The New York herald., 1871-02-19
LONDON, Feb. 4, 1871

LONDON, Feb. 4, 1871.
THE COMING SEASON.
II there is any ruth IN the old saying that ''oom-
InQ events cast their shadows beiore'' them, the
lovers OF yachting this side Of the Atlantic may
farly congratulate themselves on the prospect OF an
unusually brilliant campaign during the coming
season. Already the Dote Of preparation has been
sounded In the principal building yards, ana
the tongue Of RumOr ia busy with the prospective
merits OF a whole fleet Of embryo clippers now on
the stocks, that are destined to put to
shame the flyers of former years and make
the "Duoy at the Noren ana the nice
little gal at the Needless open their waery eyes with
wonder and admiration or course these glowing
anticipations must be accepted to certain extent
cum 0ron0 seeing that each coming season. like the
Last new baby Is Invariably heralded the '.fnest
ever known" but, making every allowance for
Dame Rumor's exaggerations there can be no ques-
tion but that the visit OF the Sappho ana Dauntess
last spring and the Cambrlas recent cruise in
American waters have impaired powerful stimu-
lus to British yachtingand, for the matter OF that
TO British yacht bu1dmg-tnat can scarcely fail to
bear good fruit The Cowes builders are, as usual.
TO the FORE with numerous additions to our
pleasure navy. Ralsey has no fewer than four new
craft on the stocks VIZ MIR. Ashbury's new
schooner Livonia; the Harlequin, schooner OF
ninety nine TONS for Colonel Markham, the late
owner OF the Pantomime; yaw OF ninety tons, TO
be called the Day Dream, for Colonel Lloyd, the
owner OF the Gelert, and little two-sticker OF thr
U-two tons, for SIR C. Harvey In addition TO these,
White OF East Cowes, is building schooner OF 1So
tons and racing cutter Of twenty-five tOns while
Hatcher, OF southampton, ls devOtng his energies,
inter alta, to the construction of new forty ton
cutter, to be called the Acyone for Sir william Top
ham, which Is expected to rival the achievements Of
her sister vessel, the little Muriel.
THE LIvoNIA AND CAMBRIA.
Among these clippers OF the future the lions
share OF interest naturally attaches TO Mr. Ashburys
new schooner Lvona for the construction of which,
II is rumored, her builder has received a carte
blanche, regardless Of expense. with the express
understanding, however, that she Will be expected
TO redeem her sister Cambria's lost laurels and
bring back from New York to the shores OF the
SOlent the much-c coveted Queens Cup or 1861. The
new crack, whose tonnage is about $50, English
measurement, will be ready for launching towards
tie emo of April and when nearer completion, we
shan make point OF Interviewing" her. Ii "imi-
tatton is the sinceres fattery" the American yacht
builders have to regard the construction of
the Livonia in the light OF compliment inasmuch
she VIII represent the 'brOad and shallow model
SO much decried Ia England before the advent Of
the Sappho. Indeed, 1t Is currently whispered that
her lines viii he the exact counterpart OF Messrs.
Poiilons, or, ought we not rather to say, Captain
II.
his yacht 1t would seem that the announcement
which appeared some weeks ago In oil the English
sporting Journals to the effect tnat the Cambria had
changed owners-havlng been purchased by well
known colonel In the Guards for the sum OF GO, $780,
upwards OF $S2,0o0-was, 10 say the least, prema-
or two back in the columns Of Belrs LIE. L is now
generally understood that the negotiations for her
purchase were interrupted by some hitch or other
at the eleventh hour as the paragraph announcing
tnat she had been disposed or was furnished TO the
English newspapers by Mr.. Ashbury himself That
a nf
q purchaser at anything like reasonable figure
there can be no doubt; but $4,000 or 81 900 trom
sprng-surely savors Of 'too much OF a muchness."
Possibly, however, her spirited owner may have
his transatantio trip. sal it is quite clear s
that he mas not lost oil faith IN her
;n that ne has Just rnsneq
seven times around ihe Isle Of Wight; four from
Cowes under Royal Yacht Squadron rules and three
from Ryde uuder Royal Victoria Yacht Club rules;
@ wages and a. expenses" The The above Challenge s is
matches shall be sailed before the 10th OF April.
II remains yet 10 be seen whether the owner OF the
T 5 sporting 1 e SnSuS he do
yachtmen. In the meantime the Cambria is lying
Idle in the mud at Cowes minus the greater portion
vOnla.
SCARCELY A "GooD TIME"
B the way, n.r. Ashpury h-s had anything but
good time Of 1t OF late. Since his return from the
United states he has been compelled to run the
gauntlet Of no fewer than three public a,91ers
at Brighton. which latter place, it is anticipated,
WIN some day or smother permit him to write ri the
cuarly British institutlon-a public dinner-is
under any circumstances q trying ordeal for the
the % same @ IS speech almost N tod.dem re1ots,
times in less % than three weeks really sa-
the fear or another infection OF this kind that has
caused Mr.. Ashbury to return polite refusal to o
Harwich Yacht Club, OF which he is Commodore.
And now the Royal Thames Yacht Club, alter due
him to yet another dianer. T Tr I cies Wnat Would
have been done If he had brought the 'bl Cup home
with him?
GREAT AMALaA NATION SCHEME
An attempt to amalgate the three leading London
yacht clubs In one great body, which should be to
full huebub among s -shsA' the Yachting community
Alfred Paget, the popular Commodore of the Royal
Thames Yacht Club, who, in circular addressed by
way of q "feeer' to the members Of the three lead
ing clubs limited pretty plainly that If the proposal
met with general acceptance his Royal Hlghness,
the Prince OF Wales, who had always evinced deep
interest In the SPORT might be induced to hoist his
pennant as Commodore Of the New Thames squad
ron. The proposed amalgamation was warmly
bulk Of our leading yacht owners and .yachtmen;
but unfortunately yacht owners and yachtmen con-
ne, sttuse aver very mar narrow minority IN certain Of the
appear to regard the display OF q tasteful club
button. with liberal allowance OF gold lace at q
Club ball on board the club steamer match day,
as the great end and aim OF their existence. From
this section OF our "yachtmen" Lord Alred's
scheme encountered o most strenuous opposition,
aud, after protracted controversy In the columns
OF Bets LUe, In the course Of which personalities
were freely INDUCED in by both sides, the project
was allowed TO drop, with the understanding that it
should be revived at more convenient
season. That 1t will ever be successfully
carried out at any rate until radical cham ge is
made in the constitution Of the Thames Yacht Club,
ts perhaps, too much to hopes but 1t Is generally be-
eved In wellinformed circles that the project when
first mOoted, would have met with far more corr
dial reception but for the incompromsing hostility
which the Royal Thames Yacht Club has always dis
played towards their younger rivals the "New
Thames" which better society, 1t should be men,
toned, was the result OF a secession from the old
club IN Aloemare street some three years ago. In
that short space OF time the young cub-notwith-
standing that for some cause or other which Is pos
sDy susceptible OF explanation 1t has failed to obtain
the distinction Of an Admiralty, warrant and the