Year: 1869




In another column we give letter from
London setting forth the views held by yacht
men there on points relating to the proposed
international contest, and also on the same
subject some recent remarks Of Mr.. Ashbnry
at gathering Of British yachtmen under the
auspices Of the Royal Victoria Club.


Mr.. Ashbury puts himself handsomely in the
attitude Of a man who desires only fair play.
His original challenge, 1t win be remembered,
required that the size of the boats should be
found by Thames measurement. Our criti-
cism was that this was unfair to American
boats, inasmuch as their model-very different
from that Of English boats-exposed them to
disadvantages under rule adapted to the
English model We did not mean that Mr..
Ashbury intended to secure an advantage Of
his competitor, though we supposed that his
knowledge OF the peculiarities of our model
might be sufficient for him to understand
when the fact was pointed out that we could
not have a fair race unless he modified that
requirement. We are glad, therefore, that he
consents to such modification. II will be seen
by his own words that he is willing to submit
the Thames rule to the commodore of any Eng
lish club for judgment as to the application of
that rule to American yachts, and If it is
decided that the rule is unjust to us he will,
as we understand his words, withdraw that
requirement from his proposition for a race,
and even race the Dauntless if by equitable
measurement she is found to be a fair match
for the Cambria. We are pleased to note this
spirited individual action on the part Of the
owner of the Cambria, and regret to note that
the British clubs officially refuse to listen to
propositions for the adoption Of some better
rule for their own government than that in
use.


Evidently it is intended that yachtmen visit
ing England this year shall not complain Of
want Of warmth in the welcome, as every
paper brings us news of some discussion or
preparation having regard to international
contests. American boats will win no easy
matches from the cousins over the water, and
our yachtmen will be unwise to 90 out with an
overweening confidence in the powers Of their
craft. Nothing can be more opposed than the
ideas respectively entertained here and in
England as to the form that gives speed in a
boat. The Englishman believes in the So
called ''fne lines" that make onward pro-
gress easy, and believes that broad boat
cannot have these. He therefore makes
his yacht deep and sharp. The American be-
lieves that the way to make progress easy Is to
make resistance as little as possible, and avoids
depth as he would defeat itself, contriving his
boat to skim the surface. Now, may not this
wide difference be the mere result Of expert
encc in two hemisphcrcs--the result, indeed,
Of different waters and different winds? May
not our model be the best in our own broad
rivers or in the long sweep Of the ocean, and
the English model best in such chopping seas
as the channel? Some experienced men here
believe this, and believe that the Sappho, the
Dauntless and Mr.. Lorillard's new boat will all
be beaten on the other side. They argue that
the English have improved very much since
the America beat them, and that we have car
ried our own model little too far, may be /;
and that while we might readily beat the Eng
lish here they will beat us on their side.
We hope that our yachtmen going out will
keep in view the proposed race for at least ten
boats from the Thames to Gibraltar. That
would be a fine course.