. The encyclopaedia of sport. rincipally concernedwith them. But he also madesails for His MajestvsNavy, as in those stir-ring times, when fleetswere constantly fittingout at Portsmouth, agood deal of sail-mak-ing was given out toprivate firms. Hemade the sails for the Waterwitch by Lord Belfast, to which allusionbeen made. Mr. Ratsey subsequently retired in favour ofhis son, and the Cowes business was carried onvery successfully by him until the year 1880,when he retired, and his sons entered intopartnership with Mr. Edwin Lapthorn. James Lapthorn served his apprenticeshipat Kingsbridge, near
. The encyclopaedia of sport. rincipally concernedwith them. But he also madesails for His MajestvsNavy, as in those stir-ring times, when fleetswere constantly fittingout at Portsmouth, agood deal of sail-mak-ing was given out toprivate firms. Hemade the sails for the Waterwitch by Lord Belfast, to which allusionbeen made. Mr. Ratsey subsequently retired in favour ofhis son, and the Cowes business was carried onvery successfully by him until the year 1880,when he retired, and his sons entered intopartnership with Mr. Edwin Lapthorn. James Lapthorn served his apprenticeshipat Kingsbridge, near Salcombe, and then wentto London, where he managed a large sail-makingbusiness. In 1825 he migrated to Gosport, andstarted sailmaking on his own account, and inthe course of time was joined by his two sons,James and Edwin, who carried on the businessmost successfully for many years. James Lap-thorn died in 1868, and his son James in 1869,and the business was conducted subsequentlyby his surviving son, Edwin, until he entered. Valkyrie II brig, ownedhas already into partnership, as already mentioned, withMessrs. Ratsey in 1880. The firm of Lapthorn and Ratseys carry onbusiness at Cowes, Gosport, Gourock, andSouthampton, and there can be no doubt thatthe combination of talent and experience derivedby this amalgamation has been very beneficialto the art of sail-making. Under these circumstances, immense strideshave been made in the art of sail-cutting of lateyears, and the difficulty in setting sails properlyand keeping them in their places has been pro-portionately decreased. Five and twenty yearsago racing yachts were started from an anchor,with all their sails down, and it was a very difficultbusiness, especially if there was any weight ofwind, to set properly the canvas of a 100-toncutter in those fact, with muchwind the mainsailcould never be got toset all day. Hemp staysand gear were alsostretching all the time,and even if the sailswere properly set atstarting, a pu
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