The Cumberland Fleet, or, as it is often called, the Cumberland Sailing Society, was founded under the following circumstances.
[Illustration: The 'King's Fisher,' 1776, midship section.]
In the year of grace 1775 the first rowing regatta that was ever held in England took place upon the Thames--on June 23. Previously to this, however, a meeting of 'several very respectable gentlemen, proprietors of sailing vessels and pleasure boats on the river,'[4] held their annual meeting at Battersea, and resolved that on the regatta day they would draw up in a line opposite Ranelagh Gardens, so as not to be in the way of the competing rowing boats. On July 6 of the same year an advertisement appears in the 'Advertiser,' that his Royal Highness Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland (a brother of George III., and an admiral in the British Navy) was about to give a silver cup[5] to be sailed for on July 11. The advertisement is as follows:--
A Silver Cup, the gift of His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland, is to be sailed for on Tuesday, the 11th instant, from Westminster Bridge to Putney Bridge and back, by Pleasure Sailing Boats, from two to five tons burthen, and constantly lying above London Bridge. Any gentleman inclined to enter his Boat may be informed of particulars by applying to Mr. Roberts, Boat-builder, Lambeth, any time before Saturday Noon next.
[Footnote 4: _Public Advertiser_, June 1, 1775.]
[Footnote 5: The cup of 1775 was destroyed in a fire. _Morning Herald_, June 23, 1781.]
[Illustration: Lines of the 'King's Fisher,' of the Cumberland Fleet, 1776. Commodore Thomas Taylor's yacht.
On account of the weather, however, the race was postponed until July 13, when it came off with great success, and the 'Aurora,' owned by a Mr. Parkes, described as 'late of Ludgate Hill,' won the cup. The second boat in was named the 'Fly,' but who owned her the newspapers of the day forgot to mention. From 'the Morning Post'[6] we get the information that only those boats 'which were never let out to hire' would be allowed to enter, and also that 'the Gentlemen, about 18 or 20 in number, who sail for the prize have come to a resolution to be dressed in aquatic uniforms.' This seems to prove that the club had already been formed before the match, and was probably an outcome of the club at Battersea mentioned above. We also find from the old newspapers that the owners (who, by the way, were always styled 'captain') had to steer their respective vessels, and in the case of this first match were allowed two assistants; so it would seem that what nowadays are called 'Corinthian rules' were in the early period of yacht-racing a _sine quâ non_.