830 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Nov. 24, 1906. 
THE SHIP’S HUSBAND. 
This is a term not often used in common con¬ 
versation or in the business of shipping. Like 
many another, it is unfamiliar in sound and in 
significance, but to the yachtsman—of means— 
it suggests relief from some of his troubles, and 
very vexatious ones too. How often we hear 
the owner complain about his inordinate ex¬ 
penses ; bills making their appearance months 
after his boat has been laid up for the winter, 
and when steward or sometimes even captain 
have vanished—the only ones who can check the 
bills or prove that they are not legitimate ones. 
The owner often checks or supervises the ac¬ 
counts, but this takes his time, mars his enjoy¬ 
ment, and throws him back to cares similar to 
and often more annoying than those he left 
ashore. 
To avoid such vexations, some owners, after 
their vessels are designed, further commission 
their naval architect to inspect the work as it 
progresses, requiring the builder to live up to 
his contract. When the yacht is nearly finished, 
the owner orders his captain to proceed to the 
yard and remain there till the work is completed 
and the yacht delivered; and the captain, then 
taking full charge, passes upon the accounts be¬ 
fore they are turned over to the owner for pay¬ 
ment. 
Another way is to let the architect select the 
captain who in turn chooses his crew. The archi¬ 
tect is given charge of the ship in every way, 
with the exception of the culinary department, 
which is in charge of a steward. The naval 
architect, in the language of the profession, then 
becomes the ship’s husband, and to him must 
come captain and engineer with proper requisi¬ 
tions, which are allowed or disallowed as the 
case may be, but nothing comes or goes to the 
ship without his approval. The owner is thus 
entirely relieved of responsibility and is left free 
to order his ship anywhere without having to 
listen to complaints and excuses. A ship’s hus¬ 
band must be a man of parts, of wide experience 
and judgment and with a faculty for quickly 
grasping situations. He receives a certain per¬ 
centage of the expenditures, or a salary, as the 
case may be. 
The ship's husband then is a useful member of 
the yachting community and should be belter 
recognized as a real part of the profession. Were 
the practice of employing him more general there 
would be fewer complaints and far less trouble 
with the running of a yacht. There are firms 
who devote a great part of their energies to this 
work and who are capable of delivering a vessel 
at a specified place, prepared to go foreign on a 
cruise lasting many months. 
Many owners of smaller vessels enjoy building 
a boat and are interested and have a very fair 
knowledge of what is being constructed for 
them, yet it seems too bad that many summers 
are entirely spoiled because some detail has gone 
wrong. No one will go so far as to say that 
a ship’s husband can keep down dissensions or 
bring together a perfect crew free of grumblers; 
he can. however, get some responsible men to 
serve him faithfully. 
A ship’s husband then is one, who for a con¬ 
sideration so provides and arranges that the 
owners shall have enjoyment, unmixed with cares 
and worries, and shall have at his command a 
floating home on which he may truly find the 
pleasure and relaxation which are the chief 
charm of yachting. 
S. Nicholson Kane. 
Early on the morning of Nov. 15 Samuel 
Nicholson Kane passed away. He had gone 
south to Hot Springs, Va., in search of health 
but a few days before; his malady becoming 
more troublesome, he decided to return to New 
York, and on his way became worse and died. 
S. Nicholson Kane lived a life of such ex¬ 
tended usefulness and included within the sphere 
of his activities so many important interests 
that it is at the moment a little difficult to 
measure the good he achieved or to. indicate the 
salutary influences he inspired. He was a con¬ 
spicuous example of the good citizen, born to a 
life of leisure. To him nothing was alien that 
concerned the wellbeing of his country, his 
State or his city. He preserved to the last 
the keenest sympathy with the naval service, in 
which he had been educated; he was unfaltering 
in his devotion to his church, and was unspar¬ 
ing in his acts to further the especial form of 
national sport wherein he had been an active 
participant all his life and on momentous oc¬ 
casions a responsible agent of international 
reputation. 
Commodore Kane, as he is best known, 
entered the United States Naval Academy in 
1862, graduated in 1866, and served in the West 
Indies, later appointed as aid to Admiral 
Farragut when this famous officer made his 
memorable cruise to the ports of Europe. After 
this mission Commodore Kane entered Cam¬ 
bridge University, where he remained studying 
till 1873, when he returned home and entered the 
Albany Law School, from which he was ad¬ 
mitted to the bar, but never actively practiced. 
Returning to New York, he joined the New 
York Y. C. in 1874. In 1875 he was rear-com¬ 
modore; 1876, vice-commodore, and in 1877 
became the commodore. The club became bis 
life, and to it he devoted his entire time and 
energies, and to him in a great measure is due 
the growth of the club and the powerful and 
successful organization that it is. 
In 1889 he was chosen chairman of the regatta 
committee, and he held that position except in 
1897 until the close of 1904, and in that period 
managed five races for the America’s Cup—in 
1893 and 1895, when the Valkyries came across the 
ocean, and in 1899, 1901 and 1903, when the 
three Shamrocks tried for the much coveted 
trophy. 
For fourteen years in all, yacht club affairs 
took all of Commodore Kane’s time. He 
studied racing rules, rules of measurement, re¬ 
gattas and everything else that would improve 
the sport, and no man ever started more races 
or more yachts in contests. He had to settle 
many troubles and unweave many tangles. He 
always gave his most careful attention to every¬ 
thing, and when he had decided a protest every 
one concerned was satisfied. It was largely 
through his efforts that the plans for keeping 
of the courses clear during international races 
were adopted, and it was through his personal 
influence with navy men and with men in high 
place that so much has been done for yachting. 
At the end of his long career as chairman of 
the regatta committee the club presented him 
with a loving cup. 
At the outbreak of the war with Spain Com¬ 
modore Kane offered his services and received 
an appointment as an ensign in the navy. He 
was detailed with Capt. Sigsbee on the St. Paul 
and was promoted to a senior lieutenancy. His 
brother, Woodbury Kane, joined the Rough 
Riders and was made Captain before the close 
of the war. Capt. Kane died last spring. 
His interest and activity in the work of his 
church led to his continued selection as a 
member of the Standing Committee of the Pro¬ 
testant Episcopal Diocese of New York, and as 
vice-president of the Church Club. His charity 
was as unobtrusive as it was wisely distributed. 
Commodore Kane was a member of many 
clubs and organizations, including the New 
York Y. C., Metropolitan, Union, Knicker¬ 
bocker, Eastern and Larchmont yacht clubs. 
Sir Thomas Lipton’s Visit. 
The visit of Sir Thomas J. Lipton, Bart., came 
to an end on Saturday last when he went aboard 
the Cunard liner Carmama and sailed for Liver¬ 
pool. Sir Thomas came here to pave the way 
for a contest for the America’s Cup. and the days 
of his visit have been paved with entertainments 
—all over the country—and the feeling all around 
is one of clear understanding, satisfaction and 
mutual good feeling. 
Before sailing Sir Thomas said that he would 
challenge nexl year for a race in 1908. He would 
have Fife design one boat, and Milne the other. 
The designs to be under the Universal Rule. The 
boats will be in the 82ft. class and spread about 
10,000 sq. ft. of canvas. Sir Thomas will select 
the best of the two boats to bring over, or bring 
them both over. The desire of Sir Thomas to 
call attention to the wholesome type of yacht has 
been well accomplished. The day of the great 
machines seems to be passing, and even now 
stories of the exploits of Reliance, Constitution 
and Independence seem like fairy tales. 
Lipton Gravesend Bay Cup. 
The acquaintance with Gravesend Bay of Sir 
Thomas Lipton began when he first came over 
to this country with the first of his string of 
Shamrocks, and which in a short time will have 
one more added. The Crescent A. C., a young 
organization as far as yachting goes, has al¬ 
ways been very courteous to Sir Thomas, and 
in return he has offered the club a perpetual 
challenge cup to be raced for in the 18ft. class 
under the Universal rule. There is no doubt 
that this cup should encourage sailing boats of 
good types, and indeed this sentiment is very 
distinctly understood in all the many cups that 
he has given ‘‘for the encouragement of the 
sport, and the development of a healthy type.” 
It is regrettable that the cup is to be a challenge 
cup. for in time challenge cups pass out of 
memory and are forgotten, to gather dust in 
the locker; whereas, had it been made a con¬ 
dition that it be won three consecutive times by 
one owner and then become his property, the 
end would have been just as well accomplished. 
Hollis Burgess has sold the famous schooner 
yacht Barbara, owned by R. T. Paine, 2d, of 
Brookline, Mass., to Augustus P. Loring, of 
Boston. Barbara was designed by William 
Fife, Jr., the famous Scotch designer, and was 
built by Lawley at South Boston for C. H. W. 
Foster. She is composite in build, with steel 
frames and wooden planking. She is 63ft. over 
all. 46ft. waterline. 13ft. beam and lift. 3m. draft, 
and is one of the handsomest schooner yachts of 
her size afloat. 
