The New York herald., 1870-05-25
English Report Of the First Race
sErop, tha Voodon V,ma<, Nov 10 1

From the London Tlpes May r.
NAUTICAL RETRbsPECT.
- would he now but an old story 70 recapituate
the marvellous triumpls achieved by the New York
Yacht Club schooner America In English waters,
now some years ago, and which eliminated In her
carrying Off from Cowes to New York the Cup Of the
year; but the tale Is not without special interest at
the present time, when the yachting fags OF Eng
land and America are again engaged In struggle
for supremacy In the English Channel in three
and the first deal in the game won by the American
schooner beating a crack English schooner hand
somey over sixty mile course 10 windward.
When Steers sent his renowned schooner across
the Atlantic lie sent her TO us as new 'ldea" in
the construction OF the hulls OF racing schooner
yachts. and also in the cut and fashion OF their
sails-an idea fdly confirmed in the sOundness both
OF ITS theory and practice by her magnificent sue
cesses both and of the wind. over English
schooner yachts Of the time. II Is remarkable that
no exact copy OF this celebrated craft ha, been
produced on either side of the Atlantic, although
many efforts have been made In that direction, and
especially by English yacht builders. In this coun-
try there has been a natural reluctance to abandon
the deep keel system OF construction, afCrdng, 1t
does, capabilities for giving Accommodation IN
board the yacht much superior TO what could
be obtained from the shallow keel OF the American
type as introduced 10 this country by Steers In the
America. But the progress in improving the forms
OF the hulls IN English yachts, and the cut OF their
sails upon the American plan has been continuous,
and the results may now be seen In such
schooners as the Guinevere, the Cambria, the Alne,
The Selene and host Of other vessels not except
ing the recently launched Gwendoline, which
promises, when I'll for sailing, 10 be the
handsomest ana swiftest English schooner yacht
dations have been provided below, while, af the
same time the fineness OF their lines fore and aft,
and the true plane of their sails Is believed here 30
have insured them the greatest possible maximum
Of speed. In America Improvement has not pro-
gressed at the same pace as II has IN England;
Steers idea has been 'proonged' IN both null and
canvas, but II would be scarcely fair to the feputa
tion Of the great American yacht builder TO say tnat
has been improved upon, TO Judge from tine Da,lnt
we have seen. The Sappho's qualities as an a'ieied
yacht must be tested by the results OF her three
races with the Cambria, when considered win due
relation TO their respective length, tonnage and
ana power.
Length, tonnage and spread OF canvas are, in fact
the only true standard by which the relative merits
OF any yachts sai!ing against each other can be
sured and by this standard, whatever may be the
final average results OF the sailing OF the two vessels
in the three matches must the merits o the Sappho
and the Cambria be measured No time allowance
for the difference in tonnage Is given by the Sappho
to the Cambria, and, in order to place the matter
as clear lIgnt as possible 1t will be az well here 70
append some particulars relating to the measure
ments OF the two vessels observing that they have
been obtained from most trustworthy sources, and
that the tonnage has been taken from Royal Yacht
Squadron measurement calculated according TO the
rules OF the Royal Thames Yacht Club, as is the
established custom now with all English yacht
clubs.
THE SAPPHo AND CAMBRIA.
Sapplio--Length for tonnage, 127 feet breadth
81 feet; depth in hold II eet tonnage 394 tons. Area
OF canvas-.ln mainsail, foresai staysa, topsails
ib flying b and jib topsail, l2,2s7 square feet.
feet inch; depth OF hold feet sinch tonnage 1893
TONS Area OF cdnvasMainsai 1887 square feet fore.
sai 5e5 square Ieet; saysa 800 square lee; main
topsai S1o square feet; foreopsail, 647 square feet
first D, 962 square feet b topsaii SIS square feet
total S,G02 square feet.
Tne sappho is now very different vessel to what
she was In the autumn OF 1885, when sne was sig
nay beaten In the match round the Isle Of wight by
the CamDria, Aline and other English yachls. Oh
her subsequent return to America and purchase by
her present owner she was hIpped,n TO use an Anne
rcai phrase-ihai s false sides were built upon hcy
at the water ine the greatest extent Of 0ese proec