The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-01-24

Commodore Bennett promptly accepted the chal-
lenge OF Mr. Ashbury by Offering to race the Daunt-
readers already know. declines to make match with
Commodore Bennett, on the ground that the Daunt-
less IL to large FOR tho Cambria.
The tonnage OF the Cambria appears differently In
the recods OF her races. which We publish in another
column. In four OF ner races she is rated at 1888
bns while in the others her tonnage varies from lS5.
ID 10 1919 tons. This record shows very loose and
castle system OF measuring tonnage by the Thames
The Dauntess measures, it Is said. over 800 tons
W Thames measurement and 26o tons by the New
York Yacht Club q scale. While her custom house
The method by which the tonnage OF vessels was
formerly fixed, both In England and the United
and that again by one-half the breadth. which was
assumed to be the equivalent OF the depth, the
was the legal tonnage The effect Of this RIDICULOUS
system was to ignore the actual depth and capacity
OF the vessel entirely Whether ye or nifty feet deep.
took advantage OF the opportunity thus presented TO
them and built deep, narrow vessels Of enormous
registered custom house tonnage.
great saving in tonnage and light dues on deep
tSc spowner to Obtain the largest possible ship on
tine smallest official tonnage. Within few years
Great Britain and the United states nave discarded
the absurd custom OF counting half the breadth or
beam as the equivalent for depth OF hold, and inst
tuted more complex system, which aims to give
the nearest practical measurement OF the actual dis
placement and capacity OF vessel the true 0lcia
record Of her tonnage.
change, rcduliy seen,
to reduce the tonnage OF broad shallow vessel, and
increase that OF a narrow and deep vessel The re-
suit has been general Improvement IN the models
OF merchant vessels as they can no longer evade
the payment OF the tonnage and light dues which
properly belong to their rated tonnage. The true
measurement also makes due reduction OF tonnage
for ships with very sharp ends, on the ground that II
the shipowner has run out the bow OF his vessel to
obtain great speed she gains nothing In carrying
power, and Is not to be charged like . fuu bowed
craft OF similar length.
The tonnage OF some Of the extreme clipper ships.
built fifteen years ago, Is reduced nearly onethrd
under the new system Of measurement.
British yachts, as privileged vessels, not employed
In trade, are exempt from the laws or measurements
which govern British merchant vessels. and they
SILL TO adhere to the old measurement which
exactly suits the narrow and deep model OF British
yachtmen, while 1t operates against the broad light
draugnt American model. An English yacht wllicn
would measure $50 tons by the correct actual mea-
surement applied to British merchant vessels Is re.
duced TO $50 tons by the fictitious measurement OF
their yacht clubs, while an American yacht, really
measuring only $50 tSns Is ey tine sas fq nrta
yachtmen prefer their own; and q fair test OF the
comparative merits Of the two would be very In
teresng contest but 1t Is hardly the correct thing
for the gallant yachtmen the water to insist that
all the advantages OF measurement shall so with
their vessels. The extra depth OF the Cambria IL
fair seto against the breadth OF the Dauntiess
ana would be 30 taken in the government measure
ment OF England or the United states, which y the
mage Of both vessels. 1t will be seen by an article
from late number Of the London Field, which we
the superiority OF the narrower beamed and heavily
ballasted yachts OF England, such as the Blue Bel
Egerla Cambria Alne, over the broad beamed ana
shallow draught vessels Of America.
All right, gentlemen; stick 10 your text stake your
faith and the credit Of your vessels your avorite
to breadth to ask US to ignore the first IN counting
the tonnage Of your yachts, while you insist upon
crediting vessels with all the breadth they pos
sess, and with depth than they haveS We can,
with as much reason ask you to measure The tonnage
OF your vessels by taking double tue depth OF hold
for the breadth OF BEAM for you to ask to take
hall the breadth OF beam Tor the depth Of nold IN
measuring ours. BY the formula OF measuring the
actual length breadth and depth OF each vessel
bria 24s tons, This brings the Dauntless four
teen tons within the ten per cent extra ton
mage allowed by Mr. Ashbary, and nearer to the
that belongs to the New York Yacht Ciub-certaanly
much closer than the Phantom, which, by the same
correct rule, would fall thirty per cent below tho
larger vessel on deck than the Cambria, but British
yachtmen say thar her great beam Is mistake.
below she Is as deep as the Cambrla-and British
yachtmen again say this is mistake, and claim
that the extra depth Of the Cambria gives her
With both these advantages In his favor
can Mr.. Ashbury consistently refuse to close
CHALLENGE and shelter himself behind he obsosts
and ridiculous rules Of measurement adhered TO BY
the Thames yacht clubss We think not We be-
and decide to accept the Dauntless as fair and
worthy competitor 10 test In q long ocean race the
qualities OF the broad beam, light draught American
model against his crack representative OF tho mar
row beam and heavily ballasted yachts Of England.
II Mr. Ashbury persists In his refusal to make this
modore Of the New York Yacht Club the
tive yachtman OF America, will challenge all Eng
land for race across the Atlantic with the Daunt-
We would have no anxiety as to the result, and We
firmly believe that such race would establish the
superiority OF the model which the Field rather con-
ternptuously terms the 'dishbottomed model Of
America