The Red Cloud chief., 1893-11-17
ORIGIN OF YACHTING.
CHANGES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
VESSELS IN 800 YEARS.

E~vsiution In the Popularity Of the Sport.
The first International Race was Be-
tween English and Dutch vessels.
Charles II Among the Earliest Patrons.
Tho term "yacht" IL derived from the
Danish word "jaght." meaning q chase;
hence yachting Is the chasing Of one YES
eel after another, and accordingly yacht
ing and yacht racing are synonymous
expressions.
A yacht Il and always has been essen.
TALLY . pleasure craft, but In the early
days no yacht Of any size existed. Thus
We find q writer In 1909 referring TO Q
yacht 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 II Il certain they are Of ancient ORR
gin and were only owned by royal per-
sons and great mobiles. Tho latter fact
receives corroboration from an ancient
but carefully compiled dictionary Of sin
gular words, where a yacht Is described
- - pleasure craft Of not more than
100 tons for the kings use."
Tho earliest mention OF o yacht in this
country wa a. far back as the Anglo
Saxon period, when King Athelstan re-
ceived from the king Of Norway q pres
ont Of o magnificent state barge, rugged
with purple sails and decorated with
wrought gold. Queen Elizabeth, we
know, frequently used Q state barge,
and % have successive sovereigns to this
day. It Is curious to relate, and goes
far to show tho primitive nature Of our
early resources, that while foreigners
were able to build yachts their example
was not followed In this country till
1888, when the first English yacht was
constructed ut Cowes and launched
from that port.
But while 1888 may be fixed a. tho
commencement Of yacht building In
England, II cannot bo said that during
the next half century much progress was
made with the newly acquired industry.
Indeed, had it not been for Charles II,
Il n probable that the trade would not
have been established for some time to
como. King Charles, however, was very
fond 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 oil
Oct. 1, 1901, writing. II sailed this morn
ing with his majesty In one Of his yachts OF
pleasure boats, vessels not known among
us till the Dutch East India company
presented that curious piece to the king
But the king was not only n yachtsman
no was also . designer, and drew thu
lines Of the Jamie, a 25 tonncr, built a,
Lambeth, and raced her against the BE
Fan, q small Dutch built vessel belong
ing to the Duke of York.
The course was from Greenwich 4
Gravesend and back and the prize GiOO
which was won by the Bean. As tn,
ships were designed and constructed il
different countries tho race may fairl,
claim to have possessed an internationa
character. whilo from tho fact that tn,
royal owners steercd their own boats
was clearly an amateur match. Unfor
tunately with the death Of Charles l
came another lull In the history Of yacht
ing, and 1t was not till early in the eight
zenith century that any real revival tool
place. During this long interval, how
ever, yachting had gradually become
more democratic amusement, and tn,
sport Of kings had descended to the leve
OF commoners. Cork harbor became
fayorite yachting ground and durinI
tho summer months was crowded witt
diminutive pleasure vessels. Indeed, s.
popular did the sport become that in 172
the Cork Harbor Water club was forme,
to encourage yacht racing. The club nj
timately developed into what is now tn
Royal Cork Yacht club. Here, then, w
have the first authentic attempt ut organ
ization In the yachting world.
Anew years later tho sport came int,
favor In the south Of England, and Matt
land, in his History Of London" Q73Q)
refers to sailing az one Of the amuse
ments to be met with on the rive
Thames, while later still (lsOl) Strut
in his well known work on "Sports an,
Pastimes," mentions the existence OF
society consisting Of certain gentlemen
who gave q silver cup to DO sailed 70
annually In the vicinity of London. To
ward the close Of the eighteenth centur,
Cowes became the favorite resort o
yacht racing. but still the contendinJ
vessels were Of small size, none beinl
over 81 tons. II was not until the foun
dalton Of the yacht club, afterward tn
Royal Yacht club and now the world re
nowned Royal Yacht squadron, tina
yachting in this country may fairly b
said to have established itself as q na
tional sport, and ever then QSl2) tn
number of yachts afioat only reached 90
all told. But from this time the popu
larity Of yachting rapidly grew, and ciu1
after club followed in quick succession
London Times.
Paid h Farmer For His Trouble.