times hard on the north head of Leigh Sand. The Prince of Wales's cutter, however, keeping wide, slipped past 'Valkyrie' about the Chapman, drew to, and came fair ahead. The pair kept up a grand race on the Essex side of the river, but 'Iverna,' greatly favoured by the wind and her opponents' jockeying, had got within a couple of minutes of the leaders when off Holehaven. Spinnakers were carried through the Hope, and a grand race finished with a free reach from Coalhouse Point home, 'Britannia' beating 'Valkyrie' by 73 seconds; but 'Iverna' won the prize by time. [Illustration: Thames, Harwich, and Cinque Ports Courses.] A very fine open-water match was that of the Royal Thames Club on June 10 from the Nore round the back of the Goodwins to Dover. The usual tale of five of the national rig and the schooner 'Amphitrite' made up the entry, and all mustered at the rendezvous. It was a cheerless morning, the sky being heavy and of slaty hue, whilst a brisk north-easter blew cold off the water. The schooner had a yard-topsail set, 'Calluna' her No. 2 jackyarder, and the 'Britannia,' 'Valkyrie,' 'Satanita,' and 'Iverna' their jibheaders. Reef-tackles were ready to pull earings down, but the breeze veered to the east north-east and did not harden. They had a beat to the Tongue with a swinging weather tide, 'Britannia' made a capital start, and twice crossed ahead of 'Valkyrie'; but exactly half an hour after the start, off the 'West Oaze,' 'Britannia' found her sister marching clear ahead. 'Calluna' had been in Tilbury Dock since her inglorious performance at Harwich; she was there lightened of tons of dead weight, and the syndicate ship was very much livelier, and infinitely more able at breeze squeezing; while the turnings were too short for 'Satanita' to be cutting a dash. 'Britannia' jumped up on 'Valkyrie' every time the long leg on port came, and at the entrance of the Alexandra Channel 'Valkyrie,' on the bearing tack, had to come about under the lee bow, the Prince of Wales's cutter thus becoming 'bell wether.' 'Valkyrie' stayed for 'Britannia,' which was however on port, but the former was clear enough ahead before getting abreast of the beacons on the Girdler. The two leading boats worked shorter tacks than the rest down the Alexandra to the southern pitch of the Shingles, and they were consequently getting picked up a little by 'Calluna' and 'Satanita.' After a long leg on port, the last tack was made for weathering distance of the Tongue Lightship, and on passing this mark after a beat of 19 miles with a weather tide, the 'Valkyrie' led 'Britannia' 2 mins., 'Calluna' 7 mins. 30 secs., 'Satanita' 9 mins. 30 secs., and 'Iverna' 15 mins. 30 secs. It may be said that the distance was covered by the leader in 2 hrs. 18 mins. After allowing for a sweep of fair tide they had a broad reach off to the North Sandhead, and although 'Britannia' raced up on 'Valkyrie,' she stopped directly she