The 'Challenge,' 1.1-rater, O.U.S.C., led at first for three or four rounds, 'Mona,' .85, close up, 'Mirage,' 1.0, going well and looking very handsome. At the finish there was capital racing. In the last round but one 'Mona,' .85, leading, caught a hard gust and took in a reef in a very workmanlike way to make sure of saving her mast. It was admirably done and elicited great praise, as she came in running neck and neck with 'Challenge,' 1.1-rater, both on different gybes, 'Challenge' with her little spinnaker on the port hand and 'Mona,' .85, on the starboard. The spinnaker must be the same size as the jibs in these races. The secretary had handed over his steam launch 'Leopard' to Captain Bell of the Thames Conservancy, whilst he and the commodore sailed the 'Kitten,' which came in fourth. The six-day festival of the six Thames Sailing Clubs, so happily and pleasantly blended, promises well for small-rater sport in the future. THE ROYAL WINDERMERE YACHT CLUB The beautiful Lake district is provided with an excellent yacht club, well organised, with workmanlike system and detail; and, as a fresh-water club, it is here described after the Thames associations. It was founded in 1860 and possesses a Royal Warrant dated 1887. The headquarters are at Bowness, adjoining the Old England Hotel, and consist of club-house, reading-rooms, billiard and committee room, and boat landings; and the club has a very hospitable arrangement, like the Bombay Club, by which gentlemen not residing within ten miles of Bowness, on being proposed and seconded by two members, can be admitted as temporary members, for a week, fortnight, or month, for a moderate fee. The sailing committee request owners to see that professional crews of yachts engaged in races wear white or blue jerseys, yachting or man-of-war caps, or straw hats. The ensign is red with crown in fly. The leading feature of the Royal Windermere Lake Yacht Club is well shown in the illustration on p. 185, as, out of comparatively few members, fourteen are at the starting line, a proportion very seldom met with in any club, and certainly suggesting great unanimity and good feeling. The beautiful surroundings of the lake constitute a great charm, though crews in racing craft have not much time to admire picturesque landscape. [Illustration: 'Feeling it' off the Ferry.] The Windermere Club takes precautions to ensure as much as possible real, well-contested races, and like the 'Water Wags' at Dublin has definite club measurements, thus:--