New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-15
CdNOIST,S WIN AT BASEBI Ill.



DISCUSSION OF CANOES AND CANOE RACING
Hotel Champlan. Clinton County. n. y. Aug "a
(SpeciaD-Genera Edward C. O'Brien. Dock Com
missioner of New-York was among the visitors to
thc canoe Camp to-day IL visitors day for the
Guests of Hotel Champlain. and many OF them IN
spccted the camp this afternoon. In the evening
bail was given the hotel In honor OF the canoists
The morning taken up with a game OF base
ball between mines from the camp and the hote..
The camp team Stewart pitcher: Hyatt.
catcher: Turr first base; Taylor. second base;
Barlow, third base; Holden. shortstop; Grover. left
field: Smith centre field: Lorec, right field. The
hotel nine Adams. third base Coins catcher;
O'Bren. centre field; Hone, left field; New. second
base; Coe pitcher, Nutze. shorstop; Clarke. right
field: Earle first base. The game stood to
against the canoe nine at the end OF the second
inning Turrill then pitched instead Of Stewart.
At the end OF the inning he fell. apparently over
tinned 10 bitch such balls that the hotel nine were
finally overcome by score OF IL TO y
DEVELOPMENT OF THE MODERN CANOE.
Ever since the formation OF the Royal Canoe
Club In lN5-rght upon the heels OF Macgregor's
exploits with the Rob Roy-the tendency OF cano-
ing has been away from the simplicity OF knee
posture and sngle-bladed paddle and toward the
moro comfortable accessories OF seats. cushions
and backboards sails and centreboards. The
movement Of canoing. like that OF all the forces In
nature. has been along the lines OF the least re-
sistancc. II was easy to convince the amateur
paddor that his knees were reserved for his devo
tlons and not for bracng himself 20 that he might
counteract and overcome the motion impaired TO
his craft by the larger once up from the
noor-thc centre of gravity being also rased-a
with back became necessary. reminder
OF the comfortable armchair which had been left
in the parlor at home. Then 1t not difficult TO
60 a step beyond and TO persuade the paddler that
1t all very we'll to keep dipping his blade in
the water. but in order to get along in the world
1t necessary to stop padding once in while
and the sail. From the sail 1t was a natural
and requisite thing to adopt the deck and centre
board for the most troublesome enemy of either
the paddler the sailor is the vino that blows off
the beam.
Having thus begun to make the Indian canoe
tain scmblance even In outward form, OF its
original shape. the other luxuries OF alright com
par,mcnts. cushions rubber bags. life preservers,
camp stoves and provison-canisters were speedily
forthcoming, until now the native savage might
often be pardoned for smiling at the effeminacy OF
the white man.
In the early days OF canoing a centreboard was
not dreamed OF: every sailing canoe has one
has 10 have one, as every sailor knows, In order TO
sail ainst the wind. Many OF the racers have
two. A board made OF brass which shut up some
thing like fan. was used for several years, but
the racing canoists found that even the small
friction caused by the joints OF the board retarded
take. out and new ones made Of light. smooth
sheets OF brass. The men who cruise retain the
old folding boards cruising canoe generally car
ries from 50 to Is square feet of canvas. while a
racer staggers under from 100 to $50 square feet.
AN UNwIELDY FEATURE.
In the absence Of rule prohibiting 1t, the sim
picity and effectiveness OF a single large plate in
the OF the canoe removed when not
In use, have led TO the universal adoption OF
this type of centreboard In American canoes
The disadvantages OF this clumsy and un-
wlcdy feature. which is frequently OF such
size that It cannot be packed IL the canoe. but
must be shipped separately and the advantages OF
a board which houses compactly at all times within
the canoe. each plainly evident. But the ad-
vantage in point of speed however small It may
be, has diverted all efforts for improvement from
the original form Of housing board to the later
form There is doubt that, with any incentive
under the rules to do so, the housing board can be
greatly improved. so as to make most efficient
aid In sailing, and leave a reasonable amount OF
room in the canoe and present projecting parts
to cucumber the deck. The Limitation OF eighteen
inches drop was originally incorporated in the
American Canoe Association o rules from those Of
ten years ago II served effectively TO keep the size
cable limits. Unfortunately, wide opening
left Internationally on the top, there being no re.
within the canoe. though all the earlier centre
boards did so as matter OF course The result
Size. ard boards have grown until they monopoIze
liberty now to PIT a ivefoot board In his canoe
whem % Or Ss so that forms
On eehieen-lnch keel N racing AS long as s9ch
no centreDosrd shall drop more than eighteen
The sailing canoe has reached a higher point of
development thar any other civilized sailing craft
4 man may use ten-foo: plank across his boat
weight Of eenlreboard Under these conditions SIT =
OF keel and drop OF board which were neces-
gary. but have long since failed TO exert any in
The American Canoe Association rules permit
man 10 shorten the keel and add an overhang other
limit OF length does not exceed sixteen feet At
intervals OF three or four years the proposition
comes up 10 make the limit sixteen feet water
line Bu; there are Two objections to this; the
m1 9sG can meyer be Exactly and finally deter
trene length would be run out to such dimensions
transport. While on limit OF IS feet load water
line, 30 inches beam and 10 inches draft. It
than the standard canoe. large part OF the gain
would be due to size alone and the canoe would
CANOE RACING
Canoe racing is closely allied to both rowing and
yachting. but the definitions Of an amateur In these
two sports differ so Numerically that any attempt
to apply bo,h to canoe racing result only In
the conclusion that every canoist who races is a
professional Racing for money In large and small
amounts Is recognized by all yacht clubs and un-
der reasonably strict inquiry II viii be found that
money prizes by The rules OF boat racing. any
man competing for money prize becomes a pro
fcssional. az does every man who may In the future
compete In a race with him. OF course such an
absurdity would not hold In practice. and what
VIII best suit the case Is specific definition OF an
amateur IN canong. regardless Of The usages In
rowing ana athletics To frame such = definition
would be 10 easy task and II would be far easter TO
pass decision on each which comes up ac-
cordng 10 the circumstances II it appears that
a man has raced for any material gain remuner-
s s,on whatever form /, may take he certainly
shouid he claksed as professional but fortunate
~, there are few OF THIS class in oanoing
GIDEOy GRIgGER HELD FOR rRIAL