The next year--1883--showed a still further advancement in the club's popularity, for it was the chosen recipient of a Queen's Cup. This prize was sailed for on July 14, during the 'Clyde Week,' in a race for all yachts over 40 tons, and no fewer than eleven yachts started. [Illustration: 'Thistle' _Winning the Queen's Cup in the Clyde._] If, however, 1883 has been rendered famous for being a Queen's Cup year, 1884 will be noted for the success of its closing cruise, and the sport it provided. This season surpassed itself in the number of entries for the closing cruise handicap, and never have so many yachts come forward to race for the handsome cups, the gifts of members of the club, as on this occasion. In the first match for yachts over 40 tons, ten entered, including five over 90 tons, three 60-tonners, and two of 40 tons. It was the race for 20-tonners, however, that gave real character to the meeting, and there can be no mistake in saying that no other club in the kingdom has ever had to start so many as nine 20- and two 15-tonners in one race, all clever fast yachts, and no third or fourth rate cruisers, as will be seen from their names: 'Clara,' 'Lenore,' 'Amathea,' 'Louise,' 'Sayonara,' 'Irene,' 'Thyra,' 'Maggie,' 'Calypso,' 'Rival,' and 'Gem.' In the race for 10-tonners seven started, among them the old 'Helen' schooner, 17 tons, a yacht which saw more hard sailing than perhaps any other belonging to the club. She was built at Cowes, and was one of Halliday's pretty creations, a few of which are still to be met with. In 1892 she was unfortunately driven on the rocks off Hafton in the Holy Loch, during a severe gale, and was soon smashed into matchwood. For the prize in the 5-ton class three put in an appearance, all the fastest racing yachts of the year. [Illustration: 'Clara,' 10 tons, midship section.] The courses for yachts of 40 tons and upwards were altered in 1885; instead of rounding the Powder buoy a mark buoy anchored off Kilcreggan became the furthest point. In 1886 the club forwarded a challenge to the New York Yacht Club, in the name of Mr. Jas. Bell, and this ended in the yacht 'Thistle,' now known as the 'Meteor' and owned by H.I.M. the German Emperor, being built, and sent across the Atlantic, to contend for the Cup won by the 'America.' The 'Thistle' and 'Volunteer' matches were the consequence, and they are so well known that it would be superfluous here to furnish an account of them; suffice it to say that, though the Scotch yacht did not win the great event, her performances with the 'Volunteer' not only taught British yachtsmen many a lesson, but afforded not a few hints to their American rivals.