A pretty and beautifully managed start was effected about half-past twelve, the Glance going off with the lead; Cymba being on the wrong cant at the moment the gun fired, was rather behindhand. At the Muglin flag-boat the Cymba was observed to have drawn a-head into the third place, Glance still leading, Secret being second. All the yachts were now running large for the Kish light, on nearing which, the wind failed the leading yachts, and the Coralie came running up in splendid style, the whole fleet shortly after appeared to be in a line and so close together, that a crash seemed almost inevitable, as each made a tremendous rush for the Kish. The Mabella, with very bad seamanship, made an attempt at gaining the inside berth, although not the leading vessel; the result of which was, that she fouled the light ship, and carried away her bowsprit. The Foam dashed a-head of the Coralie, when the latter luffing short round, fouled the mainsheet of the leading yacht, and down came her topmost and topsail with a crash, and Coralie's chance of success was gone. Every yachtsman present appeared to regret the mishap, for she had been beautifully sailed, both on this and the day previously; but misfortune was ever attending her. The Cyclone also received some injury amidst the general rush, and how some of the others escaped is almost a mystery. The momentary confusion having subsided, the Glance was found to have obtained the weather-most berth; Foam being close alongside her, and Cymba a little to leeward of Foam; each vessel close hauled. A grand struggle then ensued between the three leading yachts, and the Cymba headreached her gallant opponents and took the windward position. It was then a neck-and-neck race between Glance and Cymba: the latter lowered her topsail and struck her topmast, Glance at the same time shifting her large topsail and substituting a smaller. The beating to windward between the Howth head and Bailey light was most exciting the Cymba making determined efforts to escape the vigilance of the Golden Hawk; but like a leech did that beautiful little clipper stick to her. At the last flag-boat both yachts set square-headed topsails; soon after which we trembled for the southcountry clipper, for her topmast shrouds gave way, and her topsail was obliged to be lowered down upon the cap. Meantime the Cymba was foaming along with more resolute effort than ever, and for a few moments we thought the Glance's chance was gone. Hurrah! Glance; up went her topsail again; and away she flew in pursuit of her antagonist, and seemed to defy that vessel to shake her off. The time of arrival was as follows:

The Glance was therefore again hailed the victor. The Odalique finding the wind too light for her rig, had hauled down her racingflag, and declined the contest early in the day.

Another Match took place during the day for the Kildare-street Challenge Cup, which was won by the Atalanta, 27 tons, H. Scovell, Esq., beating Water Lily, Magician, and Albert.

A third Match for a purse of ten sovereigns, for yachts not exceeding ten tons, was most spiritedly contested by twelve little

clippers, and won (after deducting time allowance) by Gazele, Nathaniel Hamilton, Esq.

The day following, Thursday, 26th June, the Royal Western Yacht Club of Ireland entered upon their duties in conducting the Corinthian Matches, for which that Club has for the last few years become renowned. Each yacht has to be manned and sailed by yachtsmen only, with the exception of a pilot and one seaman. And now came the long wished-for contest between the Cymba and Mosquito. The excitement was great; but the Mosquito was decidedly the favourite-the Glance having beaten the Cymba in both the previous matches.

The race was for the Grand Corinthian Cup, value 60 guineas, together with the Championship of the Irish Channel. Four yachts only contended for the prize, viz. :

The state of the weather appeared doubtful, but the wind was light throughout the day too much so for testing the real merits of the yachts. The Mosquito took the lead, followed by Cyclone and Coralie. On arriving at the Muglin, the Cymba weathered the two latter yachts, and went into the second position; soon after which all four yachts were nearly becalmed. A light breeze again greeting them, they went away, the Mosquito still leading; and with occasional and intervening calms and cats' paws, the race was concluded at 8.46, and Mosquito declared the winner.

Friday, the 27th, was the day fixed for the second-class Corinthian prize, value 30 guineas. Happily, the weather proved highlypropitious for the event, and the yachts were greeted with a fine breeze from the W.N.W. The following took their stations ready for the start at eleven o'clock :-

A fine start was effected-each yacht getting away with the nicest precision possible, and the five clippers rounded the first flag-boat one after another in beautiful style: Vigilant leading; Foam, second; Secret, third; Atalanta, fourth; and Mabella last. Away they went, each struggling hard for victory, and all apparently well and skillfully handled. We did not accompany these yachts outside the harbour, but their time of arrival at the flag-ship was as under:

H. M. S.

Vigilant
Foam

....

H. M. S.
5 8 2
5 16 2

Secret.
Atalanta..

The prize was accordingly awarded to the Vigilant.

5 23 8

5 23 12

We have now to record a very interesting Match which came off on the 28th June, on the Thames, between yachts belonging to the

fourth-class, i.e., between 7 and 12 tons, for a prize of the value of £30, presented by the Royal Thames Yacht Club. A prize of £50 had also been offered for yachts between 12 and 20 tons; but as no other yacht than the Vampire was entered, the match did not take place.

No less than nine little clippers took up their stations for the £30 prize, viz. :

The Quiver is quite new, she has a fine sharp bow, and is a largelooking twelve-tonner.

On the signal being given for the start, the Sea Nymph took the lead. Some of the little fleet carried enormous topsails: that of the Flying Cloud was prodigious; and the yard being too slender, it snapped in two before it was fairly set. The wind continued very light and variable as the vessels proceeded down Long-reach, oftentimes bringing them all close together. Before they reached Gravesend, a better breeze springing-up, the Flirt walked away with a good lead. Quiver, however, soon catching the breeze, ran up with her, and endeavoured, unsuccessfully, to pass her. At Sea-reach the Flirt was nearly a mile ahead; but soon after, both Flirt and Quiver were becalmed, and the Violet and Julia came up with them.

An unusual and singularly pretty scene was presented by the vessels on rounding the steamer at the Chapman head, the four leading yachts passing exactly abreast, so that it was said a single shot would have gone through all four masts. A better breeze favoured the yachts immediately after rounding, and some very excellent sailing took place, the Quiver judiciously lowering her topsail which example was soon followed by some others, and the Quiver weathered all her opponents; the Flirt, however, stuck close to her, alternately gaining and losing as they proceeded up Long Reach. At the close of the match, which was remarkably well contested, considering the lightness of the wind, the Quiver was declared the winner by 55 seconds only.

The next match worthy of notice took place on the Mersey, on Monday, the 30th of June, for a prize of the value of £50, offered by the Mersey Yacht Club, to be sailed for by yachts not exceeding 25 tons, a time race. Seven competitors were entered for this race, but four only made their appearance, viz. :—

The Spray took the lead for a short time, but was shortly overtaken by the Surprise, which vessel maintained a considerable lead throughout, and eventually won the prize. The Spray, however, did her part, and

was well and spiritedly sailed. The Glide gave up the contest on the first round, the Mirage arrived second, and the Spray close at her heels.

The day following (July 1st) was the all-important event, the match for the Mersey Grand Challenge Cup, value £140. The terms upon which it was offered were, that it should be won twice consecutively by the same yacht; a time race, open to yachts of any club and tonnage from eight tons and upwards. This was indeed offering a wide scope to admit yachts of so small a tonnage to compete with others of unlimited size, in a time race; and we doubt if such is, under all circumstances of wind and weather, a judicious plan; but, as no question or difficulty occurred in this instance, we need not make any further remark upon it. The course was the same as usual, from Birkenhead down the Victoria Channel, leaving the black buoys on the starboard and the red on the port hand, the Bell beacon buoy on the port hand, the N.W. light-ship on the port, the Bell beacon and N.W. light-ship again on the port hand, again to the Bell beacon buoy, leaving it for the last time on the starboard hand, and then up the Channel, leaving the black buoys on the port and the red on the starboard hand to the flag vessel at Birkenhead, leaving her on the port hand, and so end. The following yachts were

Of these yachts the Coralie and Surprise had each won the Cup once, the Coralie in 1854 and the Surprise last year. The Cynthia won it in 1853, when it was first contested for, but she did not make her appearance on the present occasion.

On the gun being fired for the yachts to go to their berths, the anxiously-expected and somewhat-dreaded Mosquito was not to be seen. All the others entered took up their stations, bringing with them a beautiful breeze, and the sun shining brightly at the time, there was nothing wanting (save the Mosquito) to make the match highly exciting, On the signal being given to start, away dashed the gallant Cymba, closely followed by Coralie, Surprise being third. The four remaining yachts soon fell considerably astern, and all eyes were turned on the leading vessels, all three of which have become famous in the yachting world, from the many prizes they have won. A more spiritedlycontested match we have seldom witnessed. The highly-applauded struggles of the Coralie to weather the Surprise were exceedingly clever; but cleverer still were the efforts of the smaller one to prevent her doing so. On passing the Bell buoy for the last time, it was observed that the Coralie had succeeded in taking the second position, but it was only temporary, for the Surprise set her balloon topsail and passed her again. Throughout the whole contest the Cymba had maintained a good lead; but at the close of the match it was found that, although she arrived twelve minutes and twenty-one seconds ahead of

the Surprise, the latter vessel was entitled to the Cup, having to receive seventeen minutes from the Cymba for difference of tonnage. The Coralie arrived four minutes later than the Surprise. The cup therefore became the absolute property of Mr. Tetley, he having won it two years consecutively.

(To be continued.)

LITERATURE.

"HORATIO HOWARD BRENTON." By Captain Sir Edward Belcher, R.N., C.B. Hurst and Blackett, Great Marlborough-street.

It has often been remarked, and no one can deny the truth of it, that if an intelligent man will write the incidents of his life, and publish them in the form of a novel or biography, they will furnish entertainment for the reading public. As a matter of course the value of the work will depend upon the talent of the author, who, to ensure success, ought to possess acute intelligence, keen observation, literary power, lively humour, and an easy flowing style; and in all the above requisites Sir Edward Belcher stands forth pre-eminently great. Unquestionably the nautical portion of the work has never been excelled; it bears the stamp of being the production of a naval man, and not the effusion of one of those fresh-water sailors so mercilessly ridiculed by Barham, Hook, and Lord William Lennox, in their respective legends and novels. Theodore's yacht owner, who, when asked if he would like to take the helm, replies, "He never takes anything before dinner," and Lord William's cruise of the cutter, in "Philip Courtenay," are admirable skits at these land-lubbers. To resume: "Horatio Howard Brenton" is not merely a naval novel; for the romance and biography attached to it, render it a work suited to all tastes; and no one that once takes up the volumes will resign them until he reaches those fatal words THE END. To the numerous tourists, excursionists, and travellers by sea and land, we recommend Sir Edward Belcher's novel. In a first-class railway carriage, on the deck of a yacht, in the cabin of a steamer, under a shady hedge, on the wild sea-shore, on the banks of the muddy Thames or sparkling Rhine, in the hop-grounds of Kent, or the vineclad hills of France, in an arbour in Kensington Gardens, or by the fountains of Versailles, "Horatio Howard Brenton" ought to be the companion of all who wish to devote their leisure hour to one of the most amusing and interesting productions of the season.

"ORIGINAL POEMS, WITH TRANSLATIONS FROM SCANDINAVIAN AND

OTHER POETS." By Sophia Milligan. Hurst and Blackett, Great
Marlborough-street.

These poems will take their stand by the side of those of Mrs. Hemans; for they are replete with noble passion, exquisite pathos, and fine writing; the moral tone which prevails throughout adds considerably to their merit, and we strongly recommend them to all classes of our readers, who, we venture to affirm, will reap as much enjoyment from a perusal of them as we did ourselves. The volume is very neatly got up, and would prove an acceptable present to any of the fairer sex.