The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-26
Knsiish and Americas Yachts and Ocean
Races.

The Americans are great imitat0rs, but they
are also great originators. Whatever they imi-
tate they improve upon. In this respect they
are wonderfully unlike the Chinese, who are
also remarkable for their limitations. When
the FIRST British steamship went to China the
natives at once set to work to build one like
it. They produced fac smile OF the vessel
and the smoke-pipe, 3ut they had no Idea what
ever OF the machinery. They lit fire under
the smoke-pipe to raise smoke they employed
men to blow through a tube to initiate the
steam whistle; but the motive power OF their
new craft consisted Of lot of John Cinnamon
turning q crank in the hold. Americans never
fall into such ridiculous blunders. Everything
that they take from Europe is at once i'm
proved. They adopted cricket, decided 1t TO
be too slow game and transformed 1t into
base ball. which has become the national sport.
They initiated the English races, but soon bred
horses that made faster time than was ever re-
corded on the English turf few snobs stick
to English ways and habits because they think
II fashionable to be dissimilar to the majority
Of our people; but real Americans are never
satisfied until they have improved upon foreign
customs.
In no respect has this American characteris-
tic been more evident than in yachting. This
Is an English sport; but when Young America
decided that it was worth importing they sue
ceeded in beating the English upon their own
waters. At that tima English yachts were
narrow, sharp, deep in the water, heavily bal
lasted and carried immense bellying sails.
British yachtsmen thought that big sails and
a sharp, narrow hull were the requisites OF
speed. An American yacht was built upon an
entirely different model Broad Of beam, rest
ing upon the water instead Of cutting through
it, lightly ballasted, carrying broad, fat sails,
this yacht was at first an object Of iidicule and
deri,iOn among our transatlantic cousins.
But when the race came of the America was
ahead and the English vessels were nowhere.
The Queens cup was transferred to American
hands, and we hold it still as perpetual chal-
lenge, no Englshman having yet dared to COM
pete for 1t. Tho triumph of the America, how
ever, occasioned a complete revolution in Eng
lish yacht building, and the American model
has been the favorite ever since. But the Eng
lish have something still to learn. They do
no! approve of our centre-board vessels and
cannot understand our use OF what they call
false keel. They imagine that centre-board
vessels are not seaworthy, and say that such
yachts will "burst open" in heavy weather.
For many years, at least, two-thirds Of our
coasters have used centre-boards, being able
- ea,l T., edaIlouy vyaforc aud carry heavy car
goes. Only the other day the vesta, centre
board yacht, started upon an ocean race
during terrible storm, when even steamers
feared 10 put to sea, and sailed her two hundred
miles without damage. The same yacht and
the Halcyon, another ccnrc-board yacht, sailed
to the New London lightship and back on
Tuesday, weathcring strong nor'westcr most
successfully. These facts ought to convince
the English of their mistake.
But, after all, the only mode Of getting an
American idea into English heads Is TO cross
tho Atlantic and show the British what we can
do. Tho grand prize offered by tho French
Emperor in connection with tho Paris EXPOSE
ton next year viii afford our yachtsmen splen-
did opportunity. The New York Yacht Club
numbers such fine and fast boats as the vesta,
Halcyon, L'Hmondelle, Phantom, Palmer,
Fleetwing, Alarm and Widgeon, all seawortby
and able, in our opinion, 70 beat any English
yacht afoat. We expect feet Of these mag
nfccnt vessels to compete for the French prize,
win il and place 1t alongside the Americas c;sp
as trophy. The matches whicaa nave been
aa;IoJ rocon AZ ond thnao uhfoh - .1o. 4.
come cT-including that ks.-ttwecn the vesta and
L'Hirondelle, ..rcnty miles to windward and
back, next Tuesday-are merely preliminary
to this event. The members Of the club
should see to IL that such matches
are encouraged, and especially that an ocean
sweepstakes for large yachts Is placed upon
the annual programme OF the club. The re-
gatta and review in June are very well for the
ladies-we have no fault to find with them.
The squadron trip in August Is very well as q
summer pleasure TRIP, and we have no fault 20
frd with that But active yachtsmen want
something more han these, and they want to
have II, not in private matches, but under the
clubs official patronage. There can be no
reasonable objection 10 an ocean sweepstakes,
and there age thousand arguments in Its
favor. The fact that the weather often decides
a long race and that the slowest yacht some
times wins Is no valid objection. Yachting is
useful, not only beeau4a It improves our yes
sells, but because il improves oar seaman
ship. If slow yacht well handled, can beat
a fast yacht, poorly handled, so much the more
honor to the winner. Besides this there would
be no excitement about yachting if every race
were sailed upon mill pond and the fastest
yacht invariably won. When racer has won
several races in succession no other horse will
run against him, and he b. to be Withdrawn,
like Kentucky. Tirfmen may vary the excite
ment, however, by buying new horses and
breeding new colts; but yachtsman has not