The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-30 00:00:00

ROYAL THAMES YACHT CLUB

INTERESTING MATCH.

The great contest for the Grand Challenge Cup, pre
sensed by the Royal Thames Yacht Club, and open to
all Royal Yacht clubs in the kingdom, took place yes-
terday, and was one of the most exciting races on re-
cord, affording a succession of incidents of the most in-
teresting description. The Jupiter steamer had been,
as usual, chartered by the club for the conveyance of the
members and their friends, and left her moorings at
London-bridge at ten o'clock, with a highly-respectable
party on board, which was increased in numbers on
their calling in at Blackwell. The Waterman 10,
Dryad, and another steamer, with a private party on
board, and a number of gentlemen's yachts, including
the Pearl, with her gallant owner the Marquis of Angle-
sea on board, accompanied the race. On the arrival of
the Jupiter at Erith the following were found ready for
the starting sign :
Station. Name of Yacht. Tons. Port.
1.
2. Foam 20 London.
3. Bianca 32 Portsmouth.
4. Cynthia 5O London.
5. ...... ..Musquito 5O London.
6. Daring 3l Plymouth.
7. Secret 25 Dartmouth.
8. Gipsy 12 Plymouth.
The distance to be sailed was from Erith to the Nore
Light and back, weather permitting, and half a minute
per ton allowed at arriving by the larger to the smaller
craft.
The mishaps of the day, however, had already com-
menced, and with one of the greatest and most deserving
favourites—the Mosquito. This beautiful yacht, an-
chored at Blackwell at nine A.M., was about to get under
weigh to run down to Erith, when a Trinity House
lighter, coming up the river, ran foul of the Mosquito,
and snapped her bowsprit in the centre. This accident,
however, served only to bring out the natural charac.
teristics of our countrymen, especially those engaged in
nautical business, for Sir. Green, having, with his accus-
tomed liberality, not only furnished the owners with a
new spar, but also the assistance of his mast-makers, in
fifty minutes the spar was manufactured into a new bow-
sprit, and being taken into tow by the Vesper, the
Gravesend steamer, she arrived at Erith at the same time
as the Commodore's steamer reached that place.
The start was well effected at 11 b. 43 min. 45 secs,
when the Cygnet made sail beautifully, closely followed
by the Cynthia, Foam, Bianca, and Musquito; but here
again something was evidently wrong with the Mosquito,
her
movements, she was all behind, and seemed hampered in
movements, anti it was only subsequently we observed
the cause. It appears the Commodore, on his arrival at
Erith, immediately fired the preparatory gun, oh
which
came
four of the Mosquito's crew, who were at Era ,
on board, when the owner of the Cynthia threatened a
protest unless they went out of the vessel. As the rules
for sailing had only been put on board on her arrival at
Erith, and there was no time before the signal gun
for starting was fired to appeal to the Commodore, the
four men were sent
on shore; consequently, the Mus-
quito hid to sail with eight hands in lieu of twelve; she
could not, therefore, with this small number, get her sails
properly set without great loss of time. She nevertheless
determined to proceed.
There was a fine topsail breeze from the S.E., and the
little fleet went away in the most excellent trim, each
captain exhibiting considerable nautical skill. After
making a board in Erith Reach, they sailed the reach
down with a few yards' span only between each, forming
the moot beautiful picture that could well be ielsgined.