304
for the America Cup. But practice cannot do everything, and there are certain qualities-and not a few of them-that the first-class belms- man must possess in a greater or lesser degree if he does not combine them in their entirety.
He must have courage to sail his craft with determination. A cool head to guide her in dauger or extricate her from the difficult pusi tions which arise through keen comptition of many rival competitors. Quick observation to detect changes in the condition of wind and sea, and the effect of the manoeuvres of his rivals. Patience to suffer the vagaries of a fickle breeze, and quick decision to take advantage of the smallest opportunity. Good temper to endure the buffets of ill-luck, and withal, a light hand on the tiller to coax his sails to slumber in the breeze and thus win the greatest speed from the vessel of which he is in charge
No two helmsmen possess all these qualities in equal degree. Thus one man may lack in coolness and patience. Such an one is he who will sail a magnificent race when he is leading his competitors, but may fail to extricate him- self when placed in a disadvantageous position by his rivals. Another may be slow to observe what is passing around him or may lack the faculty of coming to swift decision." Such an one will, needless to say, miss many an op- portunity and lose many races that might have
A third may be impatient of tem It is said that it is never of any
been won.
per.
use to
got angry with a woman, It is quite certain that the way to perdition in a yacht race lies through the loss of that equanimity which is essential if the helmsman would do himself and his charge justice.
As
look back we
we
He
over our expriences recollec- in yacht racing in these waters tions of
skilful helmsmen rise many before us and
can r member to have detected in each one of them the posses- sion, in a greater or lesser degree, of the qualities we bave mentioned. One of the first expert helmsmen we had to contend with was Mr. (now Major) Lindsay Lloyd, R.E. sailed the old Hiyah with great success in 1891 and won the championship of the Club. Later he achieved equal success with the Payne. He was never more at his ease than when the wind piped loud and lashed the water
Always on into white foaming crests. starting line at gunfire he was hard to catch if he gave you the slip. But when the gentlest of zephyrs, with faint and fickle breath, barely raised the fighting flags of the little fleet of racers, he was perhaps more dangerous still. For so quick his observation and nice his touch on tiller that the little Hiyah was rarely left behind in those patches of water scarcely ruffled by baffling breezes that try the patience of helmsmen in our harbour.
#
17
the
We used to mutter what luck he has as he left us struggling to find an air of wind to carry us on, till the conviction was gradually borne in upon us that his luck was only skill.
name
Mr. Lloyd's principal rival in those days was Major Wynne Eyton, who made so great a for the Dart. He was a skipper perhaps less brilliant but more patient and persevering. No race was ever lost with him till it was won, and no helmsman that has sailed in these waters ever did his craft more consis- tent justice. It was in this epoch, too, that Mr. J. R. Harding, of the Imperial Maritime Customs, came amongst us. He had sailed boats since he was a boy and we sometimes think that he was perhaps the best helmsman that we have seen in these waters. The manner in which he sailed the Hiyah after she had passed out of Mr. Lloyd's hands was an object lesson in what a first-class helmsman can do with anything We that is equipped with tiller and sails sailed against him ourselves, but never beat him, although we often succeeded in beating the Biyahhen he was not at her helm.
Later, some of the closest racing ever seen in Hongkong was witnessed between the Maid Marian in the hands of Mr. John Hastings, and the Erica with Mr. Denison at her tiller.
Of different types these two helr smen, and each with his peculiar capacity. former at once wary and bold; of infinite patience, and with consummate judgment that rarely The latter, original in led him into error. conception, swift in decision and quick to seize the slenderest opportunity afforded by the rules of racing or the condition of the
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
elements. In the two seasons between 1896 and, 1898 the Maid Marian won the championship, Erica being second to her In the third season (1898 to 1899) Erica was champion with the
A notable struggle. Maid Murian second.
more
In addition to being a brilliant helmsman- when he likes to try his best-Mr. Denison has a wonderful knack of finding the trim of a yacht. This is an art hat every helmsmaa should cultivate. Let it not be supposed that a yacht is a machine, like a gun, that one ha only to handle with precision to attain the mark. Even a piauo needs tuning and a clock regulating. But a yacht is
diffenit to deal with than these, for, although inanimate, she so nearly approaches to the animate that we It is sometimes almost fancy her alive. well then to deal with her as you would with her living sisters-attend to her little as well as her big wants; learn to under- stand her; be gentle with her; coax her when out of mood; take pride in her; and she will ever respond to your demands upon her help.
In these later years it has been our good fortune to sail constantly against an exceedingly skilful eimsman-as skilful as any of those mentioned. We allude to Rear- Admiral C. G. Robinson, R.N., who sailed the Vernon with such conspicuous success. Long-trained to the sea he rarely missed indications of wind or Weather, and his touch on the tiller was light and true that it was a real treat to see him sailing his craft to windward,
PRAYA EAST RECLAMATION.
MAJORITY FAVOUR POSTPONING SCHEME.
30
:
(May 15, 1905. principle, and Mr. Chater is hereby authorised to forward this resolution to the Colonial Secretary.
Second: That the holders of lots fronting the sea authorise the preliminary surveys and plans and undertake to contribute, in proportion to their marine fiontages, to the expenses iucurred by the Gvernment in so doing."
These resolutions were on the 10th April, 1901, forwarded by me to the Government as per my letter of that date, which was at the time pablished in the local press. Since that dite I have up till now had no further communication of the Government bearing on this scheme, except one of the 29th July, 1901, merely raising the question of why cer ain inland lots should come into the scheme. I have now t read to you a letter received by a from the Colonial Secretary you will see dated March 19th, 1905. From this tht His Excellency the Governor is now prepared to recommend to the Secretary of State for the Colonies that a reclamation on the lines shown on the attached plans should be carried out by the Government on behalf of marine lot holders, subject to the conditions detailed in the Gover- nor's letter of 12th February, 1901, and which were, as I have already said, laid before you on April 17th, 1901, and subject to any modifications of or additions to the same that the Secretary of State for the Colonies may deem necessary, and attributing the cause for the long delay to correspondence with the naval and military authorities over the boundary to the reclamation on this west side, and with private owners over that of the east. A reference to the two p'aus, both of which are laid on the tab'e, shows a con- siderable alteration in the plan it is now proposed to adopt from that submitted to you A meeting of Marine Lot Owners interested on April 7th, 1901. The ne plan shows three in the reclamation scheme was held in the Old blocks of building area as against two only in the old, and three new streets, each 75 feat Chamber of Commerce Room, City Hall, on the 13th May. Sir C. P. Chater presided, wide, as against two only in the old; cross streets and there were also present Messrs. M. S. twelve in number, each 75 feet wide, as against A glance at the tro Northcote C. W. Dixon, A. J. Raym nd, W. H. ten of only 50 feet wide. Putts. A. Rodger, E. Shellim, W. S. Winter-plaus also shows that the Governm nt prop se burn, A. Rumjahu, A: H. Ough, A. S. Hooper, H. to go further out than was the original idea, W. Mody, A. Ñ. Mody, Li Shun Fan, im Hing thus giving to the marine lot holders & some- Kee. Cheng Peng Hoon, Wing Kee, Kwok what larger area for building but necessarily Chick. Tse Yat, Yeung Chiu, Kwok Li Ting, increasing the amount of capital to be expended by them on the scheme, though not the actual Tam Yuk and Lo Wan Po.
cost per squar foot of reclamation, the principal item of cost of which is, of course, the When I last addressed you I give sea wall. the cost per square foot of building land at 75 cents to $1 and I am still of opinion that the work can be done at this price. The Govern ment, however, now estimate the cost at $1.30 per square foot of building land, an approximate estimate only; no detailed survey of the bed of the sea having yet been made, although at our meeting of the 17th April we passed the resolution referred to above authorising them to proceed forthwith with the preliminary surveys and plans and undertaking to con. tribute in proportion to our marine frontages to the expenses thereof. Gentlemen, I am consent unless, on their part, the Government of opinion that the Government's plan is a would consent to include in the cost of recl ma-good one, and it rests with you to say whether start tion the compensation that would undoubtedly be it should be at once accepted and a
as little delay as possible, or claimed by marine lot holders for loss of made with
whether in your opinion and having in view frontage, etc., on their existing lots during the progress of the works and for the diminished the large number of vacant tenements now value of these lots on conversion into inland existing in the Wanchai district it is expedient
an alternative a
to add to the Colony this large are of building lots, and I suggested as further extension of the reclamation by another land, and the scheme should not rather, while not being actually and definitely abandoned, be seventy-fire feet to be added to the strip of land reserved for godowns, making the depth of postponed to some future day. I shall be glad the reclamation 520 feet instead of 445 feet as
of any expression of your views, and to answer originally proposed, and a payment to the to the best of my ability any questions you may
wish to put. Treasury by the marine lot bolders of a premium of 25 cents per foot on every foot of building land to be leased to them. Government replied that they were prepared, provided you asseut d to recommend to the Secretary of State the general acceptance of the scheme subject to certain conditions (set forth in a letter to me of the 10th February 1901, and laid before you at the meeting of 17th April, 1901) and to any modification the Secre- tary of State might deem necessary. The position of affairs was then placed before you at the meeting held on 17th April, 1901, and you will remember that the following resolutions were then put and carried unanimously:-
First: "
bir PAUL CHATER said: -Gentleman, As some of you here this afternoon were not present at the meeting held on the 17th April, 190, it may not be out of place if I give a short resum of what has taken place up to the pres nt which will, at the same time, serve to refresh the memory of those who attended that meeting. The proposition of the Praya East Reclamation was originally made by me to the Government so far back as the 12th June, 1900. The scheme as then set forth was not, however, acceptable, the Governmeut contending that the terms propos d were unduly favourable to the lot holders, and asking for an equal division of the land reclaimed after deduction of the expenses of reclamation.
To this I could not
To this the
That the proposals for the Wanchai Reclamation embodied in the correspondence between Mr. Chater and the Government and published in the local papers be accepted in
There were no questions, and Mr. A. J. RAYMOND proposed "that in view of the long period that had elapsed since the scheme was first mooted and looking to the fact that the filling up of the Wanchai district, which was to be expected with the advent of tramway com- munication, has not taken place, it is inexpedient at the present time to take any further steps towards the proposed reclamation.”
Mr. E. SHELLIM seconded the motion, which was carried with one dessentient.
#4
An American cartoon pictures a Colton Planter making a bonfire of cotton bales under Speculation," a huge thermometer marked
Mr. Boll Weevil" looks on angrily while complaining, "He was willing to spend money to prevent me eating it.”,
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