[Illustration: Built in Boston for Lord Percy, 1774, with one centreboard.]
[Illustration: Built at Deptford, 1789, with three sliding keels.]
The Admiralty in 1790 A.D. had a revenue cutter called the 'Trial,' built with three sliding keels. The report was most satisfactory, and a note on their application describes--
Use of fore keel in tacking and laying to.
Use of keels on a wind, raised or depressed according as necessary to assist helm or gain the wind.
Use of after keel, in wearing or scudding in a gale of wind.
Keels hove up going over shoals or before the wind.
The Admiralty soon after this proceeded to make a bold experiment, and built a 60-ton brig, the 'Lady Nelson,' with three sliding keels, designed to perform a voyage of discovery to New South Wales. She was built in 1797, and began her expedition of 1800-1-2 under the command of Lieutenant James Grant, R.N., when she first sailed round Tasmania, at the same time as the 'Flinders's' voyage to Australia. A full account was published in 1803. The whole report was favourable to the keels, and H.M. sloop 'Cynthia' was built. Private individuals also made experiments, and some cargo boats at Teignmouth were fitted with them for river-work. About this time a very prominent personage in the yachting world was the Commodore of the Cumberland Sailing Society in the Thames. Commodore Taylor had a yacht built with five sliding keels, the illustration here given being his from a photograph of the model now in possession of Mr. Richard Taylor, his grandson. The original lines of this vessel have been presented to the Royal Thames Yacht Club, together with the pennants and ensigns flown by the Commodore during his period of office, and are now carefully preserved in the Club House in Albemarle Street; the cups are still retained in the family, by Messrs. Robert and Richard Taylor. Early in the present century the sliding keels were pivoted (1809) here in England, by Captain Shuldham, R.N.
[Illustration: Cumberland Fleet: Commodore Taylor's 'Cumberland,' with sliding keels.]
[Illustration: Showing the five keels down, as on the wind.]
In America centreboards became general, in fact almost universal, from scows to catboats, catboats to sloops, sloops to schooners and coasters. As regards their application to English modern racers, Mr. Jameson, who is always to the fore either in adopting improvements or sailing races, built 'Irex' in 1873 with a centreboard; but after careful trials to thoroughly test its capabilities, it was discarded, the slot filled up, and 'Irex' became the crack of the season without it.