The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-22 00:00:00

ROYAL LONDON YACHT CLUB.

The sailing season on the Thames was wound up on
Saturday by the contest among yachts of this highly
respectable and rapidly improving club for the Grand
Challenge Cup, presented in 1850 by the Rear-Com-
modore Mr. G. Browne, to be won two consecutive year;
by the same yacht, to become the permanent property of
her owner, to which v.-as added a presentation purse of
20 guineas by the Club.
The following had been entered:—
The Mouse l5 tons, Mr. G. Browne.
Phantom
Whisper l9 tons, Mr. T. Evoleigh.
The extraordinary sailing of the two last of these 14
the grand match for the Royal Thames Yacht Club
claret jug this season, added to the circumstance of its
being reperted that the Mouse was getting in fine trim,
rendered the present match of a very interesting cha-
racter, and a more exciting or beautiful race, from the
moment of starting to the period of coming in, wt,e
never witnessed; it was replete with variety and nautical
skill, and imparted the greatest gratification to every
beholder.

As it was not contemplated that at this late period of
the season it would be necessary to afford accommoda-
tion for a large party of visitors, the committee merely
chartered a small boat called the Red Rover for the con-
veyance of the officers and a few members of the Club;
but the fineness of the weather induced many ladies re-
lated to members to participate in the day's amusement.
The yachtsmen and their friends, too, mustered in full
force, there being a fine fleet of boats accompanying the
race, among which we observed Mr. Goodson's Avatar,
Mr. Genstom's Paragon, the Volanto, Prima Donne,
Frolic, Waterwitch, Transit, and Guerilla, in the first of
which there were also several ladies.

It was, as usual, a time race, half a minute per ton
being allowed by the larger to the smaller craft, and the
course from Erith to Shellhaven and back, a distance
of nearly fifty miles; and so evenly were the boats con.
sidered to be matched that the best judges of such mat.
ters were afraid to back their opinions to any considera•
ble amount.

There was a fine blowing breeze from the N.N.E.„
and at half-past eleven Mr. J. Goodson, the'commodore
having visited the boats at their stations and ascertained
that the crews were all in readiness, preparations were
made to commence the mateh.

The start took place at 11hrs. 47min. 45sec. All
canted round at the same moment, but the Whisper was
first in trim and well under weigh, followed by the Phan-
tom, which was, however, some time getting its topsail
set; and the Mouse, more fortunate in that respect,
drew by her, but was too leeward. The advantage
was, however, scarcely more than momentary, the Phan-
tom going to windward to her. In this order they con-
tinued to St. Clement's, where it became necessary to
make aboard. Here the Phantom began to draw upon
the Whisper, and some skilful manecuvring occurred be-
tween the rival captains, and the Phantom getting the
weather gauge took a slight lead; but her powerful
opponent was not so easily to be got rid of, and a fine
contest, exhibiting on both sides the perfection of
nautical skill, was continued all the way down. As the
wind had eastwarded considerably. they had from the
Lower Hope their work to do in beating against the
tide, and a further opportunity was afforded for the de-
velopment of the science of sailing, but it is to be re-
gretted that the Mouse was, about the commencement of
the sharpest point of the work, when her powers might
have been best tested, " put upon the shelf," by running
hard and fast aground on the Kent shore, where she re-
mained until the tide did her good service by washing
her off. The Mouse at the time of this mishap was only
a short distance astern of the other two, and the result
of their struggle at the moment was the success of the
Whisper,
which again went into the first place. The
rivals now separated as it were by mutual consent—the
Phantom working the north shore, the Whisper the
other, the latter's a course considered by some of the
nautical men present injudicious, especially with a young
flood coming up upon them. The result was that on
nearing the station-boat the Phantom kept
.her reach,
but the Whisper had to make a tack to bring her to
windward, but she rounded very prettily. The boats
turned as follows:

h. m. s.
... 2 13 42

Phantom

... ... -
Whisper ... ... 2 15 5
The course up was deemed easy enough with a favoura-
ble wind and tide, but still every foot of the water was
gallantly disputed. At Cockhouse-Point the Whisper
again went by her opponent to leeward, and, creeping in
advance, when they jibbed shortly afterwards, was well
to windward. Again the Phantom came up
in North-
fleet Hope, and, passing
her opponent to windward, once
more took the leading place, which she retained, but was
so little ahead that the question could not be said to be
determined whether she had won until the Commodore's
watch proclaimed the fact that she was more than a mi-
nute ahead—that being the time she had to allow the
Whisper for difference of tonnage.
They came in as follows;_

b. in. 8.
Phantom ... 4 35 23
Whisper 4 39 43
Mr. Goodson presented the cup, which, having boon
won last season by the Phantom, becomes the permanent
property
.of her owner, Mr. Lane, to that gentleman,
whose spirited conduct as a yachtsman entitles him to
the warmest commendation, with an appropriate speech,
which was duly responded to, and the usual toasts her'
mg been drunk the company returned home.

IXTRAORDINART FIRE.—A fire, under singular
circumstances, broke out on Saturday night about ten o'clook,
on the premises of Mr. Downey, carver and gilder tted
, No. 18,
Mount-street, Westminster-road, which conipletely gu
the whole of the back part of the house, and did
from the considedifferentrable
damage to the front. A number of engines
stations in the neighbourhood were soon on the spot, and a
good supply of water being fortunately at hand, the flames,
which had ascended with, frightful rapidity, were subdued
before any further damage was done. The fire, it is stated.
was caused by the falling of a meteor, which as it fell hada
r the appearance of a large ball of fire, and as soon as it reached
the the roof of the bouts exploded with great force.