The Portland daily press., 1867-01-11

cs o ,.r.l.j o. .sc7g-. %. .iJ Voyage OF Inc :aclt
!3.ui.lt.a. Up 40 ,.4a lita ,iitino miis4. "
the Grand Banks, the weather was heavy, but
ia, yse.,s ran easily before the wind. On the !,
hti', IA q severe gale, she va. Compelled 10
hea,o 20; but before noan the next day the
;ni had lullol, ald tia yaeat eg sin started
oil baiskiy. They had noilnaher difficulty. The
events Of tie iaEr day Of The race ere thus de-
,c,ibal:
The excitement ia regard to the race 40"
rta"hed fcvcr beat. al jokes and sfoils s We
came state and nothing was tslkeu o. ou'
yachts and time and wind, and tue prro"aoih-
ties and possibilities vi the contest. IN very
distant vessel we saw FieetWln9; every star
near the horizon was tfansforTe ca INTO the YES
ta's signal light. At ST. n. we were ON sound
ings; at II, midnight, On oape g, Cleari mus
the cLops Of the Chauiel, hoping to eat our
Christmas dinner at Cowes. 1t was murky
focpy. dark. damp, disagreeable morning, and
even at noon il was impossible to take a solar
observation; but by dead reckoning we had
made one hundred and seventy-two miles.
The carpenter, who had given us one sensation
by discovering spurious leak, now treated us
10 another by announcing that the Fleetwing
was in sight Everybody clambered on deck.
Bmhacuiar glasses, eyeglasses, spectacles and
telescopes We're brought to bear upon the i'm
aglnaly yacht, which was soon made out to be
an English topSail schooner bound the other
way. Indignation followed excitement and
both soon merged into a hearty laugh. Near
ing the land OF Christmas carols and Dickens,
Christmas eve, it was impossible to go TO rest.
Alter very late dinner, we b I'd our Christ
mas songs and stories among the former was
ditty composed in honor OF the Henrietta,
and sung TO the familiar air of Sweet Eve
lima"
While these festivities were in progress, we
had made the Sicily Island lights at O'Clock
% minutes, Il. II. The current drifting US to
leward, VIC started south southeast iof an Citing
and passed she island handsomely, having
made no tack since we left New York; and
having only varied eleven miles from tie
straight line between the two points. So ad-
mirable a landiali rejected great credit upon
Capt Samuels. At O'clock a. NJ, we passed
the Lizard light, going thirteen knots an hour
steadily, the Henrietta, like well jockeyed
racchorse, reserving her best pace ior the lin
ish. Running close to the bold coast we sight
ed the EddyStone, Start Point and Portland
Hill and LAO p NJ on Christmas day took ON
board Cowcs pilot. a haaTtier cheer never
rent the air than thai which greeted the PHO.
when ne announced that no otheI American
yacht had passed up the Cliannel. The race
seemed won, and a sudden blaze Of sunshine
lit up the chalk cliffs of Old England in silvery
glory; it was like an illumination of welcome.
U ndcr every stitch Of canvass, with even her
sGsysail set, and with her racing flag and Yacht
Club ensign proudly floating the stiff breeze,
the Henrietta dashed by the Needles, and
MessrS. Jerome and Knapp, the judges for the
Eleetwing aud they esta, deciding that all the
conditions of the race had been strictly compli-
ed with, down went the racing flag and the
private signal of Mr.. Bennett took its place
As the yacht tirncd up the channel to Cvwes
the land shut out the wind, and like one who
has finished long and toilsome task, the
brave little yacht slackened her speed and
hoated lesurely along. Her blue lights and
rockets announced her arrival here, after hav-
ing crossed the Atlantic TO the Isle OF Wight in
the unprecedented time of thirteen DAYS. TWEEN
ry-two hours and forty-six minutes, mean time,
and that without having carried away any OF
her light sails or spars, or even so much as a
shred OF canvas or strand of rope.
The Times commenting editorially on the
race, says:
There is, indeed, no other such match on
record. Some OF our own merchantmen have
occasionally raced against each other from
China to England but these were large clip
per SHIPS striving for lew hours start in the
way Of business IL was reserved for the Amer
leans to send three yachts to do in the Allan
tic what is usually done in the smooth waters
OF an inland sea, and TO carry on a race of this
kind, not for n few hours but for a whole fort
night through night and day. The success,
however, OF the Henrietta, is as complete as
that Of the American few years ago, and far
more surprising. The America was simply an
example of new principles, dexterousIy apDlied
y
brought high national qualities into play; but
in both cases the Americans were true to their
own paetensions, and shot clear ahead of the
cd woold. 1t Is remarkable that yachting, in
which the Americans have thus excelled us
has always been regarded as the peculiar pas-
time of England, and it is true enough, no
doubt that IN no country is the pursuit Invest
ed with SO much favor and popularity. But
our yachmen take things comfortably. We
build our pleasure boats really tor pleasure,
an0 sail in them for pleasure. An English
mans yacht is his home and the home often Of
his family too fer weeks together. and consid-
erations of convenience are allowed to prepon-
derate IN the design and equipment Of Tie craft
The Americans both less domestic and
more adyentlors, they want yachls which
c-i oV N'tss'f-' t,-.l yacht Ina eyer done and
they yea them. Perhaps the comforts OF }Iiese
vessels might DoL be exactly suited to our
Lastes, but they teach us something neverthe-
less. 1t IS well for pregrees that there is ma
ton which knows not the tranlmels of routine
and ehrinEs from no experiment. however haz-
Srdous or aud3cious The Americans have al
ways ana naturally been distinguished for
shipouiidipg and seamsnship. They have set
Us the example in hall dozen new models
and they are pursuing the same course now
but We SHAH perhaps not be wrong in consid-
erinS this ocean yacht race as expressive of an
other and more general spirit, which has beer
remarked for some time past as on the increase
in the States. The Americans are fast becom-
ing sporting people. They axe establishing
RACES dliu CohCucIluR IlaIo as TEeN are con-
Quoted in the Old Worid Fna5 Irresistible
spirit which transligures our Eaoie uls5rouoii-
tan population on tie Derby Ssy is 1al,i.. w De-
valoping itself on the other si3e Of the Allan
tic, and we may ezpecG before long to see ali
such sports as popular IL Alner.ea as hey are
hcce. We r2joice at the sign, a5 Is is ol- be-
Lief that national character is substantially i'm
proved ~ such pastimes We are sincerely
glad TO find the Americans move IN That d.
rect.on. They have got all the Qualities of
sportsmon. they are adventurous, fearless.
fond OF excitement, perseyering and acute
Iliat they can accomplish as well as design this
very yacht race shows. 1t il no slight thing
Tor the owner Of pleasure boat to bring her in
the depth Of winter, with such skill and rapid
ity that the passage could hardly be exceed
ed b. strong and well handled steamers Prob
ably few people expected to see the visitors so
soon; but tie public will certainly be pleased
to hear that suitable reception had been al
ready designed, and that grand entertainment
viii be given TO the gentlemen on board the
racing vesselson Monday next. We can have
no feeling ofjealousy in such q matter as this.
We will not say that Englishmen could not
have accomplished such race, but the idea
would perhaps hardly have occurred to them
Its novelty and boldness are eninentlv char
acteristie OF Americans, and they may depend
upon 1t that they viii lose nothing in this
country of the credit to which success entities
fha-,,