The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-03 00:00:00

ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON REGATTA.

This grand annual aquatic carnival commenced at Cowes
yesterday with the race for the Prince of Wales's Cup—
a time race on Ackers' scale and Thames measurement, for
cutters belonging to the Royal Yatch Squadron only. By
this latter regulation, which has existed ever sines the
squadron hare had royal prizes consigned to them for com-
petition at their annual regatta, the yachts of all other clubs,
royal or otherwise, are debarred from all chance of obtain-
ing a prise which is one of the highest honours a yachtsman
can receive, and which is given by the Crown with the na-
tional object of encouraging improvements in naval archi-
tecture, and which it appears, according to the correapon-
dence between Sir R. Peel and Admiral Rous, is taken
from the Consolidated Fund, and is therefore public money
given fer a definite public object. The same conditions may
be applied to the Queen's Cup, which will be sailed for by
schooners and yawls belonging to the Royal Yacht Squad-
ron only on Thursday (to-morrow). As custodians of these
two prizes given by the Crown, the premier yacht club of
England would have acted in a manner becoming its high
position had it thrown the contest open to the yachts of any
Royal Yacht Club, and not confined it to those flying the
white ensign, Thoroughly exclusive in its principles this
liberal view of the question could not be entertained by the
Royal Yacht Squadron, persisting in a monopoly which can
only tend to degrade the two royal cups into, as our weekly
contemporary the Field aptly expresses it, " Charity Cups."
The morning broke bright and clear, with a nice sailing
breeze from N.N. W., with every prospect of its continuance.
Cowes road was dotted with a large number of yachts at
anchor and under sail flying the colours of nearly every
known yacht club, while the Royal Navy was represented
by H.M.S. Victoria and Albert, the Irresistible, screw line-
of-battle coastguard ship, Capt. J. B. Dickson ; the Ferret,
training brig, and a screw gunboat. The presence of her
Majesty, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and other mem-
bers of the Royal family at Osborne, bestowed an additional
interest on the first day's portion of the squadron's pro-
gramme, more especially as the raoe was for the cup given
in the name of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.
Five vessels were entered for the contest, as follows :
The Arrow, cutter, 94 tons, Mr T. Chamberlayne ; the
Terpsichore, cutter, 42 tons, Capt. Tatnall, R.N. ; the
Alerte, cutter, 56 tons, Lieut. J. Sladen, R,N. ; the Phos-
phorous, cutter, 49 tons, Capt. W. Bulkely ; the Ladybird,
cutter, 35 tons, Mr J. P. Lethbridge. The Ladybird put
in no appearance. The four others took up their positions
off Cowes Castle, the Arrow inside and the others off in the
order as they are named. The course was from Cowes to
the Warner light vessel, thence to the northward of the
Brambles, thence round a mark vessel moored off Egypt
Point and into the goal between the starting vessel and
Cowes Castle, twice round. Light vessels and mark vessels
to be left on the port hand. At 10 15 p.m. the preparatory
gun was fired, and 5 minutes afterwards the starting gun,
when the four craft were off before the wind, the Alerts
slightly leading with the Arrow close upon her, Phos-
phorus being third, and Terpsichore bringing up the rear.
The Arrow and Alerte handled their canvas smartly, but the
Phosphorus and Terpsichore seemed to take to their work
more leisurely. The tide was at high water off in the roads
at the time of the yachts starting, with the wind still at
about N.N.W., a moderate full sail breeze. The run to the
Warner was unattended with any particular interest. In
rounding the lightship the colours of all could not be
distinguished with certainty from Osborne pier, the nearest
point to the light ship that could be reached for observation
but the Arrow and the Alerte rounded the Warner as
follows:

H. M. S.

Arrow
Alerte
An interval of 10 minutes 9 seconds separated the third
vessel from the Alerte. The fourth vessel was not timed.
It was now a dead heat back to Calshot, and the Arrow's
famous powers under these circumstances were well known
from past performances; but the Alert° being a new vessel,
her doings were looked forward to with some interest.
At 1 p.m, the Arrow tacked with her head to the
northward, just to leeward of the west buoy of the
middle, with the Alerte and Phosphorus, the first named
ahead of the other and to windward, some distance astern,
and standing in for the island shore, Terpsichore at the same
time standing in, also in shore, but hopelessly astern. The
wind now gave indications of falling light as the vessels
tacking along the north shore for Calshot Light, which was
weathered by the Arrow about three minutes ahead of the
Alerte. Between Calshot and the mark boat at the western
extremity of the course the wind was somewhat batting to
the two leading craft, between whom the struggle for the
prize now really lay, and in rounding the mark boat the
Alerte had gained one minute on the Arrow. That mark
weathered, sheets were eased off, foresails boomed out, and
balloon jibs and topsails set, and the first round was com-
pleted as follows :

it. It 8.
Arrow ........................ 2 31 38
Alerte
Phosphorus
Terpsichore .................. 3 11 30
The yachts now commenced their second round of the
course, but, from the adverse state of the tide and the posi-
tion and force of the wind, there was every probability of
its ending at too late an hour for any details to be given.
13y referring to the time in which the first round was com-
pleted, it will be seen that the Alerte was only two
minutes and three seconds behind the Arrow, and as
the Arrow according to Acker's scale, had to give an
allowance of time for difference in tonnage of 15 minutes
and 30 seconds, the Prince of Wales's cup was then, barring
all accidents and providing the Phosphorus did not vastly
improve her position, virtually won by the Alerte, The
Alerte is quite a new craft, built by Ratsey, of Cowes.
To-day, the squadron gave a cup, value 100 guineas, with
a second prize of £25, to be sailed for over the same course
as the one sailed over yesterday, open to yachts belonging
to any Royal Yacht Club. There will mcst probably not be
over eight vessels start, but oven with this small number
a strong breeze would render the race one of interest, owing
to the admission of other " cracks" to the contest than those
belonging to the Royal Yacht Squadron.
The Arrow won the Prince of Wales Cup. The Prince
went out in the Fairy to witness the contest,

PENNY OMNIBUSES. -- Yesterday morning the
omnibuses running between Westminster and Oxford-street,
and Camden Town and Oxford-street, wore carrying pas-
sengers at Id each. The reduction has been occasioned by
the " Shakspero" omnibuses, and those vehicles are now
being regularly " nursed" by the old company,