YACHT (yat), a decked pleasure ves sel; a light and elegantly fitted-up ves sel, used either for racing or for pleas ure trips, or as an official or state vessel to convey royal personages or government officials from place to place. The rigs are various, and many pleasure yachts now have steam power as an accessory, or for use during calms. Rac ing yachts are built with very fine lines, enormous spars and sails, and have the hull deeply ballasted, thus sacrificing everything to speed. Yachts appear to have been used by the Dutch in the 16th century, and the English probably bor rowed the idea from that nation. In 1604 such a vessel was built for Prince Henry of Whales and in 1660 and sub sequently several were built for Charles II.
The use of steam has been a great factor in the increase of interest in pri vate yachts.
The first recorded yacht race was one in which a vessel of Charles II. defeated a Dutch racer and one belonging to the Duke of York. The course was from Greenwich to Gravesend and back, and the stake 100 guineas ($500). The oldest British yacht club was formed at Cork, Ireland, and dates back at least to 1720. In 1812 the Royal Yacht Club of Eng land was organized. The New York Yacht Club, an outgrowth of a Hoboken sailboat club, was started with nine members. In the first stated match sailed by the club, the schooner "Cygnet" won. Little attention was paid in the United States to the building of yachts till 1846, when Commodore Stevens and his brother Edwin A. Stevens, built the "Maria." This vessel was the largest sloop-rigged pleasure craft up to that time. It was at first intended to send her to the World's Fair at London, in 1851, but the "America," designed by George Steers of New York, and built by the Stevens brothers, was ultimately chosen. Commodore Stevens crossed the Atlantic in the "America," and entered her in the race of Aug. 22, open to all yachts, for a $2,500 cup. The course was around the Isle of Wight and the "Amer ica" beat the whole field of 18 yachts by about 7 miles. On Aug. 28 she sailed a race with the English schooner "Titania" over a 40-mile course winning an over whelming victory. The achievements of the American yacht had a marked effect on the work of British ship-builders. It was not till 1870 that an effort was made to regain the "America" cup. For a record of the races from 1870 to 1920 for that trophy see AMERICA'S CUP. On Sept. 28, 1901, the "Columbia" defended the cup against the "Shamrock II.," win ning by 1 minute, 20 seconds in a race of 4 hours, 30 minutes, 24 seconds. Oct. 3, 1901, the same boats competing, a race of 3 hours, 12 minutes, 35 seconds, was won by the American yacht by 3 minutes, 35 seconds. In the race on the following day, the British yacht finished first in a race of 4 hours, 32 minutes and 57 seconds, but on a time allowance of 43 seconds, the "Columbia" won by 11.
In 1903, Sir Thomas Lipton challenged for the third time, in the name of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club, of Cork, Ire land. The New York Yacht Club named the latter part of Aug. as the time for the races. Aug. 22, the first decisive race was run, the New York Yacht Club boat being the "Reliance," built by the Herres hoffs, the English boat being the "Shamrock III." In this and in the two succeeding races, "Reliance" won. In
1920 Sir Thomas Lipton again chal lenged with the "Shamrock IV." The de fender was the "Resolute," which from July 15th to 27th, 1920, won five out of seven races sailed.
Several trans-Atlantic races have test ed the seagoing qualities of modern yachts. In 1866 the schooners "Henri etta," "Fleetwing," and "Vista" raced from Sandy Hook to the Needles, Isle of Wight, for stakes amounting to $90,000. The "Henrietta" won in 13 days, 21 hours, 55 minutes, averaging knots for 3,106 miles, The "Fleetwing" sailed 3,005 miles, and the "Vista" 3,046 miles. On July 4, 1890, the schooners "Cam bria" and "Dauntless" raced from Old Kinsale Head, Ireland, to Sandy Hook. The "Cambria" won. She sailed 2,881 miles in 23 days, 5 hours, 17 minutes. The "Dauntless" sailed 2,783 miles in 23 days, 7 hours. The schooners "Coronet" and "Dauntless" sailed a match race for $10,000 a side in 1887. The start was made off Bay Ridge, Long Island, on March 12, and the race ended at Queens town, Ireland. The "Coronet" won. She sailed 2,949 miles in 14 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes. The "Dauntless" sailed 2,947 miles in 16 days, 1 hour, 43 minutes. In 1921 King Albert of Belgium awarded prizes for a series of races across the Atlantic for sailing vessels of all classes. A race between American and Canadian fishing vessels was held on Oct. 30-Nov. 1. off Halifax. The American schooner "Esperanto" defeated the Canadian "Delawana" in two races.
Among the designers of American and British racing vessels John Harvey and Beaver-Webb, of England, George Len nox Watson and William Fife, of Scot land, and Edward Burgess and N. G. Herreshoff, of New England, have been especially prominent.
YAK, the native name for the Poepha gus grunniens, a species of ox from the mountainous regions of Tibet. There are two races: the wild yak, generally black, which is found near the snow line, de scending into the valleys in winter, and a domesticated race of various colors, black and white being most common. The yak is about the size of the common ox to which it has a general resem blance, but it is covered with a thick coat of long, silky hair, hanging down like the fleece of a sheep, completely invest ing the tail, and forming a lengthy fringe along the shoulders, flanks, and thighs. This fringe, which exists in both races, was apparently developed as a protection to the animal in its alpine haunts, as the long hair forms a sort of mat which defends the body from the effects of the cold when the animal is reposing in the snow. The domesticated race is of great importance to the na tives of Tibet. The yak is employed as a beast of burden, but never for tillage or draught; the milk is very rich, and yields excellent butter; the flesh is of the finest quality, and that of the calves far superior to ordinary veal. The hair is spun into ropes, and made into cover ings for tents, and the soft fur of the hump and withers is woven into a fine strong cloth. The tails, often dyed red, are made into the chowries or fly-flap pers, used in India. Yaks are often seen in zoological gardens and menageries, and have repeatedly bred in Europe, and it is probable that they might be advantageously introduced into the Highlands of Scotland and the N. parts of the Continents of America and Europe.