The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-17
International Raccs- More Challenges frem
nIr. A4h5.vy.

International Rancs- More Challenges frem
Mr.. Aahswry.
In another column We give letter OF Mr..
Ashbury, the owner OF the English yacht Cam
bria, challenging Mr.. James Gordon Bennett,
Jr., to a series OF yacht races, and with II inc
answer OF Mr.. Bennett. The challenges are
as follows:-
RACE No. IA race In the first week OF March.
1870 from Ryde round the Isle Of wight, Royal
Thames tecnt Club measurement and lime allow
ance; no restriction as To number of hands. can
vas or friends; to start from our anchors all can
vas down.
RACE No, IA race from Ryde round cherbourg
BreakWatsr ana back, ROYAL Thames Yacht CLUB
measurement and tine allowance; no restilctlon ~
to number OF hands, canvas or friends; 70 START
?@ our anenols w't i9res2 ana a.; ma a al S Set
race nom Cowes TO New York: lying start, and no
qnosions az to tonnage, time allowances or res'ric-
tons OF any description.
RACES Nos. 4 ASD 5.--Two races In New York
waters. over the usual course OF the New YORK
Yacht Ciab, ani i'll accordance with theif meae OF
mcaauteuient tine allowances or other usual con-
ditlons.
Mr. Ashbury's challenges promise to be-
come famous in the annals of aquatic sport.
Hitherto, 80 far as they are known on this side
The Atlantic, they have been conspicuous by
their harrenness in results Whether this has
been due to the apathy or timidity Of yacht
men generally or to some unfortunate pecu-
iiarity in the challenges themselves the per-
sons most interested are best fitted to decide;
but when u man issues regular gamut OF
aquatic defiance and never finally comes to the
trying Of even single point among all those
he proposes to sottle, ii must seem to the gene
raj public either that his points are trivial or
that the universal voice Of the yachting world
is against the fairness Of his terms. In the
former challenges from this gentleman, Of
which our readers have heard great deal, he
proposed 10 contest the possession OF the cup
won by the America, and also in an ocean
race the relative merits OF the English and
American models for yachts. Neither point is
trivial But the cup ia held on certain
conditions, and when these are complied
with its holders have no opti0n-they must
make race. The failure to race, therefore,
could not be their fault. No race was made
for the cup simply because Mr.. Ashbury did
not see fiji to comply with the plain necessary
conditions. In the proposed ocean trial Mr..
Ashhury coupled his challenge with conditions
that made race impossible, and insisted on
those conditions, 50 that he resoIuteiy pre-
vented the race he seemed to desire
His present challenges have the same
impractical character. He knows by positive
declarations frequently printed that the owner
of the Dauntless will not make any but
an ocean race in any case where
the build and model of the vessels
are such as to give the contest an inter
national character; that he will not expose
such contest to the accidents OF eddies, cur
rents and pilotage, but will only wage it on
the sea, where the chances are far more likely
to be even and where it is possible to get
fair result Of sailing power, endurance and OF
seaworthiness in every aspect. Although this
has been distinctly stated to him, Mr.. Ashbury
still issues his cartel with proposal for a race
sandwiched between two or three little impos
sibiiities. Why? Is it because he knows that
it win not be accepted?
Mr. Ashbury may not be quite satisfied with
the position he was left IN by his failure to
make any race with all his former challenges,
and he may desire now to improve that posi-
ton. lie at lr5c issued several cnalcngeS, SO
separate in their character and intention that
different parties were at liberty to take him up
on different points. The owner of the Daunt-
less accepted one Of these, and Mr.. Ashbury
avoided this acceptance on the point Of
relative size, though he now says 81 am
willing to set aside all technical questions of
mode Of measurement as regards the principal
race and accept as the American champion
your vessel the Dauntless in lien OF one Of tho
Cambrias size, rs required by me in my
formal challenge to ali America in 'GS." lie
thus rolin9uishes the point on which he
formerly refused to race; but he Issues his
series Of challenges in a new relation, SO that
who takes one must take all, or refusing GER
tain CUES must seem to refuse the rest. To
such challenge Mr. Bennett has given the
most proper reply in simply rciterating his
readiness TO make the only race he ever pro-
posed to enter.
Oar Special Correspondence from Helginn,--
viltov Eage q, Home ia Brussels.
Tho sneeial CORE sDondenca from BIuesp's