YACHTING
The old picture reproduced to-day is of a yacht race in the harbour of Hongkong in 1868. This makes the photo 65 years old, and considering the somewhat clumsy and imperfect materials a photographer had at his disposal then, the picture is a remarkably good one. It gives a fine idea of how well advanced yachting was in the Colony even then, and suggests that there was probably more facility for devotees to manoeuvre their craft in the main harbour than they have now! Perhaps some yachtsmen of to-day, in possession of the lore associated with the yachts of that period, will be able to identify some of the craft shown here. For myself, I shall be content with giving something of the history of yachting in Hongkong, and must acknowledge my indebtedness to the excellent resume published at the time of the recent Empire Fair.
The first club devoted to the sport of yachting and rowing was the Victoria Rowing Regatta Club, under whose auspices the first annual sailing event for yachts took place in 1849, eight years after the founding of the Colony. There was a programme lasting two days, held on October 11 and 12 of that year. An exclusively yachting body came into existence in 1869, so that the old photo published here was taken the year before a Yacht Club had been formed. This club was reorganised in 1889, when the Hongkong Corinthian Sailing Club was formed. The licence to use the term "Royal" was approved in 1893, and the Royal Hongkong Yacht Club saw its beginning; though the Corinthian Yacht Club was not wound up until 1921.
It might be recalled that Sir Henry May, whose attempted assassination was referred to yesterday (4-7-93), was a keen member of the Yacht Club, and was elected its commodore in 1896, holding the position until 1907.
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