can type, like Mucillage, require almost a horse's power to steer them under the same conditions, carrying the while an abnormal weather helm.

When Gloriana and Mineola were approaching the Spit in the New York Yacht Club regatta last June, the latter yacht became in a measure unmanageable, pushing herself under the lee bow of the former yacht in a troublesome and unusual manner, the Gloriana all the while being under absolute control although she carried a heavier press of sail than her opponent.

These and many more circumstances convince me that other influences than merely the action of the rudder enter into the problem of steering, and I must still adhere to my statement made in the "North American Review," in October, 1891, that the perfect steering qualities of Gloriana in a great measure are acquired by the peculiar form of her entrance and by her manner of disposing of the water of displacement under her lee bow.

Lewis Herreshoff.

The Battle of the "Wyoming" in Japan. It was with much pleasure I read in the April number of THE CENTURY MAGAZINE the account of the United States Steamship Wyoming in the Straits of Shimonoseki, but I regret that the article should be marred even by a single omission or inaccuracy.

If my memory serves me rightly, "Master William Barton " was at that time Lieutenant William H. Barton. Acting Master John C. Mills should read John C. Wells, of Greenport, Long Island. I regret that the name of our ward-room messmate, an able officer, stanch friend, and popular with all the ship's

officers and crew, has been omitted entirely from the article: namely, Acting Master William Tallman, Jr., of New Bedford. He it was, I believe, who was in command of the "after 11-inch pivot-gun" (not Wells', and therefore, if I am right, to him should be given the credit. Mr. Wells was the navigating officer, and the undersigned at that time was assistant navigating officer and officer in charge of the powder and shell division. It was a hot fight, and every one on board entered into the engagement with a determination to conquer or die. From the nature of our surroundings there could be no skulking, no straggling, no retreat. To be defeated by the overwhelming numbers meant naught but death eventually by the hand of our enemies, a fate much more horrible to contemplate than to meet death amid the heat and smoke of battle.

Mr. Griffis compliments our late commander McDougal and Lieutenant-Commander and Executive Officer Young none too highly, for they truly were men of steel, modest and fearless; heroes in all the word implies. Walter Pearce,

Late Acting Ensign, U. S. S. "Wyoming."

COMMENT.

I THANK Mr. Pearce for calling attention to my unintentional omission of the name of Acting Master William Tallman, Jr., though I was informed by the other officers of the Wyoming that Acting Master John C. Wells (which a mistake of the copyist made Mills) was in charge of the after pivot-gun. Master William Barton was not, as he has written me, made lieutenant until some time after the action.

Wade in the cool and sparklin' crick,
While cute spring bossies romp and play
With Ponto, in the tall slough hay,
Yeh picket out the gentle Roany,

Kemble.

Yer knowin', faithful, herdin' pony,
And tumblin' down upon yer back
Wher' gay, sweet-smellin' beauties bide
In posey beds, three counties wide,
You take a swig of prairy air,

With which old speerits kent compare,
And think, and plan, and twist, and rack
Yer brains, to work some scheme aroun'
To git a week to spend in town.

III. PRIDEWEED AND THISTLES.

Prideweed 'n' thistles grew so thick
The critters would n' pull the plow,-
The steer was willin', but the plaguy cow
Objected to the jagger's prick,-
So I bedeviled in the crap.1

Nen swagg'rin' mustard come so quick,
A-struttin' smart to make a show,
The crap wa'n't give no lay to grow,
And when a drouth come down ker-slap
I see it wa'n't no ust to hoe;
By harvest-time I come to know
The toilin' farmer hed no chance,-
The laws not givin' him a show,-
So I put on my other pants,
And quit the farm 'n' squar'-off went
To jest reform the gover❜ment.

IV. THE COMMITTEE.

When school was out along in June,
About the time the corn laid by,
We picnicked Friday afternoon.
And it so come thet Lit 'n' I
Were all committee.

We sot the tables where the light

Leaked through the laughin' leaves and cast

A silver barley sieve down right

Where all the posey-pots were spread,
And chicken pie, and seeded bread,

And crusted cake, and fust and last

'Bout ever'thing there is to eat

Of hearty stuff, and sour and sweet.
And there was Lity.

She come from town to teach our school;

I tuck to her right from the fust,

But must say I were treated wust
I ever were. Along with me
On thet committee I could see
She 's mad enough to hev a fit.
But what made me the maddest yit
Were when thet there confounded mule
Of beau of her'n-pleg-takéd fool-
Come from ther city.

The kinky, dandy, slinkin' slim,

I seen her makin' eyes at him.
But me, committee long with her,
He got no chance to beau her ther'.
And when the exhibition come,
Old Billy Mason played the drum;
And Lity kind of bossed the show,
Proddin' the parties up to sing,

And act, and speak, and kep' the thing
A-movin' on. Fust Molly Snow
And Susie Harris

Come on the stand to wonst and spoke

The dialog' "Aunt Sally's Joke."

We never hed a thing so good

Exhibit in our neighborhood.

I spoke "Bozzaris."

They stomped and clapped so I could tell
I'd done the thing almighty well.

But when the teacher spoke a piece,
The "Maid of Athens," down in Greece,
We stomped enough to raise the West,
Me stompin' louder 'n all the rest,
Nen while th' infant class were singin'

1 Sowed without first plowing.