OTTAWA. The ages' standard-bearer thou, The banneret ordained to scale, With conquering tread and dauntless brow, All heart and soul, and hope, and trust, Scorning the earth, but not in scorn, More perfect, to be born of love; Using thy winged gift to soar, In sweetest meditation free, Among the stars for evermore. YACHTING. BY AN AMATEUR. HE growing interest, which is at present | Royal London in 1849, there were 17 manifested in Yachting in all civilized countries, will warrant an appeal to Canadians on behalf of a great national amusement-one which has no equal in the popular enthusiasm which it creates, the healthinvigorating exercise which it furnishes, and the noble sport to which it gives birth. The history of Yachting yet remains to be written and, as a consequence, one is compelled partially to grope in the dark in the search for early and reliable data concerning the origin and subsequent development of Yachting and Yacht Clubs. The Royal Cork Yacht Club, founded in 1720, heads the list of regularly organized Yacht Clubs; and from that date to the founding of the Yacht Clubs established in various parts of the United Kingdom-ten of which were English, four Irish, two Scotch and one Welsh. During the years 1848-9 a great deal of enterprise was shown in the construction of a large number of firstclass yachts, which were unsurpassed for completeness of outfit and perfection of workmanship. Up to this time Yacht Clubs were confined to the United Kingdom, b: the success of yachtsmen in the Old World stimulated kindred spirits in the New to give their attention to a now national amusement. and in June, 1848, the "New York Yacht Club" was organized. Little was known in England about American yachting beyond the performances of the New York pilot boats, which had long been famous for their speed and sea-going qualities. Previous to the year 1851, judging from the records of that date, English yacht-builders and yachtsmen' were firm in the belief that they possessed the fleetest yachts and the best skilled sailors in the world. Repeated triumphs evidently confirmed their right to be thus considered, and to furnish grounds for the unqualified statement made in the “Yacht List" for 1851, that "yacht-building was an art in which England was unrivalled, and that she was distinguished pre-eminently and alone for the perfection of science in handling them." These were strong words, and yet they doubtless conveyed the honest judgment, not only of the writer, but of foreign yachtsmen generally. The success of yachting in the United Kingdom led to the building of a yacht in the United States, to test the powers of the long conceded English champions. It was decided to construct a yacht, cross the ocean with her, and challenge a trial of speed in a contest open to all nations. The originality of the proposal was only equalled by the originality of the model and general outfit of the yacht, which was at once built. In view of the fact that skilful yacht-builders in England, for nearly half a century, had been constantly striving to produce fast yachts, and with abundant experience to guide them, the successful defeat of their favourite system surely marks an important era in the history of Yachting. "No Englishman," says a writer in Times in 1851, "ever dreamed that any nation could produce a yacht with the least pretentions to match the efforts of White, Camper, Ratsey and other eminent builders." The English system of yacht building was that of deep draught, narrow breadth of beam, straight water lines forward, and with the greatest breadth of beam abreast the foremast. The weakness of this old system was demonstrated to the entire satisfaction of the most obstinate and incredulous, by the splendid victory of the America in 1857, in the Royal Yacht Squadron Regatta for the Queen's Cup. To George Steers, of New York, belongs the the credit of inventing for invention it really was-a new system of yacht-modelling. He zealously contended that breadth of beam furnished the best buoyancy, and that hollow water lines forward, with the greatest breadth of beam abaft the mainmast, should supersede the old system. Steers believed that sails could force a yacht over the water more easily and swiftly than through it-and so his system was distinguished by great breadth of beam and comparatively light draught. The theory advocated by this great yachtsman at first found little favour among American yachtsmen, and so he built the America to prove that his views were correct. The performances of this yacht were so satisfactory that Commodore Stevens, of the New York Yacht Club, took her to England, and at once issued a challenge to all foreign yachts to sail a race for "$10,000, a cup or a piece of plate." The presence of this American yacht in English waters created a degree of enthusiasm before unparallelled. The "cheek" of her builders and backers, in boldly throwing down the gauntlet to all comers, was a subject of general commentand of many a jest and sneer as well. But despite funny criticisms and the great number of foreign yachts against which she would have to contend, the America's challenge was made in good faith, and sustained by yachtsmen who were seriously in earnest. The Annual Regatta, at Cowes, came off shortly after the arrival of the America; but the latter yacht was ruled out for valid reasons, and for some days it was feared that no test race would be made. The appearance of the "Yankee Craft" was somehow not altogether pleasing, and while English yachtsmen were confident they could beat her, they still showed a remarkable reluctance about making the attempt. However, after the first flurry of excitement had sub sided, a race round the Isle of Wight was 28th, when the Titania was as signally dearranged, for a cup presented by Her Ma- feated as the rest. The America beat her opjesty to come off on the 22nd of August. ponent 52 minutes out of six hours and a half This event opened up a new era in yachting, leaving her eight miles astern. This vicfor it may justly be claimed that the result tory settled the question of the superiority of this contest lent a lustre to, and gained a of the America over all foreign yachts, and prominence for, yachting before unequalled. she returned to the United States, taking The year 1851 is celebrated in sporting an- with her the coveted Queen's Cup. She made nals for the first International Regatta—and | a record there which will stand as a monufor the largest number of starters ever known | ment to the genius of her builder as long as for the Derby. The 22nd of August dawned with a clear sky and favouring breeze. Thousands of spectators lined the shore, watching with enthusiastic interest the preparations for the "start." Abreast of Cowes the sight presented was one of surpassing beauty. More than a hundred yachts were in sight, sailing "off and on," their white canvass looking like huge wings sweeping over the surface of the sea-restless and yet graceful-their owners apparently anxious for the race to commence. Fifteen yachts started the finest and fleetest in the United Kingdomamong which were the Volante, Constance, Alarm, Beatrice and Gipsy Queen. The America was the last to get under way, but she gradually gained upon her antagonists, and was the first to pass the winning buoy -beating the fleet nearly eight miles. On her return there were innumerable yachts off Cowes, and on every side was heard the hail, "Is the America first ?"-The answer, "Yes." "What's second ?"-The reply, "Nothing." The Queen was an interested spectator during the race, and after it was ended she went on board of the America, and expressed herself delighted with the appearance of the yacht. The English yachtsmen gracefully acknowledged their defeat, and gave their fortunate rivals a grand banquet in honour of the victory. Mr. R. Stephenson, a leading English yachtsman, was not fully satisfied with the test of the 22nd of August and therefore backed his iron yacht Titania, of 100 tons, to sail against the Ame rica for £100. The contest came off on the yachts are built to plough the ocean's bosom. It is both instructive and amusing to read the criticisms on this first International Re. gatta in the current news of that day. The easy victory of the America 'utterly bewildered foreign yachtsmen. Their boasted prestige, as victorious yacht-builders and yachtowners, had been lost in the first great contest, and the best and poorest of excuses were equally unsatisfactory. A few beaten rivals consoled themselves with the sneering remark that the America was only a "racing machine!" But this excuse found little sanction among the best of England's yachtsmen. Capt. Watson, of the Royal Navy, in the Times, thus commented on this class of criticisms:-"A writer in your journal lately wished to make it ap pear that such a vessel as the America, a mere racing craft,' must be useless for all practical purposes; and he, facetiously, remarks that you might as well compare a Derby three-year-old to a comfortable hackney as the America to an English yachtBut, Sir, we must allow that a little 'breeding' is no bad thing-either in a pack-horse or a weight-carrying hunter. So, also, may our clumsy hulls be modified by modern ingenuity and improvements, when our shipowners and ship-builders become less prone to adhere to their old forms and fashions." The facts are, however, that this victory of the America completely changed the system of yacht-modelling; and although the change grew by slow degrees, yet it was nevertheless true that the greatest breadth of beam was gradually extended aft, until it very nearl approximated to the model of the America in this respect. Yacht builders before the America's day believed that it was necessary to make a yacht full forward, i. e. to have the greatest breadth of beam abreast the foremast, so as to make her buoyant in a head sea. The sharp bow and hollow water lines of the America were in striking contrast with the full bows and straight water lines of her competitors; and not a few sage "old salts" predicted that the America would be swept "fore-and-aft" in a sharp head sea. The result of the trial of the two systems is thus described by a Times' reporter:-"While the cutters were thrashing through the water, sending the spray over their bows, and the schooners were wet up to the foot of the foremast, the America was as 'dry as a bone.'" We have commented rather fully on this Regatta, for it was from this contest that modern yachting received its greatest impulse; and, moreover, the model of the America has been proved to be one of the best ever produced, as we shall have occasion to show hereafter. The second memorable event in the history of Yachting, beyond the yearly regattas of established Yacht Clubs, was the Great Ocean Yacht Race between the Henrietta, Fleetwing and Vesta, of the N. Y. Yacht Club. These yachts left Sandy Hook Light Ship on the 11th Dec. 1866, and the Henrietta arrived off the Needles, Isle of Wight, England, at 5.45 p.m., 26th Dec. 1866, winning the race and making the run in 13 days, 22 hours mean time. The Fleetwing arrived 8 hours afterwards, and the Vesta r1⁄2 hours after the Fleetwing. The remarkable sailing time made by these splendid yachts, and the slight difference in the time of their arrival, was the subject of much comment; and it was pretty generally conceded in England that yachting in the United States had attained a high standard of excellence. The pluck, enterprise and enthusiasm shown in contests like those already mentioned, excited the popular interest to the highest pitch-and won for yachting the first place in the estimation of the people as a great national amusement. The ocean race between the Cambria and Dauntless, during the summer of 1870, is still fresh in the minds of yachtsmen—and, indeed, all classes were intensely interested at the time in the result. Day after day passed while "asking eyes" eagerly scanned the horizon off the Narrows in anxious search for the on-coming yachts. At last the Cambria hove in sight, and passed the light ship ahead, the winner of the race while the Dauntless followed in less than two hours afterwards. The challenge race of the Cambria over the N. Y. Y. Club course, for the Queen's Cup, was witnessed by more spectators than any regatta ever held before or since, for it was conceded that more than a million of people watched the progress of the race. Indeed, the sight presented was one never to be forgotten by any beholder of the magnificent spectacle. The harbour was literally covered with sailing craft of every size and description: steamers crowded to their utmost capacity; ferry boats fairly alive with passengers; grim "men-of-war" and deeply laden jollyboats-all packed with interested spectators. The fleet of yachts moored, ready for the start, was beyond question the finest and most complete afloat. Many of them had already become famous in yachting annals. Conspicuous among them was the old America she that so gallantly won the Cup a score of years before, appearing fresh in her new sails and new coat of paint, while her raking spars and saucy look betokened that she had not lost the vigour of her youth. The Dauntless, too, was in line-snug and trim in her outfit-ready to "try again" the fleet Cambria, and to prove, if possible, that “luck” had been against her in the ocean race. The Fleetwing, Magic, Henrietta and many others were moored "in line, but the Cambria bore off the palm in general interest. Her plucky commander had crossed the ocean avowedly to redeem the Cup, and many hoped that his true British daring York, that had the Livonia been fitted out as would be rewarded with success. At last the signal is given, and away speed the 18 yachts, amid the cheers of the multitude! Another scene, and this ends the grand aquatic drama. It is the return. The Magic is first, the Dauntless second, the Palmer third and the America fourth, while the, Cambria was badly distanced. There is something deeply interesting in the performances of the yacht America. With all the combined skill of builders of crack yachts, both in England and America, but little real progress has been made in the past 20 years, for it is believed by competent judges, that had the America been properly manned and fitted out, she would have won This fact is worthy the study of this race. yachtsmen. During the past year the excitement in yachting circles in New York was at fever heat, over the challenge races with Commodore Ashbury's new yacht Livonia. Believing that the Cambria could not win the Queen's Cup, the persevering Mr. Ashbury built a new one for this purpose. The result is familiar to all. She came, she worthily contested, but she was beaten. Sincerely as we regret the Livonia's failure, we yet believe that yachting has had no more zealous promoter than Commodore Ashbury. He failed, it is true, in his cherished hopes, but his courageous endeavours to possess the Cup have imparted new life into yachting circles the world over. As the record stands now the American yachtsmen are masters of the situation. Why are they almost invariably victorious in contests with English yachts? The answer is, because English yachtsmen fail in the fitting out of yachts. They over-load them with heavy spars and rigging, and thus deaden them with superfluous weight. The lines of the Livonia were beautiful, her hull was admirably constructed, but her spars rigging and sails were altogether too heavy. It was quite generally conceded, in well informed circles in New well as were her antagonists in the late contests for the "Queen's Cup." her record would have been far more brilliant. Equally as much depends on the proper rig and trim as on the model of a yacht. The great point to be attained is to secure a maximum of speed with a minimum of weight. Each unnecessary pound of rigging is as detrimental to a fast yacht, as is extra "dead weight" to a race-horse. It is true that great skill and experience are indispensably necessary to enable one to determine, with reasonable certainty, what the proper outfit of a yacht should be. If too light, a break-down is the penalty; if too heavy, a defeat is the consequence. Foreign yachtsmen claim that the Americans fit out their yachts too lightly, and point to the fre quent "carrying away" of some part of the rigging or spars as proof of the assertion. The answer to this should be that it is better occasionally to "break down" than to be invariably beaten. The rigging of the Lit nia (and of the Cambria as well) was strong enough for a "fore-and-after," and the extra weight above deck acted as a constant purchase to press her into the water, and to cant her over to leeward when under sail. This weight was a comparatively trifling burden, it may justly be claimed-but it should alse be remembered that she crossed the winning line only a trifle behind the winner. When Michael Angelo was accused of spending too much time over a statue which he was rounding into marvellous perfection, and of paying needless attention to "mere trifles," he thoughtfully replied "It is true that these touches are but trifles, but trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle." What Angelo's trifles were to the statue, the trifles in rigging and fitting are to the victorious yacht. In fact, yacht-building is an art, and one of the most abstruse of the arts. It is neither guess-work nor chance, but intelligent appreciation and application of the laws of cause and effect. |