Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 154.djvu/202

of great gigs, with a weight in their stern-sheets lifting their bows out of water. They have plenty of beam, but are shallow, which rather militates against accommodation, and certainly against head-room, and are fitted with deep and heavy fixed keels—in some cases of the "fin" type—or centre-board; and their midship sections are shaped much like a champagne-glass, the end of the stem being broken off and loaded with lead. That they are extremely speedy there is no possible question—all of them being apparently able to give the Iverna, the fastest of the older cutters, a fifteen to twenty minutes' fair beating on a fifty-mile course. Judging from the performance at the Thames, East Coast, and Clyde Regattas, Britannia and Valkyrie have slightly the heels of Calluna; whilst the Satanita was late in joining the racing fleet, and may not be quite in trim, which, when vessels are so closely matched, means everything. The Prince's vessel reaches fastest, but Lord Dunraven's cutter is said to be some twenty seconds quicker in going about.

Meanwhile Mr Royal Phelps Carroll, an American yachtsman, has crossed the Atlantic, and arrived at Cowes, in the Navahoe, an 87-foot centre-board cutter, and challenges for all the trophies open to him the Royal Victoria Gold Cup, £500; the German Emperor's Meteor Shield; the West Challenge Cup, £250; and the Cape May and Brenton Reef Cups. The German Emperor the elections having gone in his favour and the Army Bill being presumably safe—has again sent the Meteor to the Wight, and will probably sail in her himself when she fights once more for her Majesty's Cup, this time against such formidable foes as Britannia and Valkyrie. In a word, the record of 1893 promises to be the most brilliant since 1870, the golden year of yachting.

After the Thistle-Volunteer races the conditions under which challenges could be made for the America Cup were subjected to such alterations as rendered all fresh contests highly improbable. Negotiations, however, have resulted in some modifications of these new restrictions: that fine sportsman Lord Dunraven has once more challenged for the America Cup with the new Valkyrie; and five races will take place on the other side in October for its possession. Prophecy is idle. A new British type will meet a new American type ; and though Mr Q. L. Watson has once more had the honour of designing our champion, Mr Burgess of Boston is dead, and those marvellous designers, the Herreshoffs, stand forth in his stead to furnish the defending yacht. Intense interest will follow the Valkyrie across the ocean, and throughout her several contests; and Lord Dunraven sails not only with the fervent good wishes of all British yachtsmen, but under auspices at least as roseate as any of his predecessors in this long international struggle.