The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-20 00:00:00

ROYAL VICTORIA YACHT CLUB REGATTA.

RYDE, SATURDAY EVENING.
This day was fixed for the Queen'aßsee from Ryde
to Cherbourg for the Commodore's Cup, which is a beautiful
revival by Messrs. London and Ryder, of New Bond.
street, of the celebrated Etruscan vase in the British
Museum, from the Coghill collection. The effects of
colour in the original are produced in alternate chasing,
frosting, and engraving. The principal subject on the vase
is Electra sitting and weeping at the tomb of Agamemnon,
and overwhelmed with grief. Near to her is °testes in an
attitude of despair. This beautiful prize was thrown oden
to all yachts belonging to any Royal Yacht Club, to be
sailed for from Ryde to the west end of the Breakwater
at Cherbourg. The first yacht inside to be the winner. A
large fleet of competitors appeared, and the following were
the entries:

Yacht.

Sphinx
Witchcraft
slope
Arem .osa
Rattiainake
Marina
ijauKi"

Tons, Owner.
•7 H. C. Maudelay, Esq.
123 .... T. Broadwood, Esq.
73 E. Boutcher, Esq.
70 .. J. H. Btx.ndale, Eq.

K .... T. L Hebert.

65 J. C. diorite, Esq.
U Oa. ptaln Anderson.
.... G. F. Moss, Ezq.
140 .... Markham.
70 .... lard R. Lennox.
164 .... E. Edwards, Eiq.
110 .... Roberta and Tetley.
88 .... Captain J. C. Miller.

Pantomime
Hlrondelle
Lulworth
Helene ..
Blue Bell ....
Albatross ....
lolanthe
Msraqulta
New Moon BOO Ld.Wlllongbby d'Eresby.
Shortly after eight o'clock in the morning the contending
vessels got into line, but the Caprice, lolanthe, and Mara-
quite were absent. The morning was exceedingly fine, and
everything betokened a lovely day. Owing to the very
early hour appointed for the start but few persons were on
the pier to witness it. The Sphinx got the station nearest
to the pier, and the rest extended in a long line
towards the northern shore. The vessels were all
under weigh, and at nine o'clock the commodore
fired the starting gun from his schooner Aline.
Thu wind wee N.N.W., with an ebb tide to the westward,
the course being to the eastward. The sound of the gun
had scarcely died away when the Marina was seen leading
the rest, Fiona following, with Lulworth close upon her.
The rest were in the following order :—Blue Bell, Alba-
tross, Pantomime, Julia, Selene, Witchcraft, and New
Moon last. Although the New Moon had a bad start she
was rapidly over-reaching the rest, with the exception of
the Marina, and that yacht still maintained her leading
position. There was but little change in the relative
positions until they were out of sight. The whole of the
regatta has given the most unqualified satisfaction.
After a very protracted voyage acroaa the Chan-
nel, from Ride to Cherbourg, in the competition for the
Commodore's Cup, the Fione cutter, 78 tons, Mr. E.
Boutcher, was the first to enter Cherbourg Harbour, and
thus, without any allowance of time, won the Commo-
dore's Cup.

Tau Ravonx Lacont.—On Saturday evening
a special meeting of the council of the Reform League was
held at the offices, Adelphi-terrace ; Mr. Edmond Realer,
president, in the chair. Mr. Wooltorton said that Colonel
Dickson and he attended by invitation, on Thursday, a
dinner of the Shipwrights' National Provident Union, at
which some five or six hundred skilled artisans—chiefly
employed in her Majesty's dockyards—resembled. Accord-
ing to the rule of the Union, the subject of politics was not
introduced ; but it ems intimated that a general meeting of
the shipwrights for political purposes would immediately
take place, at which delegates from Deptfoed, Greenwich,
and Woolwich would attend, with the object of consider-
' ing the propriety of adopting the principles of the Reform
League. A report of a committee appointed to consider
• proposition for raising 1,0001. for the purposes of the
league was brought op by Mn Wooltorton, and sent to the
Finance Committee forconsideration. A proposition that the
history of the recent demonstrations should be written and
published by the league was negatived. It was stated that
an eminent publishing finn was about to undertake the
compilation and publication of the history of the league,
bringing it down to the Hyde-park, Agricultural-hall, and
Guildhall demonstrations, and that a well-known author
would undertake the literary portion of the work. A
resolution that • medal commemorative of the recent
triumphs of the league in vindicating the right of public
meeting, and asserting its principles, should be struck,
having on one aide a medallion of Mr. Reales, the presi-
dent, was carried.
PROPOSRD RETORII BANQURT AT MANCHESTER.
—lt is proposed to have a great parliamentary reform
banquet at Manchester some time during October. Mr.
John Bright has accepted an invitation to be present, and
it is expected that Earl Russell, Mr. Gladstone, Mr. T.
M. Gibson, Mr. Villiers, and other eminent reformers, will
Fesent.
EARLY CLOSING ON SATURDAY,.—It will be
within the recollection of our readers that at a meeting of
ladies held about a month since at Stafford House, on the
invitation of the Duchess of Sutherland, it was decided to
make an effort to obtain a weekly half-holiday for those
employed in the retail establishments of London, particu-
larly of the West-end. The linendrapers' and the mercers'
trades were selected for the primary experiments, and,
after heating of the arguments adduced in favour of such a
course, 34 of the loading houses agreed to make the essay
by closing their business at 2 o'clock on Saturdays. So far
the experiment, we believe, has proved satisfactory, and
3R other houses in various retail trades have adopted the
same course, while a large number of smaller houses have
determined to close at 6or 6 o'clock on Saturdays, which
will afford great relief to the numerous persons who are
employed by them.
ENCLOSWIN or PLUMRTRAD COSIAION.—With
reference to the repeated encroachments made upon Plum-
/teed-common, an address signed by several influential
residents of the district, has been issued. The following
is an extract :—" Hitherto the enormous expense of con-
testing the rights of the Lords of the Manor to enclose has
deterred the people from opposing so shameful a proceed-
ing,as individuals must have been selected to try the right,
and nom seemed willing to incur so heavy a responsibility.
This difficulty hes now been removed by the noble offer of
Julian Goldsmid, Esq., M.P., who has agreed to test the
right of the Lords of the Manor to enclose, and fight the
battle to an imam at hie own expesse, provided that • cam-
mitten formed for the purpose would raise half the cost
(estimated at 60W.) Such committee has been formed, and,
relying on the support of the people, has entered into the
requireds undertaking with Mr. Goldirold."
Last week a very large cargo of grouse, in cum,
P arrived from Scotland for sale in the London markets.
They were is rather high condition, treat the close pia-
! lug. The birds vary tench in ciao ; many boxes contained
- grouse scarcely half grown, and others matured to fall
Me. The mall pmw were sold at 30. to 4a, per biome,
and the large bids at Be. bd. to 6a. Id. per beam