The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1872-09-24 00:00:00

CHANNEL FLEET REGATTA.

Under the patronage of Rear-Admiral G. T. Phipps
lioroby, Rear-Admiral ft. J. G. Maadonald, and tho
Captains of the Fare. Committee :—President—
Osptain R. W. Vanslttart, 0.8., H.M.S. Sultan; Staff
Commander R. H. HUB, H.M.S. Minotaur; Lieutenant
A. T. Harare, H.M.S. kabsityart ; Lieutenant it. F.
Britten, H.M.S. Sultan ; Lieutenant J. Inglis, H.M.S.
Hercules; Lieutenant Hon. E. Browne, Belle-
rophon ; Identeniint J. R. Pringle, ELBA. Northam.
Garland ; llre. Bea —X. F. Moresby, Fag., U.M.S.
Sultan. Judge. : —Staff-Captain W. Y. 11•10.
Commander C. J. O. Purcell, H.M.S. Achilles.
Our gelluit tare coremeneed • very exalting, regatta
on Tumidity, In the magnificent harooar of Portland,
where uo less than 16 moss were rowed in on, afterncroo,
and that Pi • vont tolerable Meese from the WoltWard,
which aft:rwaria veered round a few point.; more to
the north, and in (sot made the famous Roads a very
lively pima for anytbincbut pretty stiff boats. It had
been intended that the Regetta should crommenoe on
Monday, when Indeed the weather wee most delightful,
end • comparatively smooth sea offered a capital racing
surface. But

The be.t-laldlelaCl of mice &ad Eoeu
clang eft matey :"

And it so happened that H.M.S. Sultan and North-
umberland were ordered away to WM* to escort M.
Thugs, to this hippy land, and as the president of the
Regatta, Captain Vansittart C. B. and its hon.
secretary, Mr. Moresby, payola/tor, with Lieuteuant
Britten, • eominittee-mao sere all on bosrd the Sultm,
It was evident the arraogements 000ld nut wel in their
alisenc,r, be carried out. The magnifierent ships Sudan
and Northumberbmd, returoed to Portland early on
Monday afternoon; but this was only time enough to
commenee the Regatta next day. Tuesday oorumenard
with heavy drissle and rain, bat the regatta wss not to
be postponed for that, for our tars are too well used to
salt water to care anything for • little frssh. But the
wind also rose, and this, coupled with the dolmas of the
morning, and the difficulty of getting to the sooner, made
Lb. number of aghtieers from the shore oomparatively
small. Of course It did not affect the tars and their
°Motors, who, from their Boating mallet of the sea, bad
the bi at Manors of seeing the whole of the fun.
The long mune win from • boat moored npar the
Breakwater Bed, in which boat was Mot. Fitzroy, the
starter, round the Agincourt, Bellerophon, and Sultan,
and thence back round the Hercules, Northumberland,
and Minotaur, anion to the judges' bost,thr. Minotaur's
first launoh, which was mourod oetwean the Minotaur
and the Agmoourt, about opposite the long Break eater,
an.l about two-thirds from its Dural end. Thus all the
ships mews Lad god opportunities of seeing the races,
and the start tosi the finish being at different points,
prevented the boa's getting into osafusiou, and allowed
some noes to be started before others had finished. !
This is not, however, an arrangement favourable to
oorrect observation of the whole of any race, the &Mow
Mon being diverted by the clamber going on at one time.
The long rowing coarse was about 24 miles, the middle
worm about It WI" and the Mort some ono mlka