Feb. 2, 1901.] 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
93 
Red Dragon manner, talks by Com. Wilt, ex-Com. 
Herningway, Joseph Edward Murray and Dr. Gross being 
particularly well received. The ex-Comniodore spoke 
fluently in retrospectiye and took his hearers back to the 
time "when swords did hang but loosely in the scabbard." 
Capt. Blumner delighted the audience with a few of his 
■ choicest recitations. In fact, every member present added 
his mite, and not a moment was lost. 
The year just ended has been a pleasant one for the Red 
Dragons, although, according to the report of the Re- 
gatta Committee, M. D. Wilt, chairman, there was a lack 
of interest in the regattas held by the club. 
A successful ladies' day, successful mainly through the 
untiring efforts of the Commodore', was given after the 
spring regatta, and it was one of the most enjo3'able 
meets of the season. 
The race for the McFetridge paddling trophy and for a 
cup presented by E'. W. Crittenden was held on Sept. 29, 
Mr. M. D, Wilt winning. Mr. Crittenden and Mr. Titus 
were the other contestants. 
According to the log book, fifteen members have been 
active during the year, Mr. Crittenden leading in the 
greatest number of miles paddled with 387 to his credit, 
followed by A. S. Fenimore, with 1971^ ; E. D. Heming- 
way, 165 ; T. W. Cook, 1341/, ; M. D. AVilt, 134 ; J. E. Mur- 
ray, H. W. Fleischmann, 68; H. M. Krearaer, 57; 
W. K. Park, 551^; H. E. Davis, 49>4 ; A. D. Silliman, 46; 
N. C. McLeod. 12^; W. J. Scott, ii^^; H. E. Blumner, 
iij^, and A. D. Shaw, 3. 
Eight members of the club took part in the Delaware 
River cruise of the Atlantic Division of the A. C. A. in 
May, namely. Messrs. Kreamer, Fleischmann, Fenimore, 
Crittenden, Park, Murray, Cook and Hemingway. Be- 
sides these were several other members w^ho joined the 
camp at Park Island. Two of the Red Dragons, M. D. 
Wilt and Harry Kreamer, attended the A. C. A. meet at 
Muskoka Lake, Canada. W. K. P. 
Notice. 
All communicationB intended for Forest and Stream should 
always be addressed to the Forest and Stream Publishing Co., and 
not to any individual connected with the paper. 
CANOEING NEWS NOTES. 
The Toronto C. C. annual dinner, which was announced 
for the 25th inst., has been postponed until further notice 
on account of the death of the Queen. 
1^ ft^ 
The following, proposed by Com. C. E. Britten and 
seconded by Sec'y-Treas. Herb Begg. have applied for 
membership in the A. C. A. : Thos. B. Greening, Hamil- 
ton, Canada; A. J. Wood, Montreal, Canada; Geo. Boyd, 
Montreal, Canada. 
K K n 
Charles Catlin, 481 Belden avenue, Chicago, has also 
applied for membership. 
i^o H 
Com. Britton, who was unfortunately laid up sick dur- 
ing_ the annual meeting in Gananoque October last, has 
entirely recovered and is able to assume his official duties. 
^ ^ ^ 
Mr, Percy Nesbit, Vice-Commodore of the British 
Canoe Association, has announced his intention of being 
present at the international meet, Thousand Islands, in 
August next. 
*i K ^ 
The Toronto C. C. are making extensive alterations to 
their club house, which, together with the adjoining prop- 
erty, was recently purchased by them. 
*t >t 
The annual reunion, dinner and election of the Brook- 
lyn C. C. were held at the Clarendon Hotel. Brooklyn. 
The reports of the committees and officers for the j^ear 
showed the organization to be in good condition, with 
no outstanding liabilities and a substantial balance. The 
following officers were chosen : Com., Robert J. Wilkin ; 
Vice-Com., C. Valentine Schujder; Purser. W. McK. 
Miller, Meas.. F. V. Henshaw; Chairman of House Com- 
mittee, Percy F. Hogan ; Chairman of Entertainment Com- 
mittee, Samuel J. Bennett. 
iK. *i at 
At the annual meeting of the Knickerbocker C. C. held 
at the club house, West i52d street and the Hudson River, 
the following officers for the coming vear were elected: 
Com., L. S. Stockwell; Vice-Com., G. E. Tavlor; Sec'y. 
J. Leach; Treas., W. R. Farrell, Jr.; Meas., 'Warren t. 
Berry. The reports of the retiring officers showed the 
club to be in a flourishing condition, as it owns its club 
house, is free from debt, and has a balance of several 
hundred dollars in the treasur3^ 
Report of the Purser, Atlantic Division, A. 
C A., J 900. 
Receipts. 
Balance from purser, 1899 $157.28 
Dues for year 1896-1897-1898 , 3 00 
Dues for 1899 ,„.,-,,..r 5.00 
Dues for 1900 238.00 
Initiation fees 26.00 
Subscription for prizes , 10.00 
^. '— $439.28 
Disbursements. 
Stationery, printing and postage $138.00 
Subscriptions, Forest and Stream 7.0O 
Net expenses Division cruise and meet.. 78.49 
Prizes for Division meet races............ 45.00 
Thirty per cent, to the A. C. A 81.60 
Atlantic Division dinner in New York 37.15 
Transportation A. C. A. meet, 1899 27!o5 
Transportation J^. C. A. meet, 1900 4 00 
Balance Get. 1, 1900 2o!99 
. $439 2S 
Respectfully submitted, Arthur H. Wood, Purser'. 
Audited and found correct — Fred B. Yard, G. L. Wallington. 
In our issue of last week we referred to the new bill 
which has been introduced into Congress by Representa- 
tive Charles H. Grosvenor, of Ohio, providing for tlie 
regulation of the use of launches propelled by electricity, 
gas, naphtha or fluid, and we are glad to say that there 
is little likelihood of its being passed at present. In an 
interview at Washington a few days since, Mr. Grosvenor 
made the following explanation : 
"I introduced the bill for the Treasury Department 
upon the information that accidents to passengers on badly 
regulated vessels, propelled by power generated by gas 
or oil. were becoming too frequent, and also because there 
had been complaint that the masters of such vessels were 
indifferent to the sailing rules that govern other craft, and 
Avere getting in the way of steamboats and steamships 
with little care for the signals and regulations that re- 
strain vessels under the supervision of the supervising 
inspectors of steam vessels. 
"The bill does not pretend to debar any private user 
of a launch, however propelled, being of less than 15 tons, 
from choosing any way he may prefer to blow himself and 
his family to perdition. It simply says that all vessels 
propelled by power and carrying passengers 'for hire' shall 
be subject to rules found wise and necessary to control 
the use of other power-propelled vessels. That does not 
appear clearly in the act as I introduced it. 
"To make it clear I have to-day introduced another 
bill, in which I have recited the act to be amended and 
then added the amendment. That is a rule in Ohio, and 
ought to be a rule hare, the mere reference to a statute 
to be amended not conveying an intelligent idea to the 
reader of the act if he does not happen to be familiar with 
the statute referred to. The launch owners need not 
worry. Having introduced the corrected bill, it will be 
referred, but I shall not make any effort to secure its pas- 
.sage this session." 
A MOST interesting pamphlet, written by Col. J. F. 
Bucknill (Thalassa), of Southampton, England, on the 
new English Y. R. A. rule, has just been received by us. 
It has for its purpose the formation of a new association 
in England with the object of fostering wholesome types 
of small boats for racing, with displacement as a basis 
for its rating formulas. Col. Bucknill ably discusses the 
new rule recently adopted by the Y. R. A. Council, and 
brings to light its weak points. A number of charts and 
tables make the volume most complete, and those who are 
interested in rating formulas will find the work of unusual 
value in the study of the subject. Copies may be secured 
from Wolff & Co., 75 High street, Southampton, Eng- 
land, for one shilling a copy. 
The cruising schooner for Mr. Robert E. Tod that is 
being built by the Townsejid & Downey Shipbuilding Co., 
of Shooters Island, S. I., from plans made by Mr. H. C. 
Winteringham, is already under way. She is iioft. on 
the waterline, 152ft. 6in. over all, 28ft. beam and 14ft. 
draft. The overhang aft is 23ft. Sin. She has a very 
moderate sail plan. The skylights and deck trimmings 
will be of teak, and beside the usual boats she will carry 
a steam launch. The deck is raised- forward and aft. 
Mr. Tod has sold his schooner Katrina, 
The Duties of Regatta Committees* 
Last summer in conversation with Mr. W. P. Stephens 
I promised to write a few notes on the duties of regatta 
committees. The subject is a large one, and I shall not 
pretend to exhaust it or to offer instructions to men who 
have served on regatta committees for years. I may, how- 
ever, hope to put together a little information that -will 
be useful to those who have made no special study of 
the subject. If I am seldom able to quote authorities it 
must be remembered that outside of the racing rules 
there is scarcely anything available for the use of race 
officers, and they have to look for guidance to custom, 
fair play and common sense. As all, or nearly all, races 
are sailed under the management of a yacht club, it will 
be convenient and sufficient to inquire into the duties 
of the regatta committee of a club, merely remarking 
that under special conditions a regatta committee might 
exist without a club. Every club has its own system of 
internal administration, of which a committee of 'manage- 
ment forms the chief part, although discharging varying 
duties and responsibilities, according to the constitution 
of the club. With some small clubs this committee is 
little more than an executive carrying out the will of the 
members expressed at monthly meetings. In all larger 
clubs, however, the custom is to hold an annual meet- 
ing, at which the comm.ittee of management is elected, and 
to entrust it with full powers of administration. This 
would include the outlining of the racing policy of the 
club, and it might go further to the extent of fixing the 
classes, dates and events, providing for the measurement 
of the fleet and furnishing the necessary facilities for 
carrying out all the details of a race. Usually all such 
work is turned over to another committee variously 
known as the regatta committee, the race committee or 
the sailing committee, whose work it is now proposed 
to discuss. 
The three titles mentioned are used almost interchange- 
ably, as any report of summer racing in Forest and 
Stream will show. Although each may at one time have 
possessed a more specific meaning of the three, the term 
regatta committee is the most comprehensive, and it may 
include those who have charge of the whole or any part 
of the club work connected with a race. The duties, the 
authority and the responsibility of such a committee Vary 
almost with every club — there is no fixed rule and hardly 
any settled usage. The simplest and most effective plan 
is that of the New York Yacht Club, which elects a re- 
gatta committee at the annual meeting, and invests it 
with full authority to carry on the racing of the club, from 
the making of the first arrangements to the finish of the 
last race and the awarding of the last prize. There is 
no doubting the wisdom and efficiency of such a course — 
k is precise, clean-cut and effective. Of course, much of 
the work may be performed by deputy, either paid or 
honorary, and such a committee will find occasion to 
employ raeastirers, secretaries, starters, timekeepers and 
others. But with the central authority in good hands 
such detail.s of administration give far less trouble than 
when they are entrusted to several individuals or com- 
mittees working apart in a disjointed fashion, often out 
of touch one with another or touching only to collide. 
The duty of conducting the season's racing of a yacht 
club, or even a special race of any importance, is no mere 
honorary ,=:inec.ure, to be entrusted to any members who 
have a taste for publicity and no special qualifications 
for any other office. It is important, responsible work, re- 
quirmg constant attention and good administrative 
ability, coupled with a practical knowledge of the rules 
and usages of yachting. For this reason clubs having 
important racing to look after entrust it to a compact 
body of competent men, five or even three being a good 
number: large unwieldy committees containing a good 
de;il of hoitorary and ex-officio material having been 
abandoned, owing to the importance of the work. 
A regatta committee taking charge of a season's rac- 
ing will assume oflice at the beginning of the season, or 
better still at the close of the previous season, and with 
as little loss of time .ns possible plan the coming cam- 
paign. The first arrangements that will be made will be 
such as concern owners who propose building or altering 
boats during the winter. Changes in rules, classification 
or the establishment of new classes are matters that 
should all be settled before Christmas, if possible. Then 
the season's fixtures will have to be arranged, and often 
this requires more time and patience than may be sup- 
posed, particularly when dates have to be set with some 
regard to the events of other clubs. Work of this kind, 
although important, is only preliminary, and may be 
done deliberately. The active, conspicuous duties begin 
with the opening of the racing season, and even if all goes 
smoothly the regatta committee will have plenty to do 
on or before the day of the race. But unfortunately, even 
at the last moment, vexatious hitches arise from quarters 
where all was supposed to be serene. Yacht owners, 
strange to say, are often very capricious in their actions 
about racing. One would suppose that it would be 
looked upon as a privilege to sail a fair race for a valu- 
able prize, and that every owner who had any intention 
of competing would make himself familiar with the rules, 
have his boat measured in good time, and attend to the 
necessary formality of making an entry with the proper 
officer. Most owners do all this cheerfully and promptly, 
but others do not. They treat the club measurer as 
though they were doing him and the club a great favor 
to allow the official tape-line to touch their sacred 3^acht— 
they stand him off and tell him to call again because some 
trifling changes may be made— there is no hurry. They 
go around one day explaining how they are going to 
beat their class out of sight, and next dav are not sure 
they will race at all. Instead of entering in good season 
they take it as a matter of course that some member of 
the regatta committee will ask for their entry and be 
glad to get it.- They do more— but my object is not to 
enlarge on the shortcomings of owners, except to show 
that a regatta committee must be prepared for all this 
sort of thing, and be ready to handle it with judgment 
and discretion. Careless yacht owners are often good- 
natured, honorable sportsmen, and they have to be 
humored, because in handling a regatta it is necessary 
to do more than carry out the technical requiiements of 
the event — it must be made a success. 
The cotirse or courses will be decided some time be ■ 
tore the day of the race, and all necessary preparations 
made to set the marks. Even in a well-regulated c'ub. 
with a competent dock man or storekeeper, this will re- 
quire the personal attention of at least one member of 
the committee. The equipment will have to be carefullv 
looked over and every precaution taken to see that it is 
all there and in good order. Buovs, floats, targets, 
anchors and lines are peculiarly liable to loss and dam- 
age even with fair handling, not to mention carelessness 
and borrowing. When marks have to be set in the open 
in deep water and exposed to wind and waves, the gear 
cannot be too good or too much care exercised in the 
setting. Where the course is a long one the work is 
better done the day before it is required, as it takes some 
time to steam fifteen or twenty miles, stopping at inter- 
vals to set marks. The only drawback to this foolhardi- 
ness is that there is a chance of a buoy being carried 
away over night, and to guard against this it is always 
advisable to send a steamer around in the morning before 
the start, with the necessary materials for making good 
anything that has gone wrong. There is no more annoy- 
ing incident in racing than the loss of a mark, and even 
if It be discovered in time to place a temporary "substitute, 
such as the committee boat, the incident is likely to lead 
to dissatisfaction among the competitors. It "is worse 
when a new start has to be ordered, as even on a short 
course this leads to a weary delay which is onlv a trifle 
better than a postponement. There are three things that 
racing yachtsmen have a good right to demand from a 
regatta committee: Precise instructions, accurate timing 
and a course properly laid and marked. For any failure 
m the latter respect it is idle to plead excuses or explana- 
tions; these do not restore a race that has been m.ost 
vexatiously spoiled. Yet it must be added that the most 
-painstaking regatta committee may sometimes have a 
mishap solely through their inability to obtain proper 
material for setting marks and keeping them there. The ■ 
average yachtsman, who has not investigated the sub- 
ject usually thinks that "any old thing" is good enough 
to use for a mark in a course, and if, as may happen, the 
regatta committee has no authority to purchase stores, 
they may have to submit to having requisitions for proper 
stores cut down below the point of utility and reliability 
by some very economical person who does not realize 
that a whole regatta may be spoiled by one piece of rope 
proving too weak or too .short. 
While on this subject T may say that after many ex- 
periments on Lake Ontario we have found the only satis- 
factory mark for deep water to be the affair shown in 
the cut. The A shaped floai is constructed of dry stuff, 
well fastened, and should have a surplus buoyancy of at 
least so or 60 pounds. .A stout ring is provided for the 
anchor rope of three-quarters' or larger manila, *a mush- 
room anchor of 50 pounds weight being used. A Hght 
but sound spar 25 feet long is stepped clear through 
the float, a third of its length or less projecting into the 
water, and to the heel is lashed a weight of say 50 pounds. 
This affords sufficient stability to carry the pole upright 
Willi suitable targets attached. Simple as this arrange- 
