Although the racing of steam yachts as a recognized sport has not made the progress that was at one time expected, yet the owner and crew of a crack vessel will take as much interest in her performance as those belonging to a sailing yacht, and hate to be passed quite as badly.  In this way many informal matches come off, and some of these are for considerable distances.  The Field contains a notice of a run recently made from Plymouth Breakwater to Gibraltar, by the Juno, owned by Mr. Frank Millan, and the Queen of Palmyra, in which the former beat the latter by only five minutes.  The time occupied was four days twenty hours, a fair, though not extraordinary, performance for vessels of this size.  The Juno has always been considered a slow boat, but has been much improved lately by new machinery, which has been put in her by Messrs. Day, Summers & Co.  Her best performance on the run was 235 knots in 213/4 hours.  The Marchesa, Mr. C.T.  Kettlewell, started from Plymouth on the 23d of last December, and made the run to Gibraltar in four days seventeen hours; while the Amy, starting on December 12, was four days thirteen hours from Cowes to Gibraltar.

* * * * *

A catalogue, containing brief notices of many important scientific papers heretofore published in the SUPPLEMENT, may be had gratis at this office.

* * * * *

THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT.

PUBLISHED WEEKLY.

Terms of Subscription, $5 a Year.

Sent by mail, postage prepaid, to subscribers in any part of the United States or Canada.  Six dollars a year, sent, prepaid, to any foreign country.

All the back numbers of THE SUPPLEMENT, from the commencement, January 1, 1876, can be had.  Price, 10 cents each.

All the back volumes of THE SUPPLEMENT can likewise be supplied.  Two volumes are issued yearly.  Price of each volume, $2.50, stitched in paper, or $3.50, bound in stiff covers.

COMBINED RATES—­One copy of SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN and one copy of SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT, one year, postpaid, $7.00.

A liberal discount to booksellers, news agents, and canvassers.

MUNN & CO., Publishers,

361 Broadway, New York, N.Y.

* * * * *

PATENTS.

In connection with the SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, Messrs. MUNN & Co. are Solicitors of American and Foreign Patents, have had 40 years’ experience, and now have the largest establishment in the world.  Patents are obtained on the best terms.

A special notice is made in the SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN of all Inventions patented through this Agency, with the name and residence of the Patentee.  By the immense circulation thus given, public attention is directed to the merits of the new patent, and sales or introduction often easily effected.