Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-06-11

The American Canoe Association has issued
the program OF its second annual meeting, TO
be held at Lake George on the Eth, 18th. and
18th OF August next There are to be thirteen
races, including every variety OF race IN which
canoe can possibly engage, and as the canoe
lists are to camp together on an island. they
Will have every opportunity TO study one au-
9th ers canoes. out OF the water as well as In
IT, AT the Lake George meeting last August,
when the American Canoe association was
lormeo, there were thirty ole canoes present;
and as the association has since that date
nearly quadrupled Its membership, II is under
stood that at least seventy-five canoes Will
nnd their way TO Lake George next August.
The impulse given TO canoeing By the forma-
ton OF the American Canoe Association was
greater than the most sanguine friends OF the
united to form the association. but in less than
eight months afterward eleven new clubs had
been formed and had enrolled themselves on
the list CT the association Meanwhile. hun
dreds OF men throughout the country had dis
covered the existence OF the cruising canoe and
had furnished themselves with canoes without
connecting themselves with any club. some
Idea OF the growth Of the demand for canoes
may be gained from the fact that all the half
dozen canoe builders In the country ind it I'm
possible 10 keep up with their orders, and one
nrm, which, with the aid OF ingenious ma
chinery, turns out i've canoes daily. IS SIN
unable 70 meet the demands made upon it.
10 very large extent this sudden ard wide
spread interest Ia canoeing Is due TO the asSo-
IL would have fully JUSTIFIED its existence
g., sinee the canoe Is designed solely for Gratis
Ing. ~ may strike the acute critic that a caaoe
regatta Is a departure from the real atm OF
canoeing. However this may be. It is certain
that regatta must always be a promin anC
feature Of any large meeting OF canoeists, IL
attractive spectacle. IL should be rememo re
moreover, that canoe regatta is something
more than mere boat-raco. 1t Is virtually a
competitive examination OF canoe models and
axt
August are so arranged as TO thoroughly test
the canoes that may take part IN them. There
are many different models as Well as classes of
Canoes and the different rigs are legion. A re-
gatta In which every canoe has an oppor-
tunlty to be matched against every other
canoe, not merely under SAT- aud under paddle
put IN circumstances which will test its
strength and iightness and the ease with
which IL can be handled, must be OF great use
In determining the comparative merits OF DIFF
ferent models and different rigs. Although the
TWO Glasses OF sailing and padding canoes
must always be distinct, 1t is certain that
there must be such things as the best pos
sibie model for sailing canoe and the
best possible model for padding canoe,
ana the canoe regatta must De an aid to
the discovery OF the perfect model. Amongethe
dozen different rigs there must De one which Is
decidedly better than any other, and it Is only
by competitive test that this rig can be dis
covered. The materials OF which canoes ara
built can be compared and their relative merits
asceTtained by oanoeiStS who have the oppor-
.oAies " d utcs Va live CanOe-
during three successive days CT carefully ar
ranged tests, and no matter how Old and eX-
perlehced canoeist LAY be. he can hardly at
tend meeting Ike that at Lake George with
cut gaining valuable hints as TO the fitting and
equipment OF q canoe.
Incidentally a gathering OF one or two hun
dred calOeiStS must stimulate the interest in
cruising. Around the camp fire stories OF
cruises VIII be told and new cruises planned
TWO canCelstS are to start from Lake George on
the 18th OF August for little cruise OF II, 003
miles, extending from Lake George to Trinidad
South America. They will reach the Gulf OF
Mexico by way OF the Mississippi, and after
coasting along Mexico and South America, Will
touch at the West India Islands, and cruise
ncrthward through the lagoons between Florida
and Chesapeake bay. Their example must
have its effect In the leading men to undertake
long canoe cruises and it Is not impossible
that IL GOO miles may before very long be sur
passed by some ardent canoeiSt ambitious OF
gaining the medal for the Longest canoe
cruise"
In the brilliant prospects of American canoe
Ing there is nothing that can render lover o!
athletic sports uneasy. The professional" ele
ment, which has so often converted boat-racaS
aid baseball matches into pretextS for gamo
ling, cannot intrude Itself among canoeiSG, for
"professional'' canoelst is as impossible as a
professional player OF 81 spy" To be a canoe
ist, g man must have that true love OF nature
and outdoor work which will enable him TO re-
gard the labor, Inconvenience, diScomforts
and occasional dangers OF q canoe cruise as
part OF delightful sport. The professional
is ready TO work for money, but not for the
mere pleasure OF working, and there Is not the
slightest danger that he will ever be found IL
the cock pit OF canoe.