The New York herald., 1869-03-18

;s ss sss = ssn ss,ssd ssd
= Y a e SsPf e
that this question should Ct once be discussed ana
reconsidered. aud botter mode q measuring ton
mage can be suggested that II should be adopted Is
would much assist the discussion II you could pub
llsh for the information OF those interested In tho
question. the time allowance ana mode Of measuring
adopted by the New York Yacht Club.
Tho Thames Club mode or calculating tonnage
deals with fictitious eements The length for calcu-
lafion Is the actual length minus the actual breadth
the breadth h the actual BREADTH aud the depth u
half the breadth. It u OF this latter the American
yachtsmen chiefly complaint; they say we should
take the actual not lctltious breadth and 1t y
dlf1cult to gainsay them.
We botn appear to divide the product OF the three
elements by the same dviSor (nnety-fOur) TO obtain
the size OF the vessel IN tons but hov that divs0r
ives obtained nobody seems TO know.
It has, | believe, been suggested that yacht
should be measured as cube or certain length,
breadth and depth. her extreme measurement boing
taken. which would leave the builder o. nl liberty
to chip and fashion that cube as he considered best
to g,ye his weasel speed, stability and weatheriy
shallow vessels. Just as the Thames measurement
tends to produce narrow and deep vessels. because
foot OF depth would increase the tonnage consd-
eraby more than foot OF either beam or length. Is
has also been suggested that vessel should ba
considered as an elongated pyramid, Of which
the extreme length, breadth and depth should
be the elements. THIS plan would be
less Objectionable than the other. because
would Increase the tonnage in hearty the same pro
portion. But both plans are bad, because like tho
Thames measurement. they are arbitrary and 1cti-
rous, and would cripple the skill OF our designers
and builders. s
1t Is dfcult 20 understand the object OF resorting
TO fictitious measures when the actual capacities
Of the vessels can be 80 easily ascertained, and
IN my opinion no measurement for tonnage can
prove satisfactory but the actual measure OF Ca
pacty or displacement. 1t has been said that this
mode OF measurement would be objectionable, be-
cause speed and capacity are anragonistc, and be-
cause under slow vessel OF large capacity would
have to give time to fast vessel OF smaller capacity
which would be absurd: but moments considers
tton VIII show that this objection IL untenabe. The
slow and st vessels cannot be matched against each
other, except by handicapping, any moro than You
can match race horse aoalnst hunter. The proper
function Of racing yachts Is speed, not capacity,
and the builders wlll not give them more capacity
than necessary to carry their ballast, II OF the
heavily y-ballasted deep type, or TO support their
canvass by breadth OF beam, II Of the bcamy.
shallow type. But they would be free to dispose
the capacity as they considered best TO obtain
speed, and this Is what is really required. Further
II the correct and actual tonnage Of each vessel
was adopted, instead OF the present fictitious
measures, time only would then have to be con-
sldered In determining the time allowances to be
made by large to smaller vessels and thus one OF the
elements Of uncertainty which are sure to give rise
TO dfff1Culty when we come In contact with yacnt
men OF other nations, would be removed.
1t s 70 be hoped that the Thames Club will take up
the question, and that some Of our leading yacht
builders VIII make known their opinion on the sub
iect. A G.. A. l..