The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-07
YACHTING In ENGLAND.
The Season Opened with a Prospect
Of Excellent Sport.
MANY NEW VESSELS LAUNCHED.
VIII the Fiona Be Taken to America to Contend
with the Transatlantic Cracks?
LONDON, May II. 1875.

LONDON. May IT. 1875.
we are at last fairly launched upon the yachting
season. and, judging from the signs OF the times.
there Is every prospect OF an unusually busy cam
paign. me building yards at Cowes, Southamp-
ton Poole and, in fact all around the south coast
have been In full swing ior many months past,
ana the number OF new vessels-more particularly
racing crat-which the present season will wit
ness turned on the stocks Will be long way in
excess OF any former years. In the North the
work or preparation is being carried on with equal
energy, and, judging OF tne performances OF the
Scotch-built vessels on Saturday last in the Royal
London cutter match, when three or Flies build
finished actually first, second and third, the Clyde
bids fair TO become formidable rival to the So
lent, ana unless we keep our weather eye open
the "Scotchman" will make clean sweep botn
OF the Thames and South coast regattas.
THE yASNEssA-THE LARGEST PRICE on RECORD.
The Prince OF Wales Yacht CLUB. one OF the old
est OF the Thames clubs, though its members are
chiefly owners OF small racing craft, was as usual,
the first TO open the ball the Thames on
Friday last The match was originally appointed
Tor May l. but owing to the unlavorable weather,
as well rs to the number OF other events clashlng
on that day-notably the opening of the Alexan-
ORA Paace-the fixture was wisely postponed
for q fortnight. AS a rule the Prince OF Wales
matches do not create any great amount OF inter-
est OUTSIDE tnelr own immediate circle, DuL on
this occasion the yachting community were all
agog with excitement, on account OF the meeting
OF the two crack "twentlesn-the vannessa and
the Fleetwlng. For some unexplained reason
there has been tremendous .'runu or late upon
racing craft or this size, and 10 own the "iastest
twenty-tonner ahoat' has been the ne plus
ultra OF certain yachtsmen's ambition. Last year
the vannessa. then the property OF Mr.. Baillie,
carried everything before her, completely bowling
over the Fleetwing sunshine. Najedah and score
or other cracks that ventured to oppose her in
most truculent fashion. AT the close OF the
season the Little Wonder" changed hands and
became the property or Mr.. j. NJ Sinclair. who
purchased her for the enormous sum of $500 Q
ton. or 00o-a long way the biggest price per ton
ever paid for any vessel that ever noated from the
days or the ark downward. Such fabulous
figure, OF course, added 10 the vessels reputation
and on Fri1ay all the amateur talentn oil the
South mustered on her deck on the occasion OF
her first appearance OF the season, ana it is
whispered tnat suInptuous "feed" was ordered
in advance at Grayesend 10 celebrate the
yannessa's anticipated triumph. OF cPce honatIaunl
meatesl The Wanted Vannessa was s'never in 1t"
from start to finish; the Fleetw1ng beat her
fair and square by something like seven
minutes; buc, strange TO say the pair
OF them went down before the little
time allowance. But the CONSERVATION and long
faces were a sight to see, ana people began to
speculate how many sovereigns per ton that little
mishap mad rubbed or the cracks next selling
price,
ROYAL LONDON YACHT CLUB.
The opening cutter match OF this great club was
sailed on Saturday last and attracted u much bet
ter entry than had been anticipated IRON the
early date or the fxture-upward OF fortnight
Of hn
metropolitan clubs. AS matter Of fact the list
nscuced every cutter OF note that is present in
commission. The nrst class comprised the Iona
IS tons, Mr.. Asnbury; Neva, So. Mr.. Holmes-kerr !:
Veronica. So Mr.. Fake; Fiona, 10, Mr.. Boucher;
Kreimhllda, 100, Count Batthyany; Hypaua, As,
Mr.. Gordon, and the Cuckoo, %. Mr.. Hall. In
the seconu class were the Bloodhound, 40, Mar
uuls OIL Alsai Brltannla 80, Captain HartWell;
Myorotls, 80, Mr.. MacMaster; Norman, 80, MAJOR
Ewing, anu Thought, -, MIR. Wells. vi tue ABOVE
tue Veronica and Hypatlas are new vessels tolls
season and maze their deouL on the present
sion, wnlle ne Neya and Cuckoo, botn Clyde
UullI craft only made their appearance III tue
South toward the emo OF last season, ana naturally
good deal oI speculation prevailed as 10 now
they Would acqnlt themselves against sucn tried
clippers us the hrlemhllda and Fiona me day,
though beautifully nne, was, however, very un-
favorable Tor match sailing. tue wind. which was
vcr hght unlll almost the close or the day, oack-
ing round rom west-Soutnwest to north ny west,
and at times aylng away 70 almost dead calm.
TIE COURSE oRIGINALLY PROPOSED
was from ErItn toward tue More Light anu back to
Grayesend, but about half mile rom the JenHen
Buoy-somc nve miles nom the Nore-lt De-
came patent thar Inc yachts would never
make the lgntsnip before low water,
aud they were accordingly sgnalled to
round the cuD steamer. In the run down,
with the exception tnut spinaKers were got In
and pull taken at the sheet, At Purneet all
carried balloon topsails, spinakers and otopsails,
ana very pretty match as sailed down to the
Jenken, the Cuckoo aud Neya leading IN turn,
win the Fiona IN close attendance. Nearing the
turning point the Aeva was the leading vessel,
but she TOOK In ner spinaker ana jooed too soon,
wnIe the Fiona holding on a lew seconds longer
managed 10 squeeze round first.
Tue following was tue times OF rounding