Page:The history of yachting.djvu/483

Rh the yachts that raced on the Thames from the years 1775-1812, ranged in tonnage from four to seventeen tons, and that time-allowance appears to have been unknown, or was disregarded. This continued well into the nineteenth century, and, so far as is known, these yachts were all cutters or sloops.

The Mercury may fairly be considered the ancient champion of the Thames; she won more matches than any other yacht of her time, and her owner, Captain Astley, appears to have been a thorough racing-yachtsman.

We have now seen yachting established on the Thames, although the events recorded are but the faint prelude to those that were to follow. In after years, the lower reaches of the river were to witness many of the most exciting and closely-contested matches ever sailed between yachts.

It should, however, be remembered that racing was but a small part of yachting in those days, and that two or three sailing-matches during the season were sufficient to afford zest to yachtsmen, and interest to the public. Commodore Taylor makes no mention of racing in his notes attached to the signals issued in 1779, and it is therefore reasonable to infer that cruising was the chief amusement of the members of the Cumberland Fleet, and that the Review of 1778, commemorated by Kitchingman, was only one of many.

It is not difficult to imagine the delightful life of yachtsmen on the Thames at that period; cruising with a few chosen friends aboard or perhaps in company with two or three yachts, getting under