The New York herald., 1870-02-04
THE YACHT CAMBRIA.

What She Is and What She Hns DOne-Her
Splendid Performances. and Many Victories
Preparations for the Next COntest--An Eng
Iisb View of the Coming Ocean Race.
This yacht, the fastest in Great Britain, was built
by Ratsey, OF Cowes, in the Isle Of Wight. and
launched early III May, 1868. She was expressly
designed for speed, and every expedient that ex
perlence could suggest was resorted to to ensure
that object. Her dimensions are as Iollows:-
Length from stem to stern post loS feet; beam, 81
feet tonnage for racing, l99 tons; draft OF water
12feet. The dimensions OF her principal spars are-
Mainmast hounds to deck) sl feet; roremast, SO
feet inches; boom. 81 feet; main gan, 33 feet
o inches; fore gan 25 feet; boWspriE 35 feet out
side stem malntopmast, 35 feet inches; foretop-
mast, so feet inches; maintopsa yard 81 feet and
foretopsail yard, 90 feet. The construction OF her
hull Is faultess, her lines are beautifully fine aud her
symmetry is unequaed by any vessel afoat. She s
built Of oak with teak Notwithstanding, inches
by inches. Her interior fittings are OF polished
wainscot oak and remarkable for their neatness
and the good taste displayed in their decorations
Twenty oDe tons Of lead ballast were melted and run
into her, in addition to which she has about four
tons Of lead boIted on her keel. No yacht has ever
achieved such success and popularity two seasons
as the Cambria. Her reputation as the fastest
schooner III the world has reached the utmost ends
her PRAISE her portrait has been engraved steel
ana painted IN oils and photographs OF her find
ready buyers she is the iGol Of yactng captains,
the pride OF her owner and the clubs TO which she
belongs, and the hope and Joy Of the British nation.
Her career as racing craft has been most marvel
lous and unprecedented. The Daily Netcs, OF Eng
land, writes as follows with reference to this ves
sel:-sMr. James AshDury, the fortunate owner OF
one Of the most brilliant of the racing schooners
that ad0rn English waters, whose victories have
been almost as frequent as the matches she has
sailed in, and who defeated the American schooner
yacht Sappho hand overland, in the match round
the Isle OF Wight last summer-the famous Cambria,
&c.n HUNTS YatcJttng Magasdne of December,
1858, speaking OF this vessel says:"On her first ap-
pearance In the Thames she considered beau
tiful model, but. owing no doubt, to her want OF
proper trimming, was judged to be no flyer. She
has since reaped worldwide fame, breaking all
the cracks,' and gaining the championship OF the
seas"
Her first appearance as a racing craft was on the
% June, 1865 when she had Tor competitors the
Egera, 152 tons; Glorana 1888 tons, and Fienr de
LSs loo tons In this race the Cambria was the first
to reach the winning post, but lost the prize having
TO allow her smaller opponents time for difference
on the nth June, 1863 she started on the Thames
against all the crack cutters and iJwould have been
matter for surprise had she been otherwise than
beaten when sailing against such vessels in fresh
water and on river not nah mile wide in places.
Her next race was on the 3Otn June, from the More
to Dover, and in this match the Condor, new cut
ter OF l2g tons beat her. and in the return match
suffered deeat ut the hands Of the Gloriana; but
having completed her engagements on the Thames,
| aud having unshipped her lead keel, we ind her on
| the 9Th August beating Egena, Lufra, Oimara,
| Condor, Fiona, Vanguard Phrync. DiOre, Sphinx
and Niobe On the next day she Is beaten only by the
| Alne, the Egeria, Lulra, Pantomime Nyanza and
Gelert suffering defeat by her. On the llth August
she lett large Meet OF yachts astern IN the race
including the hitherto invinclbe Aline and the
| dreaded Condor, as well as Egeria, Fiona, Nundi,
/ Psyche, Dione, Ni0be, Phryne, Abertine. Goshawk,
| Marina and Oimara. In the race to Cherbourg, on
the nth Of August she lost her place first to the
Aine at the last moment, through an error in sea-
manshlp; but III the return race, from CherO0urg to
/ Kyde she led the Guinivere "a vessel N 100 tons
| more than hersefl the Aline and Egeria round the
! winning post.
on the 4th OF August French and English yachts
| were one and all beaten by her; but her GROWING
| performance for the year 1868 was on August 20,
when she sailed against the American yacht Sappho,
beating her and at the same time the three fastest
English vessels that ever were built-viZ the Aline
| Olmara and the Condor. The result OF this match
endeared the Cambria to the British people. Hence
| forth she became national object OF deight--a
vessel deemed 1T to represent the nation OF Brltalp
| in any match for the Championship Of the seaa. &
AayIpg !nV ADDED 4 sooay pgMbsr Of prizes 70