REVIEW OF YACHTING EVENTS, 1858. "Wherever our jack is unfurled, 'Tis on all hands allowed, as this country's best blessing, DIBDIN. Of all public sports, yacht-racing is the least liable to censure. No amusement is so pure; none more popular, nor of such national importance for, whilst invigorating to the health, and affording excessive delight to those who love aquatic sports, it encourages and assists the artisans of many useful trades; and brings into public notice and repute the advancement of science in various matters, not only regarding the speed and construction of vessels, but directly and indirectly affecting the great commercial interests of our nation, and the maritime defences of our shores. All honour and success to such a noble pastime-so healthful, so useful, and so important! There is no cruelty to dumb animals-no slaughter of beast, bird, or fish; but all is harmless recreation: and if there is any punishment at all in yacht-racing, it falls on the yachtsmen themselves, or such of their crew as are actively engaged in the struggle. It is not always the strong wind, or heavy sea, which try the skill and patience most; but the tedious disagreeables of a calm, when sailing becomes irksome because almost impossible; and distances, the performance of which would occupy but a few minutes in a breeze, requiring hours in a calm. Happily, however, it is not very often that a tantalizing calm interferes with sailing-matches to such an extent, as to render the fairy-like clippers of our yacht-clubs altogether powerless on the limpid stream: ("limpid," did we say? assuredly not in relation to the Thames). But there are some yachts of the "Royal Butterfly Club" which sail best in light winds, and only spread their sails beneath summer-skies and in gentle breezes. There are others, sturdy as their owners, who enter into the full spirit and enjoyment of yachting their burgee waves in every sea, and in every clime. There are also those who revel in the blast; and the fiercer the gale, the more eager are they to unfurl their canvas. With such daring spirits, and amidst perils so great, who is there with a heart so cold as to say he has not felt the glow of excitement and the warmth of delight in a spirited sailing-match? Occasionally a murmur is heard, among the jockey tribe of the yacht-racing fraternity, as to the prizes offered to competition; suggesting that, instead of articles of elaborate workmanship from the silversmiths, the prizes should be offered in specie: and, in support of their argument, they allude to the great cost of fitting out a racingyacht, and the expense of keeping her afloat; adding that the plate, when won, is of little or no use; and is only brought out on grand occasions and further, that yacht-racing ought to be based upon the same rules as horse-racing in regard to prize-money. But, in reply to all this, there is a sound opposition; for, if once the yacht-clubs take up the jockey-habits, and make a practice of offering money to competition instead of plate, adieu for ever to the purity and respectability of yacht-racing! It would open a field for speculation by a grasping few, eager for the "monish:" the regatta-course would become as corrupt as the race-course, and the club-rooms at yachting stations the rendezvous of bookmakers, betting men, and aquatic jockeys. Again, the extreme value of a regatta-prize seldom exceeds £100; and those who can afford to keep yachts of a class competent to sail for such, would scarcely care so much for the "specie" as for the pride and honour, announced through the sporting journals to all the world, of having won such a prize in a spirited match: and then, on grand occasions, the revival of that contest passes freshly over the memory, and gladdens the heart of the winner, as the costly plate stands conspicuously before all his guests; an emblem of triumph, and the boast of a victory in years gone by. It is not a perishable article, as the "specie" would be when placed in the purse beside other coin, but a lasting and always valuable memento of an event which every fortunate yachtsman must look back on with pleasing remembrance. There are those at the present day, whose sideboards groan beneath the weight of plate, won piece by piece at many a hard-sailed match. The successful owners of such, would scarcely feel induced to turn so many costly trophies into hard cash, unless compelled by dire necessity; but prefer to keep them as they are, with the little history attached to every one; and for the gladsome feeling which comes over one's heart at every glance at those valuable and lasting prizes. Let us hope the day is far distant when yacht-racing will fall so low as to become mere jockeyism. If the regatta prizes were as valuable as the Derby stakes, then indeed there might be good reason for offering the prize in "specie" but whilst £100isthe maximum, let the prize be the most elaborately-enchased ornament from the silversmith's shop and whenever money is offered to competition in a sailing match, let none but fishermen, boatmen, and the fraternity of those industrious classes, contend in the race; for it ought to be infra dig. in a member of a royal yacht club, to sail a public match for a small purse of money. The prizes offered to competition by yacht clubs, when intended to be contested for by gentlemen's yachts, should never be in specie; though there is no objection to offering specieprizes to the industrious classes before alluded to. Such, and such only, is the course to be pursued, if the dignity of yachtsmen and the respectability of our yacht clubs are to be upheld; and by such means, a more perfect and useful class of yachts would enter for sailingmatches, and much would be done towards ridding the waters of those dangerous vessels called "sailing machines," "ballast-trimmers,' "tonnage-cheats," and such-like overdone extremities, which in reality are nothing but attempts, by unfair means, to obtain artificial power for outstripping those who sail by honest means alone. : We have once before drawn the attention of yachtsmen to the highly important subject of umpirage. It is very desirable that sailing committees and umpires should have the power of equitable decision in cases of doubt and difficulty; and when a strict construction of the rules and regulations under which the dispute arose would tend to manifest injustice. The want of such a power has been severely felt in many instances, of late; and much unfairness and dissatisfaction has been caused in consequence. Without going into a long list, which might be brought forward, it will be sufficient for our purpose merely to bring to the reader's remembrance the case of the Wildfire at Southampton last year, and that of the Maraquita the year before; in both of which cases the decision of the Committee ought to have been that, "notwithstanding a slight infringement of the printed rules by the winner, she is nevertheless equitably entitled to the prize." Numerous other instances might be brought forward, in which it has been palpably obvious that sailing-committees and umpires, in deciding disputes or considering protests, should not in all cases be too strictly confined to the printed rules of the club. We congratulate the members of the racing fleet on the now almost total extermination of shifting ballast. The yacht clubs all discountenance such artificial means of obtaining stability; and it is confidently hoped that the "shifting dodge" will never again be attempted aboard gentlemens' yachts. There is one other measure which remains in an unsatisfactory state; and were it not that the subject has been so often referred to on previous occasions, we should feel justified in calling particular attention to it: but, as the vexata quæstio of tonnage admeasurement has been well-nigh exhausted, and nothing very satisfactory arrived at; it only remains to say, that the yachting world will hail with extreme delight a sound, simple, and accurate method of estimating the tonnage of a yacht; and whoever is first to introduce one, ought to receive a gold medal from every yacht club in the kingdom; for, after various suggestions, and attempts to arrive at a practical and useful system, such as would defy deception, the means at present used are not so good or satisfactory as the system adopted by Government for measuring vessels for commercial purposes. The Thames Schooner Match, which has of late years been an annual event; and, the high class of yachts for which itwas intended, having made it one of the most attractive of all, was, this season, not filled up; the only vessel entered being the Wildfire. This circumstance is much to be regretted; because it is feared, that the unfortunate disputes at the last year's match, have been a means of prejudicing yachtowners against it. Be this so or not, the committee on that event, obtained a highly creditable distinction from the firmness and wisdom of their decision; and yacht-owners ought to have shown their appreciation of the services of that committee by filling up the list of competitors for the schooner prize this year. We suspect, however, that there are other reasons why this match was not filled up; and not the least important of which was, the objection of yachtsmen to leave the wholesome waters of the Solent (the region of schooner-yachts) for the pestiferous effluvia of the filthy Thames. We have the best evidence of knowing that such was a fact: and thus, it is plain that, if we expect the good old annual aquatic sports to be continued on the Thames, we must purge his unwholesome current. Another reason why this match did not fill was, that bonâ fide schooners will 66 not enter with the Wildfire; because, to use a vulgar term, she is not pure-bred" schooner, having been originally a cutter; and being now rigged purposely as a match-sailing vessel, with a running bowsprit, and altogether differing from the form and rig of a gentleman's schooner-yacht, which should have a standing-bowsprit and jib-boom. The Wildfire has, therefore, all the advantages of a cutter, though termed a schooner; and looking at her rig, her lugger-like appearance, and the neck-or-nothing manner in which she is sailed, and the victories she has won, it is not very surprising that schooneryachts should object to enter against her. Her two old antagonists, the Vestal and Aquiline, it appears, have neither of them spread their canvas to the breezes this summer: of the two, however, the Vestal only has any chance with her. The Prince of Wales Yacht Club has, ever since its formation, been the first of the season to lead off with a sailing-match. So early as the 8th of May, we find five little clippers assembled at Erith to compete for two prizes; one valued at £20, the other £10. None of the vessels were new; and all have more or less figured in public matches on the Thames. Their names and tonnage are given as under : As this little fleet lay in line in Erith Bay, awaiting the signal for starting, it would not have been very difficult to point out the probable winner. The Emily evidently was the most powerful-looking of the party; and, with her sloop-rig, broad beam, and beautiful quarter, apparently capable of sustaining great pressure of sail, though somewhat shallow and centre-boardlike. The sails and spars of the Undine are preposterous; she would sail much faster with a mast half the size of the one she rears: vessels of such narrow form cannot stand up to their cloth without artificial means; and now that the system of shifting ballast is abolished, such vessels as the Undine have no chance in sailing-matches; and for pleasure cruising, they only endanger the lives of those who venture in them. Though but a light breeze, it was quite sufficient for such of these little vessels as were overdone with canvas. After starting, topsails were set in profusion upon all except the Emily: which vessel, though the most sturdy of the fleet, walked off with a beautiful lead without any topsail; nor was she once overtaken during the race. On rounding the steamer, off Thames Haven, the Emily was found to have a lead of nearly twenty minutes! But this extraordinary difference may be partly explained from the fact, that the Emily rounded during slack tide; the others, from being so far astern, had a slight current to contend with before rounding. On running up, the Emily set a light square-sail, but no top-sail-a very judicious proceeding. The Undine carried away her topmast, from the hazardous pressure of sail put upon her. The Emily was gallantly hailed the winner of the first prize, and the Valentine of the second, Julia being a very good third, though she did not appear to sail so well as on former occasions. There is no yacht club so prosperous, so wealthy, and so well conducted as the "Royal Thames;" all others sink into insignificance when contrasted with this, the supreme club for match-sailing. Even the "Royal Yacht Squadron Club "-the pet of the aristocracy-is managed with meagre spirit and inefficiency, compared with the able discipline and skilful manner in which all the proceedings of the "Royal Thames" are regulated. The first match of this club for the season of 1858, came off on the 22nd of May-a first and second-class race. The first-class prize was of the value of £100; and consisted of a handsome and useful silver tea and coffee service; the second-class prize was a magnificent silver tankard of the value of £50. For these races the following yachts were entered: The great feature in this contest was the presence of the famous Irish clipper" Cymba," whose gallant doings off Old Erin's Isle, have spread her fame from shore to shore; but this was her first appearance on the Thames. A better day for a sailing-match could not possibly have been selected, a strong south-west wind continuing throughout the day; and, with a glorious sunshine, the effect was exceedingly pretty and encouraging. Soon after starting, the Amazon took the lead, the Cymba making an exceedingly clumsy start, whereby she threw away several valuable minutes, and lost all advantage of station. The Emmet and Phantom had each hauled down a reef, whilst the others carried whole sails and jib-headed topsails; the Cymba a square-headed topsail, which stood so badly as to do her little or no good. The fleet now proceeded down Long Reach at an astonishing pace, Amazon leading, Emmet and Phantom struggling for pride of second place, with Extravaganza close at their heels, narrowly watching their manœuvres; Cymba gradually gaining upon them, and all having passed the Avalon, which had the lead at first. Off Broadness, the Cymba passed to windward of Emmet and Phantom; but it was a long time ere the Extravaganza yielded to the Irish champion, though at last compelled. On rounding the Nore, the Amazon was found to be full four minutes ahead of Cymba, the latter yacht but forty-five seconds in advance of Extravaganza, Avalon three minutes later, and Emmet and Phantom close in the rear. The yachts now found plenty of wind and sea; and Amazon, notwithstanding, seemed very reluctant to haul down a reef, until prudence suggested the absolute necessity; and then she was placed in a less perilous position; and, with a |