The Sun.
London, England, 1869-07-23 00:00:00

(From the Anglo -American 2 imes.)
The Spirit, in alluding to the yacht Dauntless,
after she had left New York for Europe, said :
"lint we do not look for a fast passage over to the oast
ward this time, as easterly winds have prevailed on the
Atlantic Ocean to an extraordinary extent."
Mr. Wilkes, who has himself arrived, or will im-
rn:diately, will be surprised to learn, as were we and
most others, what the passage of the Dauntless
really was, for notwithstanding very heavy weather
during the whole way across (perhaps aided by it)
she arrived at Queenstown on Sunday, at 2.30 p.mt-1
making the run, from New York to Queenstown, in
12 days 17 hours 6 minutes 12 seconds, and beating
the time of the llenvietta in her famous ocean race
with the Ffretwing and Vesta. She measures, ac-
cording to the new standard over 126 tons, and left
New York provisioned for 50 days. The Spirit says
of her, " a finer schooner we never looked at, so far
as appearance goes ;" adding, " we think the altera-
tions made in her by Mr. Bennett are improve-
ments." It hopes the Cambria will accept the
challenge to try an ocean race this fall, believing that
she would have as good a chance as if twice
as large. The Sprit does nit mean this in
joke, though we believe it might really so be
said, for we doubt whether England possesses a
yacht that could look for victory over the Dauntless
in au ocean race. The defeats suffered by the
Cambria this spring the Spirit regards as of little
moment, as being confined to the lower reaches of
the litanies, where the small yachts had the best of
it, and across the Channel, when there was little or
no wind. The Round Table has an amusing article
on the "press-gang afloat," referring to the re-
porters, whose accounts of the regatta it severely
criticises, concluding thus :
"AbBitonten! It is clear that we cannot just rival Lon-
don journalists in descriptive sea-pieces. Yet would the
London Cockneys be extremely unwise to conclude that
consequently' we cannot rival them in aquatic sports.
We would neither boast nor predict ; but it is by no meats
beyond possibility that what the America did in 1851 may
be done by the in 1869."
We suspect that George Wilkes has crossed to act
as his own reporter, and as he is a brilliant writer
the American press will get full and fair accounts
at least from his pen.
The Harvard boat and crew left New York last
Saturday in the City of Paris for Liverpool. They
trained on the Charles River course, and were to
have entered to contest the annual Boston City Re-
gatta on the sth inst, leaving Boston for New York
on the 7th. Their captain, Loring, thus replied to
the invitation of the Cork Harbour Rowing Clubs
to take part in the Gleubrook Regatta, Cork, on
the 10th and 11th August, in the following letter,
dated Harvard University, June 28, 1869 :
Dear Sir,—lu reply to your favour of the Ist inst., in-
viting our men to take part in the Glenbrook regatta of
the 10th and 11th of August, I am instructed to say that
as the time for our races with Oxford and Cambridge
Universities follows so closely the dates you name, we
fear that we shad not be able to do as you request. Our
object from the beginning has been chiefly to test the
relative merits of the rowing at the universities of Great
Britain and this country, and our stlty abroad is of ne-
cessity so liniit73d that we hardly deem it prudent to
undertake additional work. However, should we find,
after arriving in England, that we can without serious in-
convenience accept your polite proposal, it will give us
much pleasure to do so.
I have the honour to be, sir, yours, &c.,
A. P. LoRING, Capt. 11. U. B. C.
Harvard is overflowing with invitations to inter-
national contests. John Magregor, Captain of the
" Canoe Club," has issued a challenge to America
for a match upon the Thames, and Captain Loring
has published his letter inviting arrangements.
"No. 1, Mitre-court-building-s, Temple,
London, Juno 14, 1869.
." Sir,—Wo are requested by the Committee of the. Canoe
Club to inform you that they propose to have an interna-
tional canoe race upon the Thames, within a few days
after the four-oar match. By the printed list of our club,
sent by this mail, you will sae that we have nearly 200
members, and that the Peinco of Wales is Commodore.
There are also bran hes of the club at the Universities of
Oxford and Cambridge. The committee will be exceed-
ingly obliged if you can arrange to send a 'canoeist' to
represent the United States on that occasion. The Pa; is
Boat Club will be invited to send another from France,
where we have one member of our club, the Prince impe-
rial. We are al<o inviting a representation fro.n the Do-
minion of Canada, and one will be ready from Great B:-i-
-t. Liu. The course will be two miles in length, in fair
water, probably Rear Ilampton Court, and suitable for
the lightest craft. Any canoe whatever may be used, pro-
pelled by one man. We are empowered to state that our
members will send the best canoe they can prov:de for
the competition from the United States, if he pr lets not
to bring his own, and we need scarcely add that we shall
be happy to give him a hospitable reception. A mem( tato
of the match as ill be presented to the winner by the club,
but ho will doubtless chiefly prize the honour of being 'the
fastest c tnoeist in the world.' We venture to hope that
you will take such steps as may seem advisable to send a
competition from your country to contend for this honour,
and we shall be further obliged if you can send a reply at
your earliest convenience to this friendly challenge.—We
have the honour to remain your obedient servants,
"Jens 11.aoitEoolt, Captain."