Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-09-19
English Yachtsmen at COwes.


Cowes during yachting week presents a sight
entirely novel to an American. English FASH
ionable life all goes yachting this week, Just as
1t went to the Goodwood races last. and will go
shooting on the Scotch moors next week. The
Prince of Wales came down last week and
Joined his yacht. All the royal yachts are here,
four in number, and all great, clumsy old
fashioned side wheelers with q large amount of
gilt on them. There are about hundred of
the royal family on them, and an indefinite
number OF German princes, including Prince
Louis of Battenburg, the husband of the
Princess Beatrice. Prince Louis is a fine SOL
dierly looking young man; but what or where
Battenburg is no one seems to know. The Ger
man princes do not take any active interest in
sailing and are transported to and from the
royal yacht in a little glass case built on the
deck of the queens steam launch. The Prince
of Wales, however, does not come in the glass
sailor. He is commodore of the Royal Yacht
Squadron, takes q lively interest in all the
races, and on any race day for schooners may
ing at a rope. side by side with his men. The
popularity of yachting here is no doubt largely
due the good-natured and plucky commodore
We have nothing like a yachting week in
America, and we have nothing like Cowes 1t
is distinctively yachting town: Of the five or
six thousand inhabitants, there is probably not
one who does not gain his livelihood from
yachting patronage. Up the river are the ship
yards, where q hundred old worn-out racers are
lying beside the frames of new boats not vet
launched into life. Here is the famous old
Sappho, which once saved the queens cup for
America. lying rotting in the mud Every Inns.
mess which caters to the wants of Yacht. and
there are not many which do not, is repre-
sented by excellent shops, from the fashionable
yachting tailor and an establishment of Red
ferns down to the bum-boat woman with her
stock OF sailors knick-knacks. To live at Cowes
one would think the yachting was the only real
pervades the whole place. Butchers and gro
GERS wear boating jerseys, and to-day saw a
girl scrubbing the sidewalk with a yatchting
cap ON. The club house of the Royal squadron
Is situated on q rising slope right on the edge O
the water, and commands view of the Solent
tor ten miles east and west The house itself is
the battlements now being armed with spy
glasses instead Of guns, and the white club sig.
nal flying on the tower In the place of the flag
1t is the proper thing to sit on the lawn of the
club house, and here may be seen on any plea
daughters and all the faces seen at q party at
Marlborough house or in the royal inclOsure at
the Ascot races. In the harbor q hundred little
broad backed sailors in blue jerseys and bright
co!ored caps are flying about, and with the
Dright yachting costumes Of the ladies, on shore
ana on the water, the whole place has put on
holiday dress. You see no gaudy costumes.
however. They are generally Of white or blue
gf hs simply made but fitting ex
ladies. The old ladies, Of whom quite humber
take part In the sport, are generally dressed in
shawl, 1oliowing in this, perhaps, the fashion
set by their queen, and presenting about the
same san. appearance as respectable Irish widow
sailors, young and old. You may see young
orders and bringing her boat up to the land
Ing steps as scientifically as naval officer, and
you may see lady Of sixty or seventy propped
up on the windward side Of the schooner. With
the spray flying In her face from every wave.
They all know the history and merits of the
famous racing yachts, and take the liveliest in
able-and II Is not rare to see q couple of iadies
sitting on the deck of Q cutter taking part in q
hot race, and knowing how to keep out of the
way-something by no means easy to do when
Jibing around stake boat or setting q big