The Evening Star TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2763, 26 December 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1871.

For the moment politics ami all public questions arc set aside. It is a holi-day-making season, looked forward to by young and old as a time when the common affairs of life may take a secondary place, and, as far as possible, care and anxiety for the future be put uff. It would have been a theme for gratification could this temporary liberty have been enjoyed without alloy, and the thousands of pleasuretakers who had the unexpected treat of a fine day, could have had their pleasure enhanced by the belief that all had equally enjoyed themselves. Unfortunately it was not so. A gloom has been thrown over even tire remembrance of Christmas, 1871, by the sad event we to-day record of so many young men having been drowned while engaged in the healthy and thoroughly British pleasure of boat-sailing. There is more than usual mystery concerning this affair, apparently through some uncertainty as to the exact number on board; for, sad to say, all appear to have perished. It is now more than three years since so serious an accident occurred ; but it should not be forgotten that on account of the peculiar character of the Bay, there is a special liability to such occurrences. It seems so natural for descendants of Britons to take to the water, that, almost by instinct, they become more or less sailors when they live in or near a seaport, and this national spirit should be encouraged rather than repressed. But while of necessity some slight risk will always be run in acquiring skill in the management of boats, such piecautions as regularly trained Bcanicu would adopt should be known and practised by amateurs, so that they may be readily adopted at the moment they are wanted. From the natural features of the country, the Bay is liable to sudden gusts of wind, and it is against the effect of these that amateurs are called upon to know how to guard if they will enjoy their pastime in safety. Those who are loud of sailing or rowing would therefore do well to master some few principles, remembering always that professional seamen are almost invariably more cautious than amateurs; they know the dangers they have to face, and from habit never run an unnecessary risk. It will be impossible now to say from what cause this accident occurred : whether from carrying too much sail, from having the sheet fast instead of in hand, so as to be able to let it go at once when the gust came on, or from neglect of tbe helmsman to bring the boats bead to tbe wind at the moment the squall caught her. Any one of these precautions neglected would be sufficient to bring

about such a catastrophe. Possibly all three might be combined. Wo have sailed with amateurs who seemed to have no idea that such precautions against a contingency were needed. The love of aquatic sports is too deeply engrained in our population to sutlei through occasional disasters \ but we should not lose sight of the lesson they teach : to enjoy them thoroughly there must be consciousness of safety. Skill is never combined with rashness: it runs no unnecessary risk, and vindicates itself by boldness and dexterity in sudden emergencies. While we mourn the dead, their tombs will be an ever present warning to the living, to strengthen courage by knowledge.