Note 2 — Chapter I · ROYAL YACHTS AND ENGLISH YACHT CLUBS

The fastest yachts in the Royal Yacht Squadron are shown, of course, in the list of Queen's Cup winners, which forms a befitting annual history. Yachting in early days, however, was real yachting in its truest sense, cruising about, that is to say, for the sake of peace and rest; the vessels were generally schooners of considerable tonnage for sea cruising. We have no longer 'Alarm,' 248 tons, 'Aurora Borealis,' 252 tons; but the faithful 'Egeria,' 152 tons, belonging to Mr. Mulholland, now Lord Dunleath, is still with us. In 1852-53 there were only two steam yachts in the Squadron, which was averse to the new comers; but by degrees a fine schooner class with auxiliary steam was introduced, including, of well-known boats, 'Sunbeam,'[2] 1874; 'Czarina,' 1877; 'Wanderer' and 'Lancashire Witch,' 1878. New members from 1890 to 1892 added 7,000 tons to the fleet, principally steamers up to 1,000 tons and more.