The New York herald., 1871-10-17
Rear C0mmodor, 0sgOcd'S Yacht Columbia
Sails the Liyonia Over tie New
York Yacht Club Course.
The LiyOnia is Beaten Over
Three Miles and Nearly
Half an Hour.
Scenes and Incidents In the Bay-Enihu.
siastic Reception OF the vic-
tOri0us Yacht.

l tut udys anu WcekS new fOrk dYltu all us many
excitements, including the great disaster In
Chicago and tie almost panic In Wall street and
among It's leading moneyed Institutions has talked
and broodec over the subject Of yacnts and yachts
| men. This mas swayed and trlumphed over the
minds OF men, women and children. fashionable and
| lowU. The tremendous theme parioOk OF keel ana
centre-board boats-tnose best IN light winds and
those III squalls and gales boats that could sail well
when the clements were quiet, aud those that would
make the most headway when laid down to their work
and when their lee gunwaes in the swirl Of the
waters. All this grew out OF the second visit TO this
country OF Commodore James Ashbury, an enthu-
siastc and experienced British yachtsman, who has
cssayed FOR the second time reclaim the cup won
| by the America, given by Victoria, OF England. IN
! 1851, and then sailed for around the Isle OF Wight
That victory of the America, owned by Mr.. Stevens,
and designed aud built by George Steers, Is faml-
| lar 10 our ears as household WORDS Shortly after
| that memorable event the cup was given by MI.
stevens to the New YORK Yacht CLUB, to he held
trophy under certain honorable conditions, by which
| 1t was made a challenge cup. open to the competi-
! ton OF the world. Mr. AshburY last year In the
Cambria came for this trophy, but the result OF the
attempt was not very cheering. He has come again,
| with yacht cmbOdyng IDEAS OF construction
thought to be the other side OF The Atlantic, al
though little experimental, OF just the right kind
| carry the cup from these waters. THIS yacht-thc
Livonia--las been here for Two weeks or more, and
| during this time her owner ana the committee of
| the New York Yacht CLUB has been arranging
tue details of the race. which the former
| sought The formidable columns or
| sponence that passed between them upon the
subject by the claims OF the visiting yachts
| man were such that at one time the public almost
! tired OF this phase OF the question; but, happily,
the end of last week all arranged the strug-
gles series of SIX races were % be salled-thlee
the annual regatta OF the club and three
| from sandy Hook lighrsilp, twenty miles to wind
ward and return; and, In OF tie III these
! tests, seventh was 10 be sailed over the ocean
course. In all this controversy the club would only
recognize james Ashbury as challenger from the
Royal HarwlCh Yacht Club, and the committee
served the right TO name the competing vessel OF
the New York Yacht ClaD the mornlng OF the race.
so much for history.
Every man who has sailed In distant seas ana the
havens and marine cities OF other lands KNOWS that
| upon the face OF the globe and upon the margins of
the great waters there Is no harbor which surpasses
| In grandeur and convenience the bay Of New York.
| lis great burst from the sea- its deep ana rapid
pass, the Narrows, between lofty heights and Tor.
| midaDle fOrtiicaons; the great cities, queens OF
commerce, the arts ana civilization, wnicii sur
| round it On ever, hand and crown 1t with triple
diaGem, make 1t such, ana yesterday the bag was
the scene OF the lrst OF these races. Many time
and oft has 1t, with It's and iulets and adjacent
waters, been the OF triumphant celebrations
| ana imposing spectacies; but yet with all their
masnucence ana extent, they have seldom equaied
! the sight OF the contest which scored the first
| victory in this series for the American yacht.
| The steamboat William Fletcher, re served Tor Ihe
! committee, their guests and the members OF the
press steamed inlo the stream from the foot OF Des-
brOsses street upon the stroke Of nine punctuav,
yesterday morning. towards Staten Island, where
| the competing yachts were rendezvoused, and,
nearing this point evident tnat the talk ana
excitement On land OF New iorx's c,izens had been
| transferred to The water. All about the bay. OH
| quarantine great hutter OF nags and ior
] time steamboats, and yacats were lii q countless
| state ol cnaos. On eitaer hand the blaca anu
| white hulls OF Iec.rs, embracing the Sappho.
1arolnta, Giacie, Foam, Flcur dc Lis, Ma
End End Gscae sc a,0' a,,er Ise rropeod oy s.ea
, daiteu IN ana out unier the storms OF the grsa.t
/ ul Dr. Iaruochan--and about Inc excursion
! boats Magenta owe Baker, Anleltus, sea Dlrd,
Aaarew fletcher, Antelope, 1. " Arrowsinih anl
| TIC HERALD steam yaent al these we've uack WIN
people, and the mutitude as the s,eaDl5oars aiid
| yacnts obtained good positions looked long ana
| earnestly toward the black hun oil the La, ona,
| lying under the staten Island shore, ana then,
weary VIA th,s gazing, turned their attention to
| the Sappno and Coluulbia-one oil whicn they
Lad near,l would be seeced lor the great inau-
| glral contest. All aong on the heights OF staten
Island there were hundreds thai looAed Ike ants,
| but on closer inspection through marine glasses
| tuey were iound 10 Ue human oellgS scanning the
scene below. la tie oling there were many sans OF
| incoming and outgoing vessels, and while the corn-
| mItoe boat Fletcher steamed about the suspense
| among the multitude was terrible.
! ON This boat were guesls-Anson Livingston. ex-
Commodore oil tue clup; L.. NJ. rutherford, David
Austin, Ham.itOn Moron, a. \. MOTIFS, Ludlow
| LiylIgston Ii. q. russell, Il. +. Boarduan oi tue
! Boston Yacht Ulub and owner OF the Wvern; ex-
| Mayor tiuntner ana the committee, consisting OF
| Moses II. Grnneii Philip schuyler ana o. A. MIN
| ton. A short discussion among the latter
and they had decided upon tue. raciag ooat
nf nlU La q
New ioik Yacht club. In whispers ~ was hrst
announced and soon & IN pawing s. ,ni tones & ~ was
took small toat and bore down upon the livopia,
and apprised Commodore Ashpury OF the decision.
That gentleman, MS uniform, said, AYE aye. |
Sir" anu Mr.. Minton also IN breezy yachting
costume, went 10 the upper deck, and haiiing Rear
Commodore O5good, owner oi The Columbia, |
"Have You got your spars on board ~
eyes, we have"
"Wei YOU are 10 60
A cIeer answered this announcement, anu now |
the veelan yacltlnan, Moses n. Grinne'', III his |
old commodOre's cap and dark blue SUIT, i0osiny
Ike an admiral in command on foreign station,
TOOK secretary Mintons place as The Fletcher ap-
preached the ColumOa, and patting his lett nand
wIin ms right venementiy, exclaimed,
s.Now boys, make up your mind before you start
20 come III three m.ies ahead YOU can do IL Ii you
Ike
old veteran looked happier tnan II he really
command OF naval Geet anu had won Il stuDbornly
contested battle.
Mr. shepherd Homans. OF The yacht Foam, was
selected so board the Liyonia as the represei.
iatye OF lne ciuO ana VII. Henry Horne, Oi Bett'S
me, came on board the committee steamer Tor the
same OBJECT. accompany lng him was Mr.. W.
Gregory. ol the Lo,tt,on Mtseated Netcs. VINO has
been painting marine pictures tor Commodore A>ll-
bury. IN when The central vessels were the cambria
and the Ltvona.
the sky was not clear, hut clonuy. Black masses
OF vapor hung low IN The north rain threatened
ana ie rart OF tue time after tue race had iairiy
commenced.
~ last, aud still on time, the committee boat again
nearcd ,,e Livonia, and tue cry came rom Mr.
| Philp schuyler, VINO had aumiflpy arranged the
Irc cninarias OF the contest ami caused tue course
10 tie clear at The start,
'livonia aaov! Are you ready ~
"n len mlnutes.r
And the ten minutes were patiently a@ated TO
pass, when Iowa came tht nagS of the Fietuilcr 10
prepare. Iinc Is now given to note that loIa water
/ Campbell aud iaymaster Cunningham. uuied
states Savy, board the Livonia; bus the sus.
| peLse Tor the start Is an eternity. AT last down