AQUATICS.

Evening Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 99, 15 November 1882, Page 2

AQUATICS.

A very amusing letter, signed "Aquatics," appears in this morning's Times on my notes re Handicap Yacht Bace published by you on Monday. The writer has endeavoured to pull a fancied mote out of my eye, while he had a huge beam in his own, and has apparently strained himself in his attempt. Ho says that sporting reports in newspapers shouldbe accurate because bets are decided by them and many people read them. Just so, but baf ore he attempted to question my report he should have looked at and studied the report of the same race as recorded in the paper he has written to. That is a marvel of accuracy. Out of fifteen boats stated there as having competed, three, the Pet, Garibaldi, and Ida, were hauled up on shore at that day, the Ida coming off as the race finished, while the Minnehaha, Petrel and Alert, never went out in the race at all. Then he states that tho Diamond " aovermme within cooey of the starting point." If this is true, how \ came tho Diamond to be amongst the ruck of the yachts competing a few hundred ' yards away from the wharf after the start, Sailed by Mr. Simpson (the owner, I believe), Mr^larmon, of Thorndon Baths, and another gentleman,' and kept with them in the middle of the boats on. the yachting course all the way down to and round the island (going third round tho island), until the " kites" went wrong and she was_ outpaced. In spite of " Aquatio's " assertion, I cannot think for a moment that Mr. Simpson (tho owner of the Diamond, I beliovo) would so far forget himself as to traverse all the haws of racing by not accepting tho handicap, but yot to run as a non-contestant in the middle of the boats that were racing, for that ia really what the Diamond did do. With regard to the punctuality question, I again assert that the start was a punctual one, wonderfully so considering all things, and in these cases the starter cannot consult or attempt to reconcile tho vagaries of every person's " tnrnip." His remarks about the two guns displays a truly lamentable lack of acquaintance with boat racing. And with regard to his statement about the Thetis being the last to loave her moorings, a good jtnany persons on board their own yachts lying close to the Thetis could prove his assertion to be false. I advise my friend to gd to school a little whilo among yachting men beforo he attempts tho consorship business. Those concerned in the race know the account given was a true one. BOATHOOK.