Descriptions of the distinguishing Colours of the Pleasure Boats which Sail on Friday, July 2, for the Cup given by the Proprietors of Vauxhall Gardens.

Flyer distributed before the fifth Vauxhall Gardens yacht race on 2 July 1790, for the purpose of informing spectators of the manner in which to tell the competing vessels apart. Title is printed in blue ink at top of page. Below is a handwritten ink inscription, "1790", and below is a woodcut in red and blue ink depicting a pennant with a St. George's cross and five blue dots, each labeled 1-5. Below, in blue ink, is the following text:
"Each of the Race Boats will be distinguished by a St. George's broad Pendant, viz. a red Cross on white ground, at her Peak; marked with blue spots or balls, as in the above Plan. The First in the subjoined List, will have the spot No. 1; the Second Nos. 1 and 2; the Third 1 2 and 3, and so on progressively.
LIST OF BOATS."
Under this are five columns:
"BOATS.
Mercury,
Adventure,
Eclipse,
Tartar,
Cumberland,"
to the right of which is
"NAMES
Capt. Simms,
------ Bailis,
------ Astley,
------ Walmsley,
Commodore Taylor,"
to the right of which is
"Of what Place.
London,
Westminster,
Lambeth,
Hammersmith,
London,"
to the right of which is
"Tonnage.
VIII.
X.
XVII.
XII.
XII."
to the right of which is
"Spots.
1
2
3
4
5"
This is followed by a note: "N.B. the Cumberland is not intended to start [i.e., is not competing]; but entered by her Owner to establish her right to Sail."
On the verso is a manuscript list in what appears to be the same ink as the "1790" on the recto. The list is in four columns resembling the first four printed on the recto; there was a fifth to the left, but it has been cut away. The columns are headed "July 14th 1789" and give the ships that competed on the Vauxhall Cup held on that date:
[for the purposes of transcription, columns are delineated by a dash]
"Mercury [-] Astley [-] London [-] 8
Adventure [-] Walmsley [-] Hammerh.[-] 10
Phoenix [-] Parkins [-] London [-] 12
Duchs. [sic--should be Duke] of Cumberland [-] Loveday [-] Hammh. [-] 11
Aeolus [-] Windle [-] London [-] 5
Venus [-] Grayfort [-] [as above, symbol] [-] 4
Eagle [-] Grubb [-] [-] 8
Nancy [-] Leeson [-] [-] 12
Griffin [-] Lord Paget [-] [-] 4
Cumberland [-] Taylor [-] [-] 13
entered but not intended to sail"
Watermark on paper, with an elaborate shield and fleur de lys pattern.