The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-09-17
The International Yacht Race.

Bells Life. a London sporting journal, In it:
issue OF the 18th ult., gives the most comple.t
account which has yet reached this country o
the recent international yacht Iace at Cowes
It may be slightly prejudiced, however, anc
when Bells Life, in speaking OF American
sh pbuilders, says: Although they build
powerful vessels off the wind, taking the Sar.
ing to windward they do not sail within o
point and g half Of our schooners, it will find
few nautical men to agree with it. This may
be true OF the Sappho, but not OF American
clippers generally, whose greatest achieve.
mepts are made when close-hauled. The
famous yacht America, the first American
yacht to cross the Atlantic and challenge the
English yachtemen in their own waters, was
constructed after q model then entirely un-
known in Great Britain. Her bottom was
wedge .sh ped, and she drew much more water
aft than forward. Doubtless English builders
have to some extent adopted the mouel OF this
famous clipper; but the British yachts OF that
day, with their square-headed gat-topsalls
and balloon jibs, could not lay within point
or two OF the Yankee, with her sails stiff as
boards and trimmed fat-aft. Here is de-
scription OF the Sappho as seen by English
eyes:
The American was rated as 80 tons, but by
Thames measurement is about 381 tons. Her
spars and masts are very long, like all Ameri-
can IaCSIS, duu WIue oPat Y, puo hoo ~ souo DO
they are in general. She has little accommo-
dation, and is built in round sections, not one
straight line being visible; her extreme beam
is twenty.six feet, and she Ii long with it, and
rather low in the waist; her forte is evidently
running dead before the wind, and when mov-
ing IT great pace she raises very heavy guar
ter sea; in appearance she resembles Fleet
wing, but is OF course much larger, although
having but little more free-board; her mainsall
Sc olrol k,nh md hQ "a
gaff excessively low, no doubt owing to the fact
that when going about the gaff is dipped to
clear the triatlc; her general appearance, IN
deed, strongly reminds us Of very fast sailing
SLAYER, negligence and want Of order pervad-
ing every part Of Inc vessel.
Bells Life does not place much stress on the
accidents the Sappho met with during the race,
and about which 30 u.uch is said in letters
from American sources; but it speaks of the
continual changing OF sails during the race as
being greatly to her disadvantage. The time,
&C., has already been given. The Life con-
cludes it's account of the race as follows:
The Cambria thus won the international
match and sweepstakes OF S100 Without her
time allowance. Sappho's wretched perform
ances took every one by surprise, but We ieel
certain that were she canvased, rugged and
fitted out equal to her English competitors her
sailing qualities wou be much improved at
the same time 1T must be remembered she has
had to contend with very different class Of
vessels to those the celebrated America was
pitted against in 1851. 1t is. however, sstisfac-
tory to know there have been no obstacles or
objections of the slightest character iu the
present match, yet the carrying away the jlb-
boom offLuccombe ID to be regretted, although
the most prejudlced person must admit that
Sappho was then and there clearly beaten on
her merits, simply from having met with faster
vessels should she be bought and remain in
this country what effect the alterations above
referred to may have is quite another question,
Robert Penny, one Of the most experienced
yatch sailors in England, was pilot Of the Sap
pho.