discuss it or to express any opinion of its merits. The 
time was not conducive to the successful introduction of 
any new rule, there was no building going on by which 
the rule would be tested in a public way so as to awaken 
the interest of yachtsmen. The failure of the rule was 
much like the failure of many plays, entirely independent 
of its merits and demerits. 
On the Lakes the girth rule was adopted solely for the 
sake of uniformity, the Lake clubs in doing so abandoning 
a much better rule, which was working successfully at the 
time. In this case the rule was put to a hard, practical 
test, a dozen yachts of difTerent types, by professional 
and amateur designers, being built and raced. Whether 
or no the result, the triumph of a shoal, wide skimming 
dish, proves the success of the rule or the reverse, is a 
question we will not undertake to answer. 
We have differed from the Y. R. U. on most points coii- 
nected with the girth rule, and we believe that its adoption 
was a mistake under the circumstances, but we recognize 
that the failure to secure the popular indorsement of the 
rule was not due to its merits or demerits; and that even 
a thoroughly good rule might have failed under the same 
conditions. At the same time, had the rule ever pro- 
gressed so far as the stage of serious argument and dis- 
cussion, its supporters would have had a hard task to 
prove that it Avas at all suited for American conditions. 
The outlook at the present time for any rule is very dis- 
couraging. No one seems to take any interest in the 
matter, in spite of the recognized defects of all existing 
rules. Until yachtsmen wake up and take upon them- 
selves individuality the stud3' and public discussion of the 
measurement question, there can be but little done by any 
one club or other body. 
We have no opinions to express on the broader points 
of The Yachtsman's statement, but as far as yachting is 
concerned we feel certain that the great majority of Amer- 
ican yachtsmen recognize to-day the importance of one 
common international measurement rule. If two new 
rules could be proposed now, of equal technical merit, 
but one exclusively American and the other uniform with 
the British rule, this fact would weigh with many in the 
choice of the latter. 
Sehetiefe. The nm ciass* which i^jII mcliide four to sm 
yachts of the same design, will be io6ft. over all, jtoftJ 
Lw.!., 20ft. beam and 15ft, draft; keel cutters of com- 
posite construction, the frames being of stee! angle bulbs 
with a single skin below and double above water. Thei 
lead keel weighs 40 tons. The spar dimensions, accord- 
ing to the Boston Globe, are as follows : 
Mast, 78ft. sm. extreme length; topmast, 47ft. 4in.; 
bowsprit, 2sft. Sin. ; main boom, 75ft.; gaff, 42ft. gin.; 
spinaker pole, 58ft. 3in. ; No. i topsail yard, 48ft. ; No. 2 
topsail yard, 3Sft. 4in. ; No. i topsail club, 36ft. 3in. ; No. 
2 topsail club, 27ft. 3in. 
The mast is 57ft. deck to hounds and 14ft. in the mast- 
head. It is iS:^4in. in diameter at the deck and i6^in. 
greatest diameter just below the hounds. The extreme 
diameter of the boom is I2in., topmast S^in., bowsprit 
loKin., gafiF 8in., and spinaker pole 7]4in. The club top- 
sail yards are flattened on the sides, a new departure in 
spar making, and are 6 by 8 and SH by y^m. respectively 
m No. I and No. 2. No. 1 topsail club is 5]4'm. in diam-j 
eter, and No. 2 is sin. ' 
Each cutter will have a special steam tender Soft, long, ! 
the first of these, also for Mr. Belmont, being launched 
immediately after the cutter, being christened Scout. ' The 
spaces vacated by these two yachts were at once utilized 
for the construction of two more of the same class. 
Mmeola IL 
The first of the new one-design class building at 
Bristol. Mineola II., owned by Rear-Com. August Bel- 
mont, N. Y. Y. C, was launched at 8 A. M, on Jan. 16, 
the owner coming up in his private car, accompanied by 
a few friends. The yacht was christened by Miss Natalie 
tWestcfn Yachts, 
Ggoesce— Beaver. 
Chicago, 111., Jan. 19. — Among the rumors of an ad- 
vanced nature which are floating about anent yachting 
plans for this region next summer is the announcement 
that there will be a determined effort made by the Co- 
lumbia Y. C, of this city, to bring together the yachts 
Genesee and Beaver, which last summer met in a well- 
fought series, with victory for the Chicago boat. Some 
of the local men are very anxious to see these fast ones 
come together again for a bout. To give these two a rub 
we may also next summer have a good one in the 35- 
footer, now building by Davies, designer of Blade and 
Nymph. Two or three new half-raters are also under 
way in this port, and there is going on a general over- 
hauling and refitting of the older boats of the fleet, so 
that we should see quite a navy in commision next 
summer. 
Gloriana is really to come here to Chicago Y. C. as 
property of Mr. Whitely, and on dit that two other 
Eastern boats will be purchased and brought here also. 
. E. H. 
YACHTING NEWS NOTES. 
At the annual meeting of the stockholders of the 
Cleveland Y. C, held Wednesday evening, Jan. 10, an 
amendment to the constitution to reduce the number of 
directors from fifteen to nine was adopted and the fol- 
lowing directors elected: For three years — Com. Geo. 
H. Worthington, E. A. Overbeke, A. R. Landreth, Jr. 
For two years — E. W. Radder, F. W. Roberts, Geo. 
W. Cleveland, For one year — E. E. Pettibone, Geo. R. 
McKay, John Barth. At the meeting of the new board 
of directors, held Thursday evening, Jan. 11, the following 
officers were elected: Com., Geo. H. Worthington; Vice- 
Com., Edw. A. Overbeke; Rear-Com., John Barth; Sec- 
Treas., A. R. Landreth, Jr.; Meas., Jos. Kerbel; Asst. 
Meas., C. W. Kelly; Surveyor, John Overbeke; Fleet 
Surgeon, Dr. E. E. Beeman. House Committee: E. 
W. Radder, Geo. W. Cleveland, C. R. Luethmeyer. Re- 
gatta Committee: Vice-Com. Edw. A. Overbeke, G. H. 
Gardner, Douglas Perkins, Jr. Entertainment Com- 
mittee: F. W. Roberts, Chas. D. Stewart, E. E. Petti- 
bone. Auditing Committee: Rear-Com. John Barth, 
Douglas Perkins, Jr., W. H. Wyman. 
Ashumet, sloop, has been sold to a syndicate of Charles- 
ton, S, C, yachtsmen. 
The nominating committee of the New York Y. C. 
posted the following nominations on Jan. 18, the annual 
meeting and election being on Feb. 8: Com., Lewis Cass 
Ledvard ; Vice-Com., August Belmont ; Rear-Com., C. L. 
F. Robinson; Sec'y, J. V. S. Oddie ; Treas., F. W. J. 
Hurst; Meas., John Hyslop; Fleet Surgeon, Morris J. 
Asch ; Regatta Committee, S. Nicholson Kane, Chester 
Griswold and William Butler Duncan, Jr. ; Committee on 
Admissions, C. Oliver Iselin, Henry C. Ward, James C. 
Bergan, James A. Wright and Frederic Gallatin; House 
Committee, Harrison B. Moore, Thomas A. Bronson and 
Francis H. Davies; Library Committee, Theodore C. 
Zerega, Arthur H. Clark and Paul E. Stevenson ; Com- 
mittee on Club Stations, F, Augustus Schermerhorn, F. 
P. Sands, Frederick H. Benedict, Edward R. Ladew, 
Charles Lane Poor, William H. Thomas, L. Vaughn 
Clark, Harrison B. Moore, Amzi L. Barber and John P. 
Duncan. 
The Marblehead Yacht Yard, which has been for some 
time in charge of designer Purdon in the absence abroad 
of W. B. Stearns, is turning out quite a lot of work this 
winter, and has many creditable boats well in hand. 
Nothing but first-class work is being done, and no offer 
has this year been made to do cheaper work. Of the 
three 35-footers ordered last year on designs similar to 
Purdon's successful cruiser Hilalia, two are about finished, 
and a third one for J. P. Helton is well along. 
This boat is of more beam and less draft. There are in 
it two staterooms, besides a lavatory and large cabin that 
will bunk four, a good-sized galley and -the forecastle 
with bunks for two men. This boat is to be most hand- 
somely finished in mahogany throughout, the others in 
oak and butternut. Every part of the work is of the 
highest grade throughout. The fastenings are all copper, 
yellow metal or Tobin bronze, and all woodwork inside 
and out is of the finest quality that can be found. 
A cruiser of 27ft. waterline for Henry A. Church 
js finished and shows a very handsome cabin. The boat 
is of the deep-bodied type, giving full standing head room, 
a very comfortable boat in a seaway. The 25ft. sailabout 
is ready for Dr. F. Dexter and shows a rather lean, fast- 
going form. The plank is going on the 22ft. sailabout for 
R. M. Hoe, of New York, and she will be ready to go to 
Seal Harbor, Me., early in the spring. Sumner Foster is 
to have a new racing knockabout , and she will be built} 
