beaten two lengths further: run in 2 minutes and 46 seconds. At the Paris Summer Meeting, ridden by H. Grimshaw, he won the Grand Prize of Paris, colts 110lb., fillies 105lb., two miles: beating M. Delamarre's Vertugadin (2), Mr. Lupin's Tourmalet (3), Major Fridolin's Gontran (4), Duke of Beaufort's Todleben (5), and Count Lagrange's Mandarin. 5 to 2 on Gladiateur, who won as he pleased by three lengths, with the third beaten as far, and the others out of the race. SUMMARY OF GLADIATEUR'S PERFORMANCES.

In 1864, he started three times and won once:

....

In 1865, he has started three times and won three times :

The Clearwell Stakes, at Newmarket

Total .....

£980

5,100

6,825

5,744

£18,649

Has started 6 times and won 4. Gladiateur is engaged at Goodwood in the Drawing Room, and Fourteenth Bentinck Memorial Stakes; at York, in the Great Yorkshire Stakes; at Doncaster, in the St. Leger, and Doncaster Stakes; and at Newmarket Second October Meeting, in the Newmarket Derby. For 1866, Newmarket Craven Meeting, he is down in the Claret.

The French are now getting the round of all our great races, and chiefly through the formidable strength of Count Lagrange's stud backed by the ability of his trainer, Jennings. The Count's successes are an old story, the points of which we gave in our account of his Oaks winner last season, but since then they have changed their first jockey, Henry Grimshaw having now the first call for the stable; although Edwards still occasionally appears in the glorious scarlet and blue. In any case the Count deserves his triumphs from the spirit with which he has gone into the business of racing, as on his stud farm at Dangu there are now five stallions, forty brood mares, thirty-six yearlings, and thirty foals, with sixty more horses in work at Royal-Lieu and Newmarket. There is thus plenty to pick from, and with some of the best blood in the world to breed from, and the finest climate in the world to breed in, it would be strange if our French friends could not now and then bring out a clipper; as they most assuredly have done in Gladiateur, a long way the best horse of his time.

THE RIVER AND THE SEA; OR, DAYS AND NIGHTS WITH THE RACING FLEET.

"Up boy, away,

Who'd stay on land to-day?

The very flowers

Would from their bowers

Delight to wing away!"

CHAP. II.

T. MOORE.

There are no recreations that so much depend upon the weather for the success of their operations as aquatic sports. A sailing match is an impossibility without wind, and it is not pleasant in a gale; a fickle

wind sometimes gives strange chances, but in a steady or a strong wind the best qualities of the competing vessels, together with the skill of the sailing-masters, are put to the surest test; and, barring accidents, the best vessel generally wins. For rowing matches the calmer and smoother the water the better. A rowing match in a gale of wind is difficult and unsatisfactory, and on the sea almost impossible. The weather therefore is all-important in regard to aquatic recreations. Rain, too, keeps away spectators, though it never deters the competitors, in either a sailing or a rowing match; the day being fixed, the event comes off despite the rain. The weather being always matter of chance, it very rarely happens that either a sailing or a rowing match is postponed on account of the weather, though it does now and then occur that for the want of wind a sailing match cannot come off; and it has once or twice happened within our own memory that a sailing match has been posponed because of the heavy gale that was blowing, and it being almost certain destruction to venture out to sea; though, had the course been merely within the limits of a harbour or a river, the race would probably have been contested notwithstanding. This year, however, there has as yet been nothing to complain of-indeed, a more delightful season for yachting and boating we never remember. The whole summer has been an almost uninterrupted season of sunshine and gentle breezes, with an occasional strong wind to suit the tastes and fancies of the daring ones. Already some very famous matches have been sailed, whilst others were rendered less interesting through the circumstance alone of there being insufficient wind to test the merits of the rival competitors.

Among the most successful are still to be found some very old vessels, although a great many new ones were brought out this year, with every modern improvement in design and construction carefully carried out in them, with a view to their outstripping the leaders of the present day, which have so long maintained the palm of victory, and so frequently returned in triumph to the goal, after many a weatherbeaten struggle.

ocean

It has, of late years, become the practice with some of the principal yacht clubs to offer prizes for competition in a match to be sailed from one port or station to another, and these are not inaptly styled matches; "though perhaps the term "channel matches," "port to port matches," or "coasting matches," would be more appropriate, as an ocean match" would seem to imply a match upon or across an ocean-such as a match across the Atlantic, the Pacific, or the Indian Ocean, and we are not aware of any such match having ever been sailed between competing yachts, though such would be, in the true sense of the word, an "6 ocean match."

The object, however, of yacht-racing may be fully and fairly tested without resorting to such gigantic performances, which properly belong to the navy and mercantile marine, and to ships of a far larger class than any English yacht; and, to our minds, the so-called "ocean matches," which are sailed by the English yachts round and about our coast, and across the Channel, are in every respect sufficient to test fully the respective merits of the competitors. Two matches of this class have, during the past month, emanated from the Thames-one the match of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, the other that of the Royal

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London Yacht Club-the course in each match being from the Thames to Harwich harbour. The terms and conditions of the two matches were, however, somewhat different. In the first, that of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, it was open to all yachts of whatever rig or tonnage belonging to a yacht club, no time allowance for disparity of tonnage, the first yacht arriving at the winning goal in Harwich harbour to be entitled to the first prize, and the second arrival to the second prize: no restrictions as to canvas or number of friends, but no extra hands allowed. Each yacht to sail with her usual fittings, and in ordinary sea-going trim, to the satisfaction of the Sailing Committee.

Under such an inviting placard there was, as may be supposed, a very good entry, and the terms being such as to exclude none, there was almost every variety of rig, such as is used in yachting, viz., schooners, luggers, yawls, and cutters, the latter being far the most numerous, as will be seen from the following list comprising the names of no less than 15 yachts which entered for this match, viz.:

Such an entry, comprising as it does many of the fairest flowers of the racing fleet, is a fact which of itself is sufficient to prove the popularity of the match; and, indeed, ocean-matches are almost invariably well filled, as they rank high in the estimation of sea-going yachters. In such matches there is room for fair-play, and on the open sea there is no need of crowding and huddling together, as yachts are sometimes seen on rivers and narrow waters, throughout the whole match. The course sailed on the present occasion was from Sheerness round the Kentish Knock-light vessel into Harwich Harbour; a very pretty course for a day's sailing, and truly the day was everything that could be desired, a strong slashing breeze, far too much for small fry on the open sea, but just the weather for the daring fleet of clippers that contested the match. Of the fifteen that were entered, three were not at the starting-post on the morning of the race; these were Pearl, Albertine, and Surf: the rest were all at their stations by six o'clock in the morning-healthy and cheerful hours for a healthful and delightful recreation. Probably many of our readers will imagine that none but those taking part in the match were present on the occasion; but this was not so early as the hour might be, there were several large schooner-yachts with friends aboard, who had come to see the match, accompany the competing vessels on the course.

and

Those of our readers who are familiar with the river, and know the

locality of the Nore, will understand the positions that the competing vessels were ordered to take, when we say that they were ranged in line between the Nore-light-vessel and a flag-boat moored on the ridge of the Cant Sand, bearing upon the Minster Church near Sheerness, the larger craft being nearest to the flag-boat, and the smaller near the Nore. The signal for the start was given at about seven o'clock, the weather being then cold and squally, and a stiff breeze blowing merrily from the North. As the yachts had to weigh and start from their own anchors, it was evident the smaller craft had a decided advantage in that respect; as they were enabled to weigh their anchors in less than half the time the others were. The Marina was the first to get away, making an excellent start, then followed Volante, then Christabel and Reverie; the whole fleet, however, were quickly under way, and the soene was then one of a most animated and delightful description, as the whole of this noble fleet of clippers were dashing through the surf and over the waves at a temendous pace, one and all struggling for pride of place, and reeling and staggering under the pressure of canvas put upon them. It was truly a magnificent sight, and well worth the early rising and trip out to see at earliest dawn of day. Well might we have said, on the occasion, as the poet Moore has sung

"The dawn is breaking o'er us,

See, heaven hath caught its hue!
We've day's long light before us,
What sport shall we pursue?

The hunt o'er hill and lea?
The sail o'er summer sea?

Oh, let not hour so sweet
Unwinged by pleasure fleet!
The dawn is breaking o'er us."

The whole scene and sport was sweetened with the fresh morning air, and gladness seemed to dwell aboard every vessel, as it foamed and dashed along.

The Marina was still leading, and standing up stiffly to the strong wind, which was pressing many of the other cutters down, deep a-lee. But it was a beautiful race and most exciting struggle, as every inch of the course was fiercely and boldly contested. The Xantha had now taken the second place, Volante being third; and shortly afterwards the Alarm came on, and passing several of her smaller rivals, took the fourth place, Christabel being fifth, and having for some time kept ahead of the Alarm. When off the Girdler the positions were-Marina first, Xantha second, Alarm third, Volante fourth, and Christabel fifth. On getting farther out to sea the superior power of the Alarm and Xantha, as sea-going vessels, became apparent; and, after a brief but hard-fought struggle, the brave Marina was compelled to give place to her noble rivals Alarm and Xantha. Meanwhile the fine lugger-yacht New Moon was drawing up and overhauling some of her lesser opponents, and Volante eventually overhauled Marina, and became the leading cutter. That part of the course lying between the West Knock Buoy and the Knock Light—a distance of about nine or ten miles-was the subject of a severe struggle, the wind being right on end," and a nasty sea running. After reaching the Sunk Light the wind was a leading one all the way to Harwich Harbour; though the tide was dead

against them, the wind still blowing hard. Alarm was now far a-head with a splendid lead, the Xantha being second and carrying an enormous topsail, the lugger third, then Volante, Christabel, and Marina, the others being a long way a-stern, some of them nearly hull down. In the above order the six leading vessels entered the Harbour, soon after four o'clock in the afternoon. And this beautiful race, which had been full of excitement from first to last, was concluded in the following order and time, the three first yachts only being timed officially, viz. :

The Volante was about six minutes behind the New Moon, Christabel being about the same time a-stern of Volante, and Marina about five minutes behind Christabel. The Alarm was therefore the winner of the first prize, and the Xantha of the second; and so another victory was added to the well-known fame of the celebrated Alarm, which, whilst that vessel belonged to Mr. Weld, so frequently proved herself victorious. With regard to the Xantha, she is a new boat, built by Harvey, of Wivenhoe and Ipswich, and proved herself, on this the first occasion of her sailing a match, in every respect a clipper; and considering that she is more than a hundred tons less in size than her splendid rival Alarm, the noble owner of Xantha may be well pleased with the fine qualities displayed by his vessel on her début in so grand a race; and on a day and over a course in every respect fitting for a sailing match. One of the most interesting features in con

nexion with the conclusion of this match was the fact of the four leading vessels being each of a different rig, the first a schooner, second a yawl, third a lugger, and fourth a cutter.

The terms and conditions of the other of these two Ocean Matches, that of the Royal London Yacht Club, were somewhat different to those of the Royal Thames Club. In this, the second ocean race, there were no less than four prizes-two for schooners and yawls, and two for cutters. The course being from the Lower Hope down the Swin Channel, leaving the Gunfleet Lighthouse, all the buoys of the Gunfleet, the buoys of the West Rocks and the Cork Light on the foot hand, into Harwich harbour. And, contrary to the terms of the other, this was a time race, by which the yachts were handicapped according to tonnage; the time allowance for schooners being a quarter of a minute per ton up to 150 tons; and for cutters half a minute per ton up to 75 tons. In other respects the conditions were pretty much the same as in the previous match, there being no restriction as to the number of friends aboard, and no limitation as to canvas. For this match there were no less than 17 competitors; their names and other particulars being stated below, viz.: