The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-08-10
A @ u A I'll Q
THE REGATTA YEsTERDAY.
AN EXCITING RACE,
TIME. d Hours. 81 Minutes.

The interest felt by many OF our citizens
in AQUATIC sports was shown yesterday by
the very large crowd assembled at Sew
enth street wharf 10 witness the trial Of
specd between a number Of the best known
Yachts which sail the waters Of the bcauti-
full Potomac
| For several months efforts have been
made to put stop to the great amount of
''chafllng' In regard to the relative merits
Of the several yachts In this vicinity, but for
some reason meeting Of the owners Of the
rival craft could not be brought about, and
the lovers Of aquatic sports were each and
all loud in their expressions Of confidence
that their favorito yacht was entitled to the
honor of the championship. To put at rest |
all the various arguments, and to prove |
which was the champion" Mr.. George She
kolls, well known and popular resident of
the Seventh ward, proposed to give purse
Of $50, to be awarded the victor In race to
which all yachts sailing In this vicinity
would be privileged to enter.
Actuated by this generous offer, Captain |
Samuel Gedney, the superintendent OF the
Potomac Ferry Company, presented very
uluusOulC luk W luCut WhiCu
should come In second In such race. The
liberal offers Of these gentlemen served to
bring together the captains Of twelve Of the
yachts, and after consultation Monday, Au-
gust ., was set for the day Of the regatta.
The steamer Wawaset was engaged to
convey such Of our citizens who might de-
sire to witness the race. Rules and regula-
lions were adopted for the contest, to which
all agreed, and which have already been
published; but to complete the history Of the
race we reprint them. They are as follows:
Rule l. The captains Of all yachts entered
and the judges appointed, shall meet at
Shcckclrs Fulton restaurant on the morning
, OF the race, August 0, at s o'clock, to enable
: them to better understand and force all rules.
2. The yachts shall anchor off Potomac
= Ferry wharf, taking position according to
c their length, the smaller yachts to be allowed
e the windward. In case two or more yachts
1 are Of the same length, their captains shall
: draw for positions. At o'clock the Judges
G shall board the yachts and search each yacht
and her crew, and nothing shall be left
: aboard that shall conflict with these rules.
l 3. The crew of each yacht shall be deter
( mined by her captain. There will be no
9 limit to amount OF sail. There shall be no
l oars, paddles, poles, sticks, nor plates Of any
description allowed on board. No planks or
boards shall be carried by any yacht that
does not permanently belong to her, except
. ing to be used as out-riggers; aud on the re-
! turn Ol tue DOlt using suCn Out-rlRkcrs, the
t boards so used must be in the same condi-
5 ton as when starting. If such boards shall
: be found to be broken SO as to be used as
S paddles, the boat on which such case occurs
n forfeits her chance for the prize.
IN 4. Sounding lines will not be allowed, nor
:. any weights o. extra cords by which they
is can be made. One water bucket will be per-
r. mitted each yacht, with necessary sponge,
rs but must be In perfect condition on return
ing. Yachts will be allowed to anchor in
nj. case of storm only. At nine o'clock the
es signal gun will be fired for the yachts to as.
ne semble In line, and all yachts contending for
al the prize must be In line with sails hoisted
10 or lowered, as may be determined at the
IA meeting the morning Of the race. Each and
n, every boat must let go anchor and start at
~, ~ the firing of the signal, which will be al
le halfpast nine O'Clock. Race to Fort Wash
ington and turn the hagboat, which will be
T. placed there for that purpose, and on re-
p turning will round the fagboat off Potomac
e. Ferry wharf, which point concludes the race.
o. Any difficulties which may arise shall be
" decided by the judges, and from their de-
70: cision there shall be no appeal.
lis In accordance with these rules the meet
~. ing of the captains was held and the follow
M ing boats were announced as ready to sail
We give them in the order they were PLACED
nj 10 line, the frst-named yacht to windward
70 LIST, Neconhecon, fifteen feet keel, Captain
Mo1itt; I'd, Nellie, sixteen feet, Captain
Cumberland; Sd, Fairy, sixteen feet, Captain
g Miller; Ith, John T. Given, seventeen feet
on feet, Captain Davis; 9th, John II. Sessford
nd twenty feet, Captain Fridley; eth, Dolphin
ed twenty feet, Captain Fairall; Sth, X. Z. Lee
he twenty-one feet, Captain Lacock 9th, Littlt
VI Ella, TWENTY-FIVE feet, Captain Edward Tas
he key, 10th, Curlew, twenty-five feet, Captain
ne Burlingame; 18th, Witch of the Wave
he twenty-five feet, Captain Ransell Brown.
by The judges selected (Messrs. John II
nv Scssford, Harry kurtz, and Jackson Pumph
Is, rcy) having boarded and searched all the
Ict yachts and found them all right and In or
re, der, as required by the rules given above, al
is. 10 O'Clock precisely the gun was fired for the
to start, and now came the difficulty. Every
~ arrangement that could be made TO Insure an
ir exciting and interesting race had been per-
Is fcCted; each one Of the captains had done
il all in his power; but the wind was wanting.
is AS the gun fred they all let go, and in a
he few moments, taking advantage OF the slight
he breath Of air, which was hardly perceptible
yn TO the spectators, they moved of. The
is crowd on the wharf, which had been anx
RI lousy waiting for the signal gun, hurried t.
he the Wawaset, on which the Judges had taker
their position; and that steamer, after wait
ing for the vessels to get under way, movet
ed slowly out from her wharf, and started In tn
mt wake of the moving yachts, which drifte,
Is lazily down stream on account Of the light
to ness of the wind. The crowd being SO grea
re- on the Wawaset, our reporter awaited him
1T, self of the staunch steamer Arrow In orde
he to reach the fag-boat at Fort Washington
J." and take position thereon to see the vessel
pn- round the boat for the second half of tn
k contest.
THE RACE.
is For few minutes after the gun was free
lst the boats maintained their respective posi-
so lions as when starting; but ere the accom-
IN pllshmGnt Of Ave hundred yards, amid a dea(
lsc calm, no advantage was gained, whereupoI
ace understanding was resorted to, and 500,
nd the Nellie, Dolphin, Little Ella, John 7
he Given and Fairy took the lead, leaving thei
use competitors in the rear, almost as still as
,ssi at anchor. The boats named being seat
ept rugged" the understanding was Of materu
assistance to them, while the larger boat
tor could gain nothing from the exercise. Tn
Nellie took the lead, with the Dolphin an
g. Little Ella close behind. The boats caugh
II gentle breeze when crossing the Easter
lex branch, and q very pretty sight was vii
sh- messed. The three vessels named aboy
Nh- moved gracefully along, the Nellie slight
Nc In the advance, until OF Alexandria, whe
IN the Little Ella took the windward and tn
'ol lead, which she maintained TO Fort Wash
me lngton. on Fort Foote the breeze increased
hS and the rear yachts moved up into line, pre-
OF sentlng beautiful spectacle to the grea
CIV crowd on the Wawaset and the many per
nd sons who witnessed the race from other yes
les sells In the river.
Be The following Ia the order and the time a
nal which the fagboat of Fort Washington wa
icy reached; The Little Ella was the first /
ier round, which she did at 1;l0 o'clock. Tn
pre- Dolphin came next, at 1:l5. The Nellie wa
next, at lacy. Then came the Given, q
'ay l;20k. The Witch of the Wave followed
pis 1t l;23 The Curlew was next, at 1:25H
Ills Then came the Fairy, at 1885. Then til
r. Z. Lee came, at 1880. The last zach
~ to round was the Mary Emily, at 1!i7. Tn
81 John ii. Sessford drew out OF the race earl,
.en In the day, while the Neconhecon, sceipi
nd there was no chance for her, headed for hSfn
ZEN without running down to the hagboat Tn
nee crews of the several yachts, as they foundc
ri. the ilagboat, hailed the Judge Of the boat
'bc Mr. John Weeden, and, strange TO relate
en-. every crew was confident of winning III
~ race.
he goodb eze was blowing from the south
i'd west as the flag boat was rounded, and u
,is each yes'H' got II on their quarters they sho
- phnll with lnrrnn sod rnnidlIY- The IlLll