Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 154.djvu/200
These repeated defeats set the yachtsmen of the North ablaze. A syndicate of Clydesmen was formed, millionaires all of them; and Mr G. L. Watson, a young and brilliantly successful naval architect, was commissioned to build, regardless of cost, regardless of type, something to bring home the America Cup. As in the case of the Livonia, a compromise between the English and American types was thought expedient, and a big and very handsome cutter called the Thistle was sent across the ocean to bring back the lost Cup in the Year of Jubilee. Again Mr Burgess sprang to the rescue, and, to the order of the New York Yacht Club, built a bigger vessel, the Volunteer. Expectation stood tiptoe on the banks of the Clyde, and all England waited to congratulate the enterprising and patriotic Scotsmen. The best idea of the size of the two great cutters is given by the American official measurements. The Volunteer sailed as 89-35 feet, the Thistle as 89-30 feet. History repeats herself. In the light fluky September winds, which are the curse of New York yachting, and make us wonder the citizens of the Empire City take so keen an interest in a sport they are forced to pursue under such unsatisfactory conditions, the Thistle, indifferently sailed in unfamiliar waters, in which local experience goes for more than speed, was beaten by 17 min. 36 sec. in a match which was no fair trial. The second contest was far more satisfactory; but the Thistle, alas! in a stronger breeze and under more equal conditions, lost by 11 min. 49 sec. corrected time. Such is the history of the America Cup up to date.
Once more English yachting has been revolutionised. The measurement to which we have referred produced a class of vessel known as the "plank on edge"—long, "narrow -gutted," to use an expressive sailor's phrase—deep, enormously sparred and sailed, loaded with lead, safe, but uncomfortable, and cruelly expensive. A ten-tonner, almost the size of a former forty, of ridiculous dimensions was designed, called the Evolution. That was the reductio ad absurdum. The Y.R.A. met, and after protracted discussion, the size, formerly called tonnage, now described as rating, was determined by taking entirely different factors. The length in feet, taken on the water-line, was multiplied by the sail area in square feet, and the whole divided by 6000, the result being expressed as rating thus:
= yacht's rating.
This rule was put tentatively in force for seven years, expiring in 1893. The Y.R.A., however, determined to make no change this year.
But other motives were at work. Yachting at the period at which we opened our article was the most aristocratic sport in the world. It was suggested at one time that when the ships of the R.Y.S., which is still the most exclusive club in existence, manoeuvred in squadron the arms of their owners should be blazoned on their top-sails. Charmingly Venetian or Invincible-Armada-like such a practice would have been, but we merely mention it to underline our point. Of later years yachting has also become the most democratic sport. Men got tired of going round the coast in great sailing-vessels palatially fitted, but always uncomfortable, because encumbered with racing gear. They bought themselves steamers, voyaged on an even keel, and built