The New York herald., 1871-10-11
TIE RACE FOB THE QUEENS CUP.


cred.
10 THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD -
The season OF yachting Is rapidly drawing TO its
conclusion, and we are glad to see that recent
events mold out the promise that Its winding up
VIII be as eventful and felicitous as was its COM
mencement The recent arrival OF the champion
yacht OF England in our waters In search OF the
long lost cup twenty yearsl and the judicious
action OF the New York Yacht Club In that connec-
tion at their special meeting. mean, as we UNDER
stand it, precisely that which her owner has
avowcd as his object In crossing the zig pOnd"-t0
w.t. business. And the no less judicious selection
by The club OF the committee chosen for arranging
the details OF the accepted challenge is guarantee
that the business to be transacted will be done
in as sp0rtsmanlike and liberal q manner
as the importance OF the matter, In o
national point or view. win admit having also In
view the 0nerous, but not perhaps. hopeless.
task OF rewnning tnat cup, should 1t he lost In the
face Of q, nautcally speaking, iniqutous "Thames
measurement" and the entire exclusion OF one Of
our class Of yachts the centre-board yacht, and
also by their rules egislating directly in favor Of
their own and as directly adverse to type Of
sci, for the rules OF the Royal Yacht Squadron vir
tualy weight" beam, and give. as IL were, . pre-
MUM to ballast.
The whole matter, however, is In the hands Of the
committee, and they, no doubt VIII give the Lvonia
and her owner all and no more than he is entitled
to claim under the letter OF donation or deed OF
trust from the original owners OF the yacht America
o republication Of which we wsud suggest for the
benefit OF Mr. Ashbury, as well as the members OF
the different yacht clubs Of England, whose duyap-
viii then see that the so-called "Qucen's Cup
cannot, II won, he banded about among the yacnt
ratiOns oil moment In that connection or which at
present tney seem wn0lV ignorant
the action of the club ct the same meeting upon
another and more strictly domestic SUBJECT, and
vaded the club from Its organization srl continues
TO animate Its now corporate body, manifested by
the complimentary resolutions passed In relation %
the retirement from Ofhce OF their late executive
oficers-a tribute the club have never failed TO pay
to those retiring officers who have devoted them
faithful in their stewardship-a custom or usage
more honored in the observance than tue breacn.'s
In reference TO the action OF tile club that meet
ing In respect to the challenge OF the owner OF the
Lvonia It Is clearly evident that the members Of the
club fully comprehend their rights well as their
duties in view OF all the circumstances oil the case
In connection with the terms aud conditions con-
tanned in the letter Of donation; but the wonder
and surprise Is how Mr.. Ashhury and the twelve
foreign clubs he represents-sportsmen, too they
the very document which alone gives taem any
rights or privileges whatever as TO propose series
might change the ownership OF the thing Contested
for Setting aside the utter and entire impractica-
bility OF the proposal we naturally are led en-
quiry as 10 the motive prompting the proposition
and ask ourselves Is 1t ia accordance with the intent
OF the donors OF the cup as contained In their deed
OF trust? Is 1t "challonge cup,n To be fairly con-
tested for ana won. thereby establishing superiority
in model, rig and nautical "handlIngn OF the wini-
on "nukesn ito use the elegant slang IN the verna-
cular OF the Enghsn docKyards)9 The owner OF the
please 10 give him twelve chances at the
winning vi Of a,ovs the s roya nu, cup MS Vessel may
possession OF the "much-coveted rrize.n Nautical
or other ambition may be the spur upon the wing
OF the ostrich that prcks the sides OF Mr. Ashburys
intent to carry back the 'long lost cup, out what
we may fairy ask, could have induced the members
OF the various clubs he represents to sanctIon-for
he expressly AYERS that they require oil INN such
action in the premises-a proposition or conditions
the very Teeth and eyes, oI one of their own ex "
pressed anu most laudable and proper rules, said
rule being "grounded-to use their own expression
on the plain principle that all attempts to win a
match by other means than ialr sailing and superior
speed and skill should be preyented.n &c. 7 The
generous and liberal sportsman should ever be
neither to play false nor yet to wrongly win.''
porter, oSjects to the course OF % the New yy York
Yacht Club as not being a fair arena to test the
posns n the peasure naVy That al ocs e yeses com @
taken In regard to some OF our own seagoIng yachts
Tases wae any Of me
our larger vessels But why complain? .sIionors
are easy It's as fair for him as for us. And
having beaten him over our 40 to speakl .semi,
inandr course, let the clubs he represents ann
the Royal Yacht Squadron abandon the Thames
measurement cease TO legislate against our type OF
vessel where beam IS preferred TO ballast, recog-
nizing our centre. board yachts as vessels worthy
TO compete for prizes In these waters, and there
will be no dle1culy whatever OF arranging matters
for the Queens Cup' or any number OF CUPS supef
a'tuna mare; and having convinced him then that
our centre boards are seawortny, weatherly and
fast, we VIII take out the board bolt on Keel and
satisfy him that the 'beamy modelr also makes the
best gong vessel. In view OF the possrce con.
tingency that this ''chalenge cupn may pass from
the custody Of the New YORK Yacht CLUB, and in
view also OF the clearly expressed intention OF its
donors that It should in all future time be fairly
contested for The club, as It's voluntary custodians
are bound, as far as the deed or trust enables them
to do 80, by their present action 10 look to It's future
protection, and thus fulfil the intention OF the
donors.
The New York Yacht Club, by adopting the alter
native given them in the letter OF donation, as to
course or arena OF contest nave done all that the
deed Of trust empowers them to do in the premlses
and are fully justified, under all the circumstances
OF the case IN availing themselves or that aterna
tive; and II the LvOnia can whip us on our own
course we'l "ning up the squil gee,u take our ham,
mocKs on our backs and all together 70 and settle on
the banks where the rvulets do now.
YACHTsMAN.