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

ROYAL LONDON YACHT CLUB.

The sailing season en 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 years
by the same y acht, to become the permanent property of
her owner, to which was added a presentation inrse of
20 guineas by the Club.
ThiJ following had been entered :
ThG, Mousy l5 tons, Mr. G. Browne.
Phantom
Whisper
The extraordinary bailing of the two last of these in
the grsnd 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 i;ttereating cha-
racter, and a more exciting or beautiful race, from the
moment of starting to the period of corning in, wail
never witnessed; it was replete with variety and nautical
dltill, and imparted the greatest gratification to every
beholder.

As it was not contemplated that at this late period of
the seascn it would be necessary to afford accommoda-
tion for a larpse party of visitors, the committee merely
chartered a milli 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 Ey.; of boats accompanying the
race, aning which we observed Mr. Gocdson's Avatar,
Mr. Genstom's Paragon, the Volante, Prima Donna,
Frolic, Waterwitch, Transit, end Guerilla; in the first of
which there were also several ladies.

It was, us usual, a time race, half u minute per ton
being allowcd by the larger to the smaller croft, end the
course from Erich to Shellhaven and back, a distance
of nearly fifty miles; and so evenly were the boats con.
•idered to be matched that the b,•st judges of such mat-
ters were afraid to back their opinions to arty considera-
ble amount.

There woe a fine blowing brerzl from the N.N.E.;
and at half•past eleven Mr. J. Goodson, the commodore,
having visited the boats at their "Italians and asctrtsitwl
that the crews were all in readiness, preparations were
made to commence the match.

The start took place set I lhrs. 4i min. 45see. 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 blouse, more fortunate in that respect,
drew by her, but was too leeward. The advantage
was, however, scarcely more than tuomeLtary, the Phan-
tom going to windward to her, In this order they con-
tinued to St. Clement's, where it became necessary to
makes aboard. litre the Phantom began to draw upon
the Whisper, and some skini marceuvring occurred be-
tween the mai captains, sand the Pnantoai getting the
weather gauge tuck a slight lead; but tier powerful
opponent was not so easily to be got rid of, at,rla fine
"
eon exhibiting on both sides the po•icettcn cf
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 shell," by running
hard and fat aground en tht 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
Nyhisper, 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-beat 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. in. s.
Phantom ... ... ... 2 13 42
Whisper ... ... ... 2 15 5
The course up was deemed easy enough with a favoure,-
ble wind and tide, bat still every foot of the water vats
gallantly disputed. At Cockhouse-Point the W hisper
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.
flute ahead—that being the time she had to allow the
Whisper for difference of tonnage.
They came in as follows:

h. m. e.
Phantom ... 4 38 23
Whisper ••• 4 39 43
Mr. Goodson presented the cup, which, having been
won the Phantom, becomes the permanent
propertyseasont
of her by
ow ner, Mr. Lane, to that gentleman.
whose spirited conduct as a N achtsman entitles him to
the warmest commendation, with an appropriate speech.
which was duly responded to, and the usual toasts hav-
ing been drunk the company returned home.

EXTRAORDINARY FIRE.—A fire, under singular
circnmstances, broke out on Saturday night about ten o'clock,
on the premises of Mr. Downey. carver and gilder, No. 18,
Mount-street, Westminster-road, which completely gutted
the whole of the back part of the house, and did considerable
damage to the front. A number of engines from the different
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 causea by the falling of a meteor, which as it fell bad all
the appearance of a large ball of fire, and as soon as it reAChea
tlae roof of the house exploded with groat fcirce,