The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-06-07 00:00:00

ROYAL MERSEY YACHT CLUB.

The first sailing match for the season of this celebrated
club was held on Saturday, when the weather was beau-
tifully fine, with a light wind from the N.N.W. The con-
tending yachts were placed at their respective stations off
Birkenhead Ferry, under the superintendence of Rear-
Commodore Jonathan Grindrod, and their places were in
the following order from the westward :-
1. Stanley 17 tons Thomas Wilson.
2. stranger..... 10 tons N. Jackson.
3. Ranger 13 tons R. M. Grinnell.
4. Constance ... 14 tons F D. P. Astley.
5. Seabird 33 tons Hon. Secretary.
6. Surprise..... 16 tons H. F. Rigge.
7. Coralie 35 tons 4. E. Byrne.
8. Presto 8 tons -- Bower.

By a private arrangement between the owners of the
yachts entered, the Coralie was allowed to sail, being dis-
qualified by her exceeding 35 tons the limits of this race,
and, in consideration, the large class silver-salver was
granted to them by the sailing committee.
The steamer Windsor, having taken in the commodore,
officers, and members, with a party of ladies and gentle-
men, left the Prince's Pierhead, a little after eleven, a.m.,
and steamed to the other side of the river, where all the
yachts were at their moorings, with their mainsails and
topsails set, and their distinguishing flags at their respec-
tive mastheads. Oa account of the lateness of the tide,
the Commodore, Mr. Thomas Littledale, did not consider
it prudent to start the yachts until a late hour, as the ebb
tide on the yachts arriving at the Bell Buoy would be
against their return. The course was a short one, for the
time allowed by the larger yachts to the smaller ones in
the race, but this wasclaimed by the small yachts on con-
dition of allowing the Coralie to run, and, of conrse, was
much in favour of the smaller yachts, the larger vessels not
being able to allow them so much time without the wind
had been blowing strong. The course was from the Bir-
kenhead Ferry, down Victoria Channel, round the Bell
Buoy, and back again.
The small yacht Victoria, placed off the ferry, was the
winning mark, and she was gaily decorated with the club
and other flags.
At five minutes past twelve the signal-gun was fired,
and a very beautiful sight took place. The whole fleet
slipped cables, and canted round to the wind. The Sea-
bird, Stanley, Coralie, Surprise, Ranger, and others were
first to feel the breeze, and took the lead in this position
down the river. The yachts had to beat to windward ; and
when off the Rock the Coralie had gained on the fleet
and was tack and tack with the Seabird and Stanley. Th'
rest were some distance behind ; the Ranger and Prest
in the rear. From some mishap with the rudder-head 00
the Stranger she became distanced, and was, we believe f
the last vessel in the fleet.
The Coralie kept increasing her distance to windward,'
but the Seabird and Stanley kept together very closely,
and their sailing was very equal. On rounding the Bell
Beacon on the port hand the time was :
b. m. s.
Coralie 2 16 30
Stanley 2 21 0
Seabird . 2 22 0
Constance. 2 26 5
Surprise
Ranger 2 36 50
Presto
Stranger Disabled.
It was on making the last tack to the Bell Beacon that the
Stanley infringed upon one of the sailing regulations of
the club, which vessel, from her place, even here, was in a
winning position, and subsequently led to a protest being
made against her by the owners of the Coralie. On pass-
ing the Bell Beacon the wind had become light, but it was
a free one, and balloon topsails and enormous jibs were
set by the leading yachts. It was in running home that
the Seabird gradually gained upon the Stanley and Coralie.
She passed the Stanley about the Formby Lightship, and
here a most interesting contest took place for pride of
position between her and the headmost yacht, the Coralie.
It will be seen by the above time, and that of arriving at
the flag yacht, that in the run home the Seabird had over-
hauled the Coralie by four minutes twenty-five seconds.
The fleet arrived at the flag-yacht, off Birkenhead Ferry,
in the following order of time :
Coralie
Seabird.. 5 51 10
5 52 15
Stanley 5 54 5
Surprise
5 57 45
Ranger 6 0 25
Presto
Constance. 6 20 0
An allowance of three-quarters of a minute per ton time
up to twenty-five tons, and of half a minute beyond, was
made by the larger to the smaller vessels ; consequently,
their real position at the winning flag-ship was :

.--
1. Stanley, ahead of
2. Surprise 2 min. 55 sec.
3. Ranger 3 „ 20 „
4. Coralie 8 ~ 5 „
5. Seabird . 8 „ 10 „
6. Constance
The Stanley, although arriving third, was thus the winned
in time ; and but for the mishap of being protested against
would have had the prize awarded to her. The sailing
committee have to meet to take the protest into considers.
tion, and their decision is final. It will not be ascertained
before this evening, when the result will be announced at
the club meeting.
Captain Sarsfield, when the steamer was waiting for the
coming up of the yachts in the Crosby Channel, amused
the company
on board of the Windsor by ordering the life
and other boats to be manned and lowered from her decks.
One was in the water in twenty-APO 30 Mb Of time, an
the 17/4910 four in one minute,