The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-11-10
ORIGIN OF YACHTING.
CHANGES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
VESSELS IN 800 YEARS.


VESSELS IN 800 YEARS.
Evolution In the Popularity Of the Sport.
The Firss International Race was BE-
tween English and Dutch Vessels.
Charles II Among the Earliest Patrons.
The term yacht" is derived from the
Danish word ''jaght," meaning q chase;
hence yachting is the chasing of one ves-
sci after another, and accordingly yacht
ing and yacht racing are synonymous
expressions.
A yacht is and always has been essen
tally a pleasure craft, but in the early
days nc yacht of any size existed. Thus
we find a writer in 1905 referring to a
yacht as "a small ship built for swiftness
and pleasure rather than for merchan-
disc or warlike service" History does
not tell us where. when or under what
circumstances yachts were first built,
but it is certain they are of ancient orr
gin and were only owned by royal per-
sons n great mobiles. The latter fact
receives confederation from an ancient
but carefully compiled dictionary of sim
gular words, where a yacht is described
as "a pleasure craft of not more thar
100 tons for the kings use."
The earliest mention Of a yacht in this
country was as far back as the Anglo
Saxon period, when King Athelstan re-
ceived from the king If Norway a pres
ent OF a magnificent state barge, rugged
with purple sails and decorated with
wrought gold. Queen Elizabeth, we
know, frequently used a state barge,
AMI so have successive sovereigns to this
day. 1t is curious to relate, and goes
far to show the primitive nature of our
early resources, hat while foreigners
were able to build yachts their example
was not followed in this country till
1888, when the first English yacht was
constructed at Cowes and launched
from that port.
But while 1888 may be fixed as the
commencement of yacht building in
England, it cannot be said that during
the next half century much progress was
made with the newly acquired industry.
Indeed, had 1t not been for Charles Ii,
it is probable that the trade would not
have been established for some time to
come. King Charles, however. was very
o of sailing. and the Dutch East India
company. with the view of gaining royal
favor, presented him with "a small sloop
rugged vessel. The advent of the foreign
built vessel evidently stimulated native
talent. as we find Evelyn, in his diary of
Oct. l. 1861, writing. Il sailed this morn
ing with his majesty in one of his yachts or
pleasure boats. vessels not known among
us till the Dutch East India company
presented thai curious piece to the king"
But the king was not only a yachtsman;
he was also a designer, and drew the
lines of the Jamie, a % tonner, built at
Lambeth. and raced her against the Be
IAN, a small Dutch built vessel belong
ing to the Duke of York.
The course was from Greenwich. to
Gravesend and back and the prize 600, F
which was won by the Bean. As the
ships We're designed and constructed in
different countries the race may fairly
claim to nave possessed an international
character, while from the fact that the
royal owners steered their own boats it
was clearly an amateur match. Unfor-
tunately with the death of Charles !.
came another lull in the history of yacht
ing, and it was not till early in the eight
zenith century that any real revival took
place. During this long interval, how
ever, yachting had gradually become a
more democratic amusement, and the
sport of kings had descended to the level
of commoners. Cork harbor became a
favorite yachting ground and during
the summer months was crowded with
dimlnutiye pleasure vessels. Indeed. so
popular did the sport become that in 1870
the Cork Harbor Water Club was formed
to encourage yacht racing. The club ul-
timately developed into what is now the
Royal Cork Yacht club. Here, then, we
the first authentic attempt at organ
in the yachting world.
A few years later the sport came into
favor in the south of England, and Matt
land, in his History Of London" l739),
refers to sailing as one of the amuse- ,
ments to be met with on the river
while later still 1S01) Strut,
n his well known work o Sports and
Pastimes," mentions the existence of a
consisting of certain gentlemen
gave a silver cup to be sailed for
annually in the vicinity of London. To-
ward the close of the eighteenth century
Cowes became the favorite resort of
racing, but still the contending
vessels were of small size, one being
oyer 35 tons Ii was not until the foam
iation of the yacht club, afterward the
Yacht club and now the world re-
nowned Royal Yacht squadron, that
yachting in this country may fairly be
said TO have established itself as a ma
tional sport, and even then (lsl2) the
number of yachts afioat only reached 80.
all told. But from TINS time the popu-
larity of yachting rapidly grew, and club
after club followed in quick succession.