The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-06-08

JUNE 8, l86O.-TRIPLE
Hsgh LaSs sn tAs Ocsan wsvs-Yaehts
sAd YashsaDS. Herr eaA HlsswAsrs,
Fast aaA PEsAsat.
Il b pleasant 10 turn asidefor moment from
the contemplation, however philosophical, Of
the intrigues Of the politicians, the vulgar
equsbbles for the spoils of Office, the selfish
conflict for the almighty dollar, the record Of
crimes and misdemeanors, and accidents or in
cidents by field or food, and look for moment
at something which combines tho real and the
ideal, the actual and the ethereal, fact, prose,
poetry and romance, allin one. These require
ments may be found in the history Of the gen
tlemanly sport of yachting which, with an ac-
count of the annual club regatta, We print In
another part Of today's paper.
Our account Of yachts and yachting ID tho
most elaborate which has yet appeared in any
form in the United States, and our facts have
been drawn from authentic sources. II win
be found, We think, exceedingly interesting.
Is perusal leads Us to some few reflections on
the general subject, and particularly - to the
question Of the utility Of yachting.
Our history goes back 10 tho classic
era, and alludes 10 the pleasure bsrges
wherein the Caesars were wont to make
short trips In the Adristic aud along the
shores Of the Hgean Sea, lolling upon luxu-
rious couches, With purple sails, silver oars and
silken tackle such a. that Of the expensive
concern In which Cleopatra welcomed Antony.
Every pstrician had his Cleopatra. and some
times several Of them on board; but the
owners Of tho toy galleys Of that day had no
more idea of the real business of yachting than
. some of the fine fat old gentlemen Of our yacht
club, who are afraid to 90 outside because
they may get wet jacket, or be attacked with
the appalling malsdy Of the sea- The old
Greeks and Romans, however, never pretended
to nautical skill. They sailed in their bsrges
because 1t was, like canal boat travelling, the
LATEST way Of getting over space and killing
time. Time killed them in the end.
The history Of yachting, properly speaking,
begins in the seventeenth century. II was
coeval with the assertion of the supremacy of
Epglald upon the seas-with the overthrow of
the Spanish srmada-with the beating of the
Dutch out of the Channel-with the founding,
by "pretty Nelly Gwynne," Of Chelsea
Hospital for battered old tars-with the incep-
ton by the Protector and the Stuarts Of
that gallant navy which has borne the
flag of Albion triumphant in many sangui
nary action, and carried the never.endiDg
$3.50 ~ p-sxssh S-c,.. .~occd Ala 0loha TUo
hundred years ago our ancestors sailed in curl
GUS nautical contrivances Of which Irving
gives some capital descriptions. The ship
builders of that day had q glimmering idea,
however, that something Heeter and nester
than Dutch lugger might be constructed, and
their new models were first used for yachts,
and then adopted in modified form, for larger
craft. That system has been followed to this
day, both In men-ofwar and commercial YES
sells. Abroad the royal and imperial yachts
are wonderfully like gunbosts new style);
here we shall find the lines of the Julia (Mr.
waterbury's fairy like CRAFTY in the splendid
figate Niagara, or the superb steamship Adri-
attic. In all of Mr. Steers models this similarity
Is strikingly apparent A yacht Of one hum
dred tons, built by him, looks like the younger
sister of the splendid vessel Of Eve thousand
tons. The same wavy, artistic lines; the same
like manner Of sitting upon the water, with
the ease and grace Of pracHced horsemsn In
the saddle, are visible in both, and very
fine things to see they are, too. Thus the
clipper, with her sharp bow, concave lines,
trim rigging, flush deck and low rounded stern,
taking the place of the numbering Noah's ark
looking things which used to take Q whole
year for q China voyage, came legitimstely
from the yacht; the sea steamers, paddle and
screw, are similarly modelled, and the snaller
class Of government vessels are all constructed
on yacht lines. This shows the utility of
yachting in one, and most important point
Again, the journals have lately alluded In
very strong terms to the degradation of our
mercantile marine. Jack goes down instead
Of up in the social scale. There are variety
Of causes for this, and we do not propose to
discuss them ct present In detail. The maio
thing, after all, il to find the remedy, which
can only be had In some action BY which the
supply OF native seamen may be kept up. Inc
disorder, drunkenness and mutinous conduct Of
men ON board our merchant vessels are trace
able directly to the foreign element which pre-
popderates In the crews. So far as the foreigI
trade IL concerned, the name Of American
sailor has become almost misnomer II W,
should be drawn into naval war, we nigh
look In vain for such stout fellows as stoot
by Paul Jones on the bloodstainet
decks Of the Bonnie Homme Rich
ard, or followed Decatur into the jaw
Of death at Tripoli, or faced the veterans o
Trafalgar under Perry, Stewart, Lawrence AM
Hull The very best sailors we have now, 81
most the only salts who have pride In thei
profession, are employed In yachts, pilot boat
and cosstipg vessels. Take the men In on