Year: 1869


day that English yachtmen show q decided
tendency to fight little shy on race that
may have an international character and de-
termine racing supremacy in blue water.
They do not leap into such contest with the
ardor and enthusiasm we might expect from
the men who recently dlated on the glories
and superiorities of the British craft, apropos
to the defeat of the Sappho. They have not
the confidence they seemed to have. Can it
be that all their enthusiasm has given way to
a cautious wish to first have a look at our
boats? The circular of the Royal Albert Club,
proposing an international match, is rather
neglected by other clubs; and even the Gibral-
tar race, that had an exhiarating promise in it,
may, it is intimated, be cut down to race
from the Needles to Brest, and thus be little,
if any, better than the French race. This is
not much from the greatest maritime people of
Europe. With these changes the probabilities
are that our boats must take the chances they
can get in the Channel bouts, where, to be
sure, the advantages will be on the other side,
but from which they may come out with honor





set up over the defeat of the Sappho they per-
haps did not fancy that we would come again.
They triumphed very literally, not having in
view the probability of another trial that
might more thoroughly test their claims and
put them on their mettle for a struggle against
fairly representative vessels. In the presence
of the opportunity for such struggle they be-
have differently. Altogether the defeat of
the Sappho was good for us. 1t has demon
srated the vitality of the sport on this side the
water. With the victory of the Sappho we
should have stood still; for it is her defeat
alone that takes to England this year such
splendid champions. 1t is beca use it was felt
that some of the honor gained by the America
was lost that the Meteor was built and that
the present owner of the Sappho bought her to
put her forward again in more favorable cir
cumstances. Because the Sappho was beaten,
in Short three boats from this city 60 to
Europe this summer, while it is not probable
that any otherwise would have gone. AS to
whether these boats shall have chance to
fairly test their qualities against British boats,





the other side 1t can only be said that the
very presence of our yachts in English waters
will be standing challenge and defiance; and
if England does not accept the gage she must
say less about the Sappho.


BURNING THE EvIDENoE.-What right had
the Long Island Railroad men to burn the evil
dence in the recent railroad disaster? Was
not this an outrageous interference with the
Coroner in his duties? The car was de-
stroyed and the road mended, and thus the
jury could not decide on the blame to be laid
on the company. But is this the conduct of
men who know that they are not in fault, or of
men who know that they are in fault?


A SERIOUS QUEsTIoN.-How many drinks
long is battlep In Burnside's account of
Sprague at Bull run we see suggestion for
standard of measurement for battles much
better than simple hours and minutes, as it
measures the intensity as well as mere dura-
ton. Sprague galloped to the rear for drink
a great many times, and very rapidly always
Now, in an average battle he might do this
twenty times-a twenty drink battle, say. An
other might be fifty drink battle or, If it
were intense and the galloping extra hard, the
same might be sixty drink battle. Veterans
would speak Of skirmishes and ten drink battles
with eqaal contempt. Drinks are the measure
ment, and warriors will soon have done with
common timepieces. Sprague's drinks may
even push Shrewsbury clock from its ancient
fame.