The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-09-27
Nautical Superiority.

! In the numbers of the London Nautical
| Standard, received by the last mail, we find
two or three articles on yachting and ship,
building, suggested by the recent achievements
of the America, and as the Standard is known to
represent the views of the highest maritime
authorities of Britain, it may not be amiss to
| lay the substance of them before our readers
A journal that is the recognised organ of JOHN
! BULLS naval officers cannot be expected to
| endorse all the praise which non-professional
critics have showered upon the renowned New
York yacht; but, on the other hand, there is
this consideration to be borne in mnd-that if
the praise be less bosterous, it is likely to be
more discriminating, and to be governed by
more complete knowledge of the merits of the
whole question at issue.
OF course the Standard does not admit that
the defeat Of the Titania altogether disposes of
Ergland's Pretensions mistress Of the seas,
and therefore it sets out by laboring to depre-
ciate the race, and to decry its conditions as
wholly unadapted to produce any satisfactory
result with regard to the respective merits of
construction of the two yachts ''Such sue
| cess obtained by the America" the writer re-
marks, sis not quite decisive as to the value Of
the boat" and he proceeds to argue that GER
tain sort Of superiority on that particular occa-
sion does not amount TO an absolute rule One
of the objections urged against her is, that
want of comfort, or even accommodation for her
owner and crew, has been sacrificed to speed
Our contemporary admits that the America is
| of peculiar constructions:
"Much may be learned from her form as well as
| from her sails. She possesses large BEAM and in
that particular fulfls the requisite of every sea-
going and sail carrying boat; her greatest width
| is placed much more abaft than is customary in
common ship building, being placed abaft of the
middle space; from stem to stern her keel is 80
feet long, with 22I feet beam. She has a clear
but full TO give support to the upper weight of
the aft part Of the vessel; her draught of water
being II feet inches aft, and feet forward, with
a very great depth of keel; by British measure
ment she W ould be about 2I0 tons. Her competi-
tor, the Iitania, i5 a much smaller vessel and
had hardly any chance in the race; her breadth
being Is feet, and length of keel 10 feet, measur-
ing about half the tonnage of the America. But
the Titania, although not perhaps 30 fast as her
antagonist, possesses all the requisite accommoda-
ton of yacht; height and size of cabins, and
lodging for her crew, besides the necessary
room for stowage even for long voyage. The
Americas run across the Atlantic did not prove
her an extraordinary clipper; twenty four days is
but common-indeed, very common--voyage,
and We have a shrewd suspicion that, in a gale of
wind, and in stormy sea, she would cut but
very sorry figure. We, for our part should pre-
fer to be on board VESSEL possessing those quail
ties the America is deficient in, than on board
weasel having the very qualities che boasts Of STILL
there is good and wholesome lesson 10 be learned
from the visit of this extraordinary craft. Her
sails will decidedly afford matter of reflection
and study to our sail. makers and practical men.
Formerly the beauty of a sail was to make il to
contain much wind it could We could but
suspect that sail- makers were intent to copy
the section Of balloon. We remember some
French priyateers brought home in the last war,
and we're surprised at the fatness of their sails
this very hatness, which distinguish the sails Of
the America very much derided, and even
laughed at; indeed, our sail. makers attributed
their being taken to that which made them "a ex-
cellent clippers still, now it ia proved that sail
fiat board is the best to propel weasel"
1t may be remembered that several CORE.
spondents Of the London Times-some of them
assuming TO themselves an intimate acquaint-
ance with nautical affairs-professed to have
discovered much originality in the construction
of the bow of the America. According TO these
authorities, what is technically called the
"wave-line" bow was the great cause Of sue
cess; but others have stepped forward to con
tend that in this respect the Ttania and some
other English yachts are in a great measure
akin to the America. These persons maintain
the opinion that the superiority Of the America
is attributable to her rigging, not to her con
strucuOn. The Standard, it will be seen, con-
ours IN the latter view, in the main. though
conceding also certain advantages in the CON
struction, especially those which give degree