The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-27 00:00:00

COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT, June 25.

(From our own Correspondent.)

LAUNCH OF THE COMMODORE OF THE ROYAL YACHT
SQUADRON'S NEW YACHT " ZAR:A."—Mr. J. White, this
afternoon, launched from his yard at East Cowes, a
splendid yacht of 280 tons, built by him for the Earl of
Wilton, Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron. She
appears as beautiful 'a sea-boat as ever swam, and has
every promise of being a teazer, and ranking amongst
the swiftest of our first class schooner yachts. The Earl
and Countess of Wilton are expected at Cowes on Tues-
day next.
LAUNCH OF THE "LILT OF THE TEST."-4—The cheering
which announced the successful launching of the Com-
modore's yacht had not subsided, when cheering com-
menced on the West Cowes shore, from the yard of
Messrs. M. Ratsey and Son, on the launching of the
" Lily of the Test," built by them for J. Woods, Esq.,
the fifth they have launched since February. She was
named by Miss Williams, daughter of Thomas Williams,
Esq., of Ivy House. The doings of this vessel are looked
forward to with considerable interest, as she has an Ame-
rican bottom, and sits like a sea-bird on the water. We
have a greater number of new yachts than in any pre-
vious year, and expect we shall require their best quali-
ties to be carried out to be able to contend against the
American, Swedish, and Russian yachts expected to as-
semble at Cowes in August. The " Sylvie," the property
of Mr. Depean, of New York, is cried up as being more
than equal to any of our crack cutter yachts. She must
be a good one if she beats the; but after having been so
preciously taken in by the "Ainerica," we think we had
better run our eye over the " Syivie" before we promise
to " lick her."

ARRIVALS OF YACHTS.—During the past week we
have had the following :

SCHOONER YACHTS.
Tons.
Resolution

Gipsy Queen
Leda
Gloriana
Enchantress 213 .... ..... Sir Thos. Whichcote, Bar
Destiny
Coquette
Ondine

Alarm
Shark
Coral Queen....... 117

Groans:

CUTTERS.

Turquoise
Mosqueto
Aurora
Spider
Maritana
Julia
Wizard
Osprey
Gondola
Sivordfish

FITTING OUT.
Sultana

Bianca 3l

. Earl '.blountcha;lea'.

Pandora
Irene

DREADFUL ACCIDENT.—As a corker named Alexander
Cooke was paying the seams of the Pandora yacht, the
property of Captain Smith Barry, in Hansen's yard,
some one removed part of the stage without Cooke's
noticing it, and in stepping his foot back he fell, cap-
sizing the pot ; the boiling pitch fell on his head and
arms and so dreadfully scalded him that he lies with
little hope of recovery.
THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.—The corn crops all
look promising, as does the potatoes ; but we are just
arrived at the critical time. The plague spot appeared
on them here on the 26th of June last year, and the
present heavy rains are likely to be attended with serious
consequences ' • but things are not so forward this season
as they were last. Last year the apple blossomed on
the 19th of April, this year not till the 11th of May.
In 1852 the blossoms of the white thorn opened on the
9th of May, in 1853 not till the 25th. The hay crop is
a heavy one, but there is very little chance of saving it
in good condition without a material change in the
weather.