Nov. 22,- 1902.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
419 
Key to Plate II. 
1. Hollow mast. 
2. Hollow boom. 
3. Hollow gaff. 
4. Hollow jibboom. 
5. MasHicad band. 
6. Slot for jib halyard. 
7. Masthead spreader. 
S. Slot for throat hab'ard. 
g. Mast heel band. 
10. Eye-bolts to tighten Up Spreader shrouds. 
11. Saddle and bolts. 
12. Shroud turnbuckles. 
13. Runner chock bracket. 
14. Fore runner. 
15. Nose and cap. 
16. Jib traveler. 
17. Mast step. 
18. Turnbuckles for gU3's. 
19. Toggle iron. 
30. Rtmner chock brackets. 
21. Saddle for back bone. 
22. Upper side of runner and chock. 
23. Cleat for peak halyard. 
24. Cleat for throat halyard. 
25. Cleat for jib halyard. 
26. Irons to ciil halyards on. 
27. Bolt for runner plank hack stays. 
28. Strip of oak to reinforce back stays. 
29. Rudder post. 
30. Enlarged draft, showing the method of joining the flooring 
and coaming. 
31. Block in nose of hollow back bone. 
32. Strip to reinforce bobstay spreader. 
33. Strip to reinforce bobstay and block for mast. 
34. Strip to reinforce heel of bobstay. 
35. Two-foot block to reinforce nose of cockpit. 
36. Two-foot block to reinforce rudder post and heel of. cockpit. 
37. Enlarged draft of bridge constructed hollow backbone. 
38. Enlarged draft, mid-section of same. 
39. Enlarged draft of outside of same. 
A — Top of cockpit. 
B — Cockpit coaming. 
C — Backbone. 
D — Mid-section of cockpit coaming. 
E — Cockpit ilooring. 
English Letter. 
So far the news of a new Fife 65-footer does not appear 
to' have attracted an}' rivals, Ihough this class oitght to be 
an excellent one, according to the traditions of our racing. 
Indeed, there is little to show any likelihood of next j^ear 
being any better than this in open racing, and so a strong 
feeling exists that' the handicap classes should be placed 
on a more satisfactory footing. A suggestion has been 
urged for years by one of the papers that the Y. R. A. 
should appoint an "oificial handicapper, and the Field some 
time ago pointed out an excellent way of carrying this 
out, viz., for a handicap committee to allot the boats in 
each class an imaginary rating, corresponding to the time 
allowance that in its opinion each boat should have. That 
is to say, a slow boat of perhaps 75 actual rating might 
sail as only 60 in all handicap races. This would_ save 
the clubs from no end of trouble in framing handicaps, 
and would undoubtedly please the owners better than the 
present happy-go-lucky system. An owner who thought 
his boat rated too high, could apply for a reconsideration 
of her case on payment of a small fee, -and the committee 
would at any time readjust ratings that they saw to be 
Avrong. On your side of the Atlantic yachting appears to 
sulfer from the want of one central controlling associa- 
tion. Here we have such, or the makings of such, an 
association, but it is lamentably lacking in energy. 
Whether this suggestion will be taken up is doubtful, 
though it is eminently sensible, and even if it is carried 
into effect, it will have been accomplished only after a 
most persistent advocacj'. 
Talking of Associations, an attempt is being* made to 
form one for motor launch racing, and I think _ it will 
liave succeeded before this reaches you. The idea at 
present is to promote racing among yachts' launches of 
Various sizes, with a bar on lack of beam and a com- 
pulsory minimum scantling. Beside this, _ an open or 
purely" "machine" class is probable, in which the class 
limit of length will alone be considered. This may not 
fill for some time, but as our French neighbors adopt 
this form of racing to the exclusion of all others, we 
must have some means of licking them. Time allpw- 
-ances in the other, or ordinary, classes will take into 
consideration length and horse power, the latter being 
derived from cylinder measurements and mtmber of 
revolutions, without the slightest reference to the makers' 
statements as to power. No doubt we shall have com- 
petitors from your side at times, and certainly from 
France. ^ * 
A nasty petrol explosion occurred last month on a 
"little 12-ton auxiliary cruiser in Southampton water. The 
■paid hand (alone) had come on board about 10 o'clock at 
night, and was going to turn in. He struck a match 
and an explosion followed. He was seriously burned, but 
was able to get ashore in the dinghy, and is now recover- 
ing. Now, this was a somewhat peculiar case, for after- 
ward no leak of petrol cotdd be detected. I hear that 
the real cause lav in the fact that on the previous day 
when the boat was out, contintted and prolonged attempts 
were made to start the engine, and the poor thing woiild 
not start because, as was finally discovered, the batteries 
were exhausted and supplied no spark! The continued 
efforts to start flooded the engine with petrol, and this 
in some wav found its way into the bottom of the boat, 
where the gas hung until mixed up by the draught from 
the scuttle.'when it was exploded by the lit match. 
The most important turbine yacht yet built wdl- be 
launched early next vear. She is between thirteen and 
fdurteen hitndred tons, and is for Mr. A. L. Barber, of 
New York. Messrs. Cox & King are the designers of 
this vessel, and they also designed Col. McCalmont's 
small turbine yacht, which was the first yacht with this 
type of machinery ever built. 
There is, of course, no news of the new challenger for 
the Cup, and any that may appear in your enterprising 
daily contemporaries may be taken as purely fanciful. 
Sir Thomas. I read, has expressed his disapprobation of 
racing machines for Cup-lifting purposes. That seems to 
me a most entertaining phase of thought in a man who, 
perhaps, has gone further than any other in producing 
such objectionable boats. The letters that passed last 
summer between him and the N. Y. Y. C. on the sub- 
ject of the new rule have created a good impression here. 
It is felt that the club acted very honorably in the non- 
application of the rule to the next races, in view of the 
fact that it might have discounted the value of the first 
two Shamrocks as trial boats for the new challenger. 
Our daily papers are so hard put to it to supply the de- 
mand (?) of the public for information on Cup matters, 
that one actually issued a broadside this week completely 
filled Avith the news that a new defender would be built ! 
His Majesty's new yacht, Victoria and Albert, is to be 
fitted with telescopic masts. These will be much longer 
v.'hen at their full height than the present solid spars, and 
they will add very much to the vessel's appearance. The 
King intends to cruise in her in the Mediterranean in the 
early part of next year. Not a whisper further has been 
heard of the rumored new first-class cutter said to be 
building for His Majestv, and there is probably no truth 
in the report. ' E. H. Hamilton. 
The Thomas W. Lawson. 
Many yachtsmen throughout the country have been in- 
terested in the building of the huge seven-masted steel 
schooner which was designed by Mr. B. B. Crowninshield, 
and they will now be pleased to learn of her perform- 
ance on her maiden voyage, the following account of 
which is taken from the Boston Herald : 
The big seven-masted schooner Thomas W. Lawson 
is back in Boston Harbor with 7,345 tons of bituminous 
coal on board for the Metropolitan Coal Company, and 
her commander, Cajpt. Crowley, says she is the finest ves- 
sel he was ever on board. The cargo she has is one of 
the largest a schooner has ever brought to this port, but 
it is not nearh'- large enough to fill the Lawson's holds. 
"She can easily carry 8.000 tons." said Capt. Crowley 
yesterday afternoon. '"With 7,345 tons on board, she is 
only drawing 263^ feet of water. We did not bring a full 
cargo because we could not get it." 
The Lawson was towed into the harbor yesterday. At 
5 o'clock Thursday night she anchored off Boston Light, 
after a passage from Philadelphia that thoroughly tested 
Intosh to Mr. Albert V. de Goicoura, of New York ci.ty 
by Mr. William H. Alley, of Chicago, her former owner. 
C)onas was built last year by Poillion at South Brooklyn, 
and is 68ft. waterline, 95ft. over all, 20ft. beam and loft. 
draft. 
^ ^ ^ 
Sloop Fanny, from Newberne, N. C, for New York, 
was caught in a northeasterly gale off the Delaware 
Breakwater and driven ashore at Point of Capes. She is 
owned by Mr. Thomas Fisk, of New York. 
^ ^ ^ 
The Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company has secured 
a site for a station at Eaton's Neck, Long Island, the first 
of a series to be built along the Sound for the convenience 
of yachtsmen who, while cruising in these waters, can 
keep in communication with New York at all times. 
>^ • 
At Morris Heights the Gas Ensine and Power Com- 
pany and Chas. L. Seaburj^ & Co., are very busy Avith 
new work, and have several large steam yachts now under 
course of construction. The largest is for Mr. Edward 
H. Blake, oi Bangor. Me., and will be called Aria. She 
is 165ft. in length, of steel construction, and thoroughly 
up to date in every particular. Frames are being set up 
for a composite steamer 115ft. long for Mr. S. H. Vande- 
grift, of Pittsburg, Pa., who will use the boat on the St. 
Lawrence. In order to get her through the canals, her 
bow and stern are being built so that they may be de- 
tached. Plans are being prepared for a high-speed launch 
similar to Vixen, built last year for Mr. John D. Arch- 
bold. The new boat will be iioft. over all, 104ft. water- 
VIXENT — HIGH-SPEED STEAM YACHT. 
Designed and built by the Gas Engine and Power Co., 1902. Photo by James Burton. 
her seagoing qualities. From the time she left the Dela- 
ware Saturday until her anchor was droped off Boston 
Light, she met a continuous success of gales, sharp breezes 
and heavy seas, which would have washed an ordinary 
vessel fore and aft. 
But even a drop of water did not reach the Lawson's 
deck, Capt. Crowley says, and she rode in the heavy seas 
like a duck. 
"She is away ahead of any wooden vessel I have ever 
been in." said Car)t. Crowley, "and I have sailed in seven 
sizes of them. She is very easy to handle, and I am thor- 
oughlv satisfied that she is more than we expected she 
would be." 
. She is not of clipper speed, but she can reel off 13 or 
14 knots, and stay at sea when smaller craft w^ould have 
to seek shelter. Considerinsr everything, she made good 
time from Philadelnhia. Tuesday morning she was at 
^^ineyard Haven, where she anchored because of a gale. 
Wednesday morning she left the shoals, and, although 
there.' was a lively gale in Massachusetts Bay Thursday, 
she was able to carrv her canvas until she anchored off 
thf Light at 5 o'clock. 
The T.awson docked- at the Liverpool wharf, near the 
South Terminal Station. 
Vixen* 
The hi<7h-.="eeH steam y-icht Vixen, designed and built 
the G^s Enaine and Power Comnany and Chas. L. 
S'-aburv Co'"nany is owned by Mr. John D. Archbold, 
of the New York Y. C. Vixen is fitted with twin screws 
and ha=! two trinle exnansion engines with three cvlinders, 
each 7in.- i^^Win. and lyVAn. bv loin. stroke. St^am is 
sunnl''^d bv Sepbun' oatent water tube boilers. Her di- 
mensions are — ^leup-fh over all, Tooft. : waterline, 76ft. ; 
breadth, 12ft.; draft, 4ft. 
m YACHTING NEWS NOTES. 
T^he steam yacht Aztec, owned by Mr. A. C. Burrage, 
of Boston, is now out of corniinssion. undergoing prepara- 
tions for a long winter cruise. 
The auxiliary schooner Oonas. of Cary Smith design, 
has recently been sold through the agency of A. J. Mc- 
line, 14ft. bfeam, 4ft. gin. draft. She will have twin screws 
with triple expansion engines and Seabury water-tube 
boilers. She is to have a speed of twenty niiles and will 
be owned by Mr. Parker Bremer, of Boston. A flush- 
decked, Schooner-rigged steam yacht, 103ft. over all, is 
Avell under way for Mr, Henry S. F. Davis, of New York. 
An auxiliary cruising yawl 70ft. over all is being built for 
Mr. J. H. Sraedley, of Detroit, who will cruise in her on 
the lakes. 
^ ^ ^ 
The auxiliary yacht Enterprise, owned by Mr. Frank 
L. Periii, N. Y. Y. C, is fitting for a Southern cruise at 
Baltimore, i\Id. Changes are being made in her spars and 
rigging, and when completed she will have about the 
same rig as Aloha, flagship of the Seawanhaka. 
^ ^ 
Designer Starling Burgess has a long list of orders for 
new boats, and is very busy getting out new designs. 
^ ^ ^ 
From present indications the ice yachting season at De- 
troit will eclipse that of any previous winter. More 
boats will be added to the Lake St. Clair fleet than in any 
preceding single season, and more interesting competi- 
tions in the racing events hereabouts should be the result. 
The Grosse Pointe Ice Y. C. has already made arrange- 
ments for its season, and announces a club race every 
Saturday, a sweepstakes every Sunday, and a ladies' day 
every Thursday. Grosse Pointe's course has been greatly 
improved since a year ago, and of course for racing, two 
and a half miles trianguiar. is now possible. There have 
been removed from the lake about six hundred rocks that 
formerly protruded through the surface of the ice. The 
international race, which is the Grosse Pointe classic, 
will be decided in January, instead of at the usual date, 
some six weeks later. This is expected to give assurance 
of better ice. Canadian and Eastern owners are being 
corresponded with, for the purpose of making the race 
a more open event. Jacob Obernesser, of Toronto, has 
already promised to bring the Canada here. 
All communications intended for Forest and St'rea'm should 
always be addressed to the Forest and Stream Publishing Co., New 
York, and not to any individual connected with tbe paper. 
