1906 Harmsworth Trophy

Southampton Water, Southampton, England, August 8-9, 1906

Motor-Yacht Club Eliminating Trials

The eliminating trials for the British International Cup were held yesterday, in magnificent weather, under the burgee of the Motor-Yacht Club, the course being laid from the club ship, Enchantress, at Netley, to and around the Baldhead, Calshot Castle, and Owers Lake buoys, thence around three mark-boats moored to the north of the Enchantress, and back to the line, five rounds, 32 nautical miles. Six boats had been entered---namely, Lord Howard de Walden's Daimler I, and Rose-en-Soleil (steam), Mr. S. F. Edge's Napier III, Lord Montagu and Mr. Lionel Rothschild's Yarrow Napier, and Mr. Mawdsley Brooke's Brooke I. Of these, however, only Brooke I, Yarrow Napier, Rose-en-Soleil, and Daimler I were present when the "prepare" flag was hoisted at 10hr. 15min. a.m. As Lord Howard de Walden's new 180 h.p. Saunders boat, Daimler II, had started from Cowes, and been delayed still further by avoiding the 52-footers starting in the squadron matches, she was even too late for the start at 10hr. 30min, and the Napier III was an absentee. Just before the start some part of Brooke's mechanism went amiss, but the trouble was partially remedied in time to enable her to lead out from the line at gunfire. Yarrow Napier, nevertheless, hauled into the lead before the flagship was fairly cleared, and, increasing her lead from the rest on every mile run, was over half an hour ahead at the finish. Her nearest rival was Rose-en-Soleil, but the latter, though splendidly handled by Mr.. A. G. Fentiman, never had sufficient speed, and owing to the water-feed pump going temporarily wrong on the fourth round, was actually lapped by Yarrow Napier, whose total time — 1hr. 29min. 37sec. — was nevertheless only equal to a 22.9 knot speed. The times of all were:

	H. M. S		H. M. S.
Yarrow Napier	11 59 37	Rose-en-Soleil	12 31 47
Daimler	12 56 36	Brooke I	1 12 6

Brooke was thus over 1hr. 12min. behind Yarrow Napier.

The team chosen to defend the cup against the American challenger Dixie are Yarrow Napier, Rose-en-Soleil, and Daimler I.

After the trials were well under way a race for boats under 250 M.M.A. rating, with M.M.A. time scale allowances, was held over a short club course. Five boats started at 10hr. 45min. These were Mr. O. B. Colls's Fleurette, Captain R. T. Dixon's Hebe, Messrs. G. Dickson and E. H. Halliday's Albatross, Mr. A. C. G. Knowles's Iris, and Mr. J. P. Dean's Scout II. They started and finished in the order named, their times at the finish being:---

	H M S		H M S
Fleurette (second prize)	11 51 57	Iris	11 54 39
Hebe (third prize)	11 52 57	Scout IV	11 59 55
Albatross (winner)	11 53 26

(Transcribed from the (London) Times, Aug. 9, 1906, p. 10)