The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-13
Gossip Of the
Sporting World

| Whenever a race for the American
| Cup is pending, says the Yachting
| World, it is to be noted that most Brit
ish yachtsmen assume an attitude of
more or less unconscious hedging as
to the result by declaring beforehand
that the fact of the British challenger
having to cross the Atlantic places her
| at disadvantage as compared with
the American defender, which is sub
ject to no such necessity. This delu-
sion is universal among those having
but slight acquaintance with the con-
| Structlon and sailing of yachts, and is
strongly prevalent even among yacht
ing enthusiasts and those who might
be expected to possess a wider grasp
and broader view of the matter.
| 1t is quite commonly believed and
asserted that the strains to which the
hull of a racing yacht are subjected
| during an Atlantic passage are suffi-
Gent to cause such serious and per-
manent reformation of the shape of the
hull that she arrives at Sandy Hook
quite unrepresentative of her designers
| intentions. 1t is, of course, undeniaply
the fact that every racing yacht does
undergo minute changes of form, some
| of which disappear after each time of
being under way, while others are per-
manent. But the greatest instances of
| these known are most trivial in proper
| ton to the whole bulk of the vessel,
and it is very unlikely that any racing
yacht of ordinary construction has
| ever altered her form latter being
launched more than an inch in any
one direction. Neither wood nor steel
| is a readily compressible or eXtensible
| material, and it is the property of
structures which are curved in every
| direction, such as the hulls of yachts,
| that their forms cannot be altered with
l Of he
materials. We have not as yet reduced
| the art of design to such an accurate
science that these microscopic varia-
lions can be known to have any effect
whatsoever on speed or other sailing
qualities.
Another equally prevalent opinion is
| that yacht may be of lighter and
weaker construction if intended, only
for racing in her native waters, but
| that if obliged to cross the Atlantic she
must he OF such increased scantling
and structural weight as to place her
at a serious disadvantage qua speed.
| 1t was very opportunity pointed out
the other day by Mr.. Froude that there
is very wide difference between
| driving a vessel under racing condi-
| lions through seas as steep and choppy
as are to be met with on our regatta
! courses and sailing her over an At
| lantic roller three or four times the
| II,
| is no object and every means possible
| of easing her to the sea is adopted
| Without actually being aboard a large
| racing yacht on the occasion of hard
| race in a nasty sea, no idea can be
| formed of the severity of the strains
and shocks to which she is subjected
| and the thought then which seems most
! natural is, We'll. if she'll stand this
she'll stand anything"
| Whatever may be the case in regard
| to the forthcoming contest, as matter
| of past history 1t is very certain that
| the Americans have never yet for any
| of the previous races built a yacht not
| fully as fit as our challengers to cross
| the ocean on her own bottom, while one
| of them, the Vigilant, actually did So
| and under cutter rig, not the jury ketch
rig we have lately adopted for the pur-
| pose of these passages. Both British
| and American yachts have been
strengthened for such work. it is true
| but these strengthenings are probably
| more for the sake of satisfying the crew
| as to the rigidity of the ship that car
| ries them than for the resistance of any
extra strains over and above those Ii
| able to be met with in the ordinary
routine of racing. Even crews are not
exempt from the superstitions which
beset others on the elementary points
| of yacht construction.
| AT the Aberavon (Wales) athletic
meeting Harry Cullum of Cardiff beat
| the worlds record for 1000 yards on
| the fiat. covering the distance in 2
minutes 9i2 seconds.
There was recently held in Holland
an international rifle match in which
| the United States was not represented.
| and in which the team representing
England, whose rifle shots were consid-
cred almost invincible, finished at the
bottom of the list, being beaten by
teams from France. Italy, Denmark
Holland, Norway and Belgium. The
result was a great surprise to the shoot
ing world.
The defeat, however, may prove a
very valuable lesson to England, or
any other country, for that matter,
which persists in holding to one style
of rifle shooting. In England the man
who can shoot we'll in the lying down
position is likely to be successful in
prize shooting, but the standing posi-
ton is wholly ignored. In fact, it is I'M
taught in the system of rifle firing and
consequently English rifiemen are lot
strong shots, as rule, in the offhaud
firing position; consequently, under
those conditions they were sadly handi-
capped.
1t is we'll known that English SOL
diers are splendid rifle shots in the ly
ing position, but skill in that style of
firing does not make them reliable
shots in any other position. The Ma
tional Rifle association of Great Britain
is being urged to encourage off-hand
rifle shooting standing. 1t would seem
that the value of off-hand firing, as. fol-
lowed so extensively in this country
and even the indoor gallery shooting SO
popular in America are now recognized
as a very important training. In fact,
the majority of those who have studied
the rifle thoroughly believe that skill in
off hand shooting is the most import
ant.