The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-08-24 00:00:00

COWES REGATTA.

(raox • LETTER narEn cowv:s, AVG. 22, 1024.)
AVith feelings of national pride we present a narrative of
the Royal Yacht Club R-gatta. This Club, honoured
with the patronage of the King, and boasting of the Dukes
of Clarence and Gloucester, with a long list of Noblemen
and most opulent Gentlemen in the Kingdom, presents to
the world a phenomenon that none but Englishmen can
find pleasure in. ilut Britain's best bulwarks are her
wooden walls ; rnd we arc truly gratified in seeing British
opulence, with so liberal a band, promoting the nursery of
our brave tars. Foreigners may be astonished at the idea
of delicate females tossing about on the briny wave for
amusement. It is not mere national ostentation that che-
rishes this aig:ction, for the breeze of the sea gives to tin it
'reauty the sweet glow of health ; and yacht-sailing is the
most beneficial and least exp:nsive amusAnent a family of
fortune can indulge in.

The Regatta of this year lasted three (lays. The first,
Thursday last, commenced with the pilot vi aids sailing in
review, followed by two rowing matches. The first, by five
boats of Cowes, for three prizes. The distance was a two-
mile course. remind Lord Yarborough's, the Duke of Nor-
folk's, and Lord ('raven's yachts, flloweti five times. It
was admirably coin( sted, and the .o.st prize won in great
style by Mr. Stephens's Willing Maid. Mr. Stypliens's
Nell Gwynn, which bore the garland lest year, took the
second prize; and the third was won by Mr. Cooke's
Lightning.
The second rowing match was by five boats, belonging
to the east end of the island, for three prizes, round the
same course, and was rowed with great spirit. The Dove
won the first prize, the Martin the second, and the Swal-
low the third.
The number of yachts and pleasure-boats anchored
round the course, decorand with flags—the firing of sa-
luns—the music of the different bands—and the vast
assemblage of beauty and fashion, rendered the scene
highly delightful. Lord Craven gave a most sumptuous
second breakfast to a very large party, on board his ship
Louisa ; and the deck of Lord Yarborough's Falcon was
crowded with ladies, as were indeed all the assembled
yachts.
In the evening, the annual Club dinner took place, at
the East Cowes Hotel, and the number of Noblemen who
graced the table evinced the increasing interest of the Club.
Among the company, we noticed the Duke of Norfolk,
Field Marshal Lord Beresfonl, Lords Melville, Belmore,
Cavan, Craven, Deerburst, Grantham, Ilchester' and Wil-
loughby de Broke; Sirs George Martin, John Beresford,
Arthur and Edward l'aget, Wm. Curtis, George Leeds,
George Thomas, and the Hon. Berkeley Paget. Lord
Melville, in an impressive manner, expressed the gratifi-
cation he felt in being an old member of a club that gives
such lustre to the character of Englishmen ; and an elo-
quent speech from Lord Deerhurst, proposing the health
of Lord Beresford, excited universal admiration. The
chair was most ably filled by Lord Yarborough, who, as
Commodore, conducted all the movements of the Re-
gatta. Conviviality kept the glasses jingling until a late
hour.
The second day-(Friday) opened with preparations for
a sailing match between seven pilot vvriels of the island,
who started from Lord Yarborough's yacht, at one o'clock,
and proceeded round the west buoy of the middle, and
along the north-east edge of the brambles back to Lord
Yarborough's Falcon, following the same course four times.
The first prise of 30 sovereigns was won by the Argus; '
the second of 20 sovereigns by the Jane of Cowes; the '
'Third of 12 sovereigns by the Jane of Nettlestone ; and the
fourth of eight sovereigns by the Cupid. The day was
not so favourable as the preceding, yet the Roadstead and
Parade were crowded with spectators, and a very nume-
rously attended ball closed the day.
On Saturday three members of the Royal Yacht Club,
Sir George Thomas in his Eliza of 34 tons, Mr. Talbot in
his Giulia of 42 tons, and Mr. Wild in his Julia of 4.1
tons, started from the Falcon, to sail round the Nab Lifflts.
off Bembridge Lodge, for a sweepstakes. The Julia and
Eliza came in neck and neck, and the former won the race
by barely half a minute, nor was the Giulia more than s
few minutes astern. The evening was remarkably fine.—
A pyrotechnical artist (Jones) had prepared fireworks for
' the shore, and the members of the Yacht Club bad abun-
dantly supplied their vessels. At half-past nine a signal
from the Commodore was followed by a display of fireworks
afloat and on shore, whose brilliancy and effect is beyond
description ; and we close our recital with the pleasing as-
surance that no accident occurred to cast a shade of sorrow
on this fascinating scene.

Davis, Auo. 22.—The passage between this port and
the Continent has this week been as brisk as at any time
during the peace. His Majesty's packet the Spitfire sailed
yesterday to Calais, with eight carriages anti more than
100 passengers, and the same vessel has carried in the
three trips she made in the present week, 580 passengers ,
and 20 carriages. Amongst the last departures of note
were, the Earl of Yarmouth, and C. Western, Esq. M.P.
for Essex.
The forthcoming Novel, by the "Great Unknown," will
be entitled Tales of the Crusades.
Two new farces have been accepted by Arnold at the
English Opera-house. In one of them the author is re-
ported to have taken measure to the life of Mathews's comic
powers, who is to be the hero of it.
Miss Paroe.—This favourite singer has addressed a
letter to a morning cotcmporary, in which she requests the
Editor to contradict the rumour of her marriage with
Lord W. Lennox, as such a rumour might interfere with
her engagements. Now, it is not a little singular that the
young lady throws the responsibility of this contradiction
on the Editor, and declines to take it on herself. We are
the more struck by this mode of equivocating the ques-
tion of her marriage, as, in the many rumours which
are afloat on this subject, one has reached us (and
through a channel we have reason to rely on), that this
young lady has told several of her acquaintances, that she
is married, but that the matter is, for prudential reasons, at
present kept a secret, and is to be so fur some time to come.
The reparation of this young laity front her family, and
her residence with Mrs. Colonel S— (who is not a mem-
ber of M.r
.family), gives some coiourable complexion to
the rumour which has reached us. The matter is cer-
tainly ono of indifference, but that curiosity induces the
public to wish to know whether the syren of the Hay-1
market is not only a member of the corps dearriatique, but
also of the Nobility.
The Presentation Convent, now erecting in Thurlea,
promises to be a structure well worthy the sacred purposes
for which it is intended. 'rho edifice, when finished, will
cost 4,oool.—lrish Paper.
Tut Bev. C. C. Co LTCM—Many rumours have been
afloat lately, relative to the re-appearance of this Gentle-
man, some asserting that he had been seen in America ;
others that he was now residing in London. ii tracing
the sources of these stories, they all appear to be without
foundation. The fact is, that nothing has been hearth of Mr.
Colton since May Is2l, the paioll of his mysterious disap-
pearance. What adds to the singularity of the mystery is,
that on the shith of May, tho day that he was last seen in
London, he had rewired at a banker's in Pall-Mall WOOL
in notes of tool. each. In the evening of that day, he
changed one of these notes at • gambling-house in Bury
street, No. 6, where he lost 21. On the next day he was
seen at Epsom Races, in the company of some of the assn
dates of the late unhappy Thurtrll. Front that day no-
thing has been known of him. It is remarkable, that of
the other twenty-nine tool. notes, not ono has ever been
paid into the Bank, nor can they lie at all traced from him.
So ti.at there can now he but little doubt, either that the'
unfortunate rum was drowned, perhaps with this property
upon him or that he was murdered, having secreted it
where it has not yet been discovered.