The years 1814, 1821, and 1822 have no sailing matches recorded against them, but these, with 1783 to 1785, are the only ones in which we have failed to find a race of some sort or other. After Commodore Taylor's retirement it is believed that Mr. Edward Nettlefold was elected in his place, but there is, great confusion on the subject, for in 1817 he is called commodore of the 'London Yacht Club,' which in another number of the same paper is called the 'New Cumberland Fleet.' Most probably there had been some dissensions among the members of the club, but whatever had happened, there is no getting over the fact that in the year 1823 the Cumberland Fleet had a below-bridge race, and that it was under the direction of Commodore Edward Nettlefold.
The year 1823 is a most important one in the history of the club. On July 17 there was a race for a silver cup in honour of the King's coronation,[20] and the newspapers[21] go on to say:--
The 'Favourite' steam packet, soon after ten o'clock, came down from the Tower. This boat was elegantly decorated, and was crowded with ladies. The gentlemen of the 'Old Cumberland Fleet' were on board, under the direction of their respected Commodore, Edward Nettlefold, Esquire, under whose direction the match took place.
[Footnote 21: _Morning Advertiser_, July 18, 1823; _Sporting Magazine_, July, 1823; _Morning Chronicle_, July 19, 1823; _Globe_, July 18, 1823; _Public Ledger_, July 19, 1823.]
The cup was won by the 'Venus,' belonging to Captain George Keen. In the 'Public Ledger' of July 17, 1823, is the following advertisement:--
The Subscribers and Members of the Old Cumberland Fleet will dine together at the Ship Tavern, Water Lane, Tower Street, this day at four o'clock precisely to celebrate the coronation of His Most Gracious Majesty King George IV.; when the superb silver cup, sailed for in honour of that event, on Thursday last, from Blackwall to Coal House Point, below Gravesend and back, by gentlemen's pleasure vessels, will be presented to Captain George Keen, the winner of the prize; and to arrange the articles for the sailing match to take place on Wednesday afternoon, the 30th instant, and to start at three o'clock from Blackfriars Bridge, and sail to Putney and back to Cumberland Gardens, under the especial patronage of the proprietors of the Royal Gardens, Vauxhall.'