The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-07
ROYAL HARWICH YACHT CLUB.
Speech of Mr.. Ashbury-The Ocean Race
The Americas Cup.
From the London Field.1

From the London Fleld.]
The annual meeting OF this Club was held at the
Great Eastern Hotel, Harwich. on Tuesday last.
Among the members present were Mr. James Ash
bury, Commodore OF the Club; Mr. E. Packard, Vice
Commodore; Mr.. P. s. Brur, Rear Commodore;
Captain Barnes, Mr.. ]. Richmond Captain N. d.
Garrett, Mr.. spencer King, Mr. E. Packard, Jr. Mr..
Z. Chapman, Mr.. Watts. Hon. II. G. Moyneux, Mr..
b. P. Goodwin, honorable Treasurer and Secretary;
Mr.. F. G. Rouse, Mr.. w. Groom, Mr.. w. j. King, Mr..
A. J. Barber &c.
After the usual routine business Of the meeting
Mr.. James Ashbury was unanimously reelected
Commodore, Mr.. p. Brun, Rear Commodore and
Mr.. E. Packard Vice Commodore. Mr.. W. F. Brun
was appointed chairman OF the committee, Mr..
Goodwin was reelected honorable Secretary and
Treasurer. and the general and sailing committees
were reconstructed
The next matter for discussion was the question
OF the arrangements for the ocean match and the
annual regatta. On this question the commodore
read letter he had received from Commodore Lee,
OF the New Thames Club. who said meeting of the
sailing committee or that club had taken into
slderation the programme for the ocean matches,
and had proposed alterations In the original fix
lures to leave the days thus:-June 5th, ocean
race from the Thames to HarwIch; 9th or It'll, Har-
witch regatta; sth ocean race from Harw1ch to the
Thames. The yachts would thus get back to the
Thames in time FOR the schooner and yawl races on
the 18th. 18th and 18th.
short conversation followed In course OF which
the very obging manner in which the New Thames
Club had lealt with the suggestion OF the commo-
dore and secretary OF the Royal Harwch to alter
their programme as to make the various events
fit in was acknowledged, and the programme sug-
gested met with universal approval.
In the course OF some remarks upon the manage
tnftI foIJn hr
nounced his intention OF sailing the new schooner,
the Liv0nia, IN the ocean race.
The annual dinner Of the clup took place in the
evening, the commodore in the chair. In respond
ing the toast OF his health Mr.. Ashbury referred
to his intention OF presenting to the Royal Harwich
Yacht Club as challenge prize, the piece Of plate
value f250, which he had won In the ocean race
with the Dauntleas. He said that 1t was only
natural that In presenting q cup which had cost
MIN so much trouble to win he should accompany
the presentation with somewhat more stringent
conditions than the usual terms on which challenge
cups were given. He proposed then that the cup
should never become the absolute property Of any
individual yacht owner, but should be held ex ocfo
by the Commodore Of the club, the representa-.
tive Of which had won 1t. six months
challenge must be given by some club, and
at the expiration Of that time the representative
vessel chosen by the club then holding the cup TO
represent 1t; the course being either triangular,
each side OF the triangle being fifteen miles long or
twenty to wndward; the winner Of the best two out
OF three being the victor. He would hold the cup,
as commodore Of the r. H. Y. O., rs long as he
remained commodore, and as long as It's. pos
session by that club remained unchalenged.
Then, say the Royal Thames challenged and named
the Guinivere II the Royal Harwlch named the
LivOnia those two vessels would sail, and shout d
the Gunivere DO successful the cup would be held
by Lord Alfred Paget as cowmQa9re 9l- tho Royal
Thames, and it would be open to The Royal Har-
witch or any other British or French club to give
challenge. He excluded the Americans, for they
had one cup now, and II this were open to them
they would move heaven and earth to secure
IT, and once over the other side OF the
Atlantic God knew when 1t would come back
again. An erroneous idea which was abroad
was that he was building the Livonla to
beat the sappho; that was not the case, for the
Llvonia was only about half the size OF the Amert
can yacht, but he might say his intention was nat
the vessel should be one OF the fastest OF her SIZE
He thought she would be great success, but the
proof OF the pudding is in the eating The chances
were the month OF May would settle that: but
whether or not he intended to 20 over to America
not TO contest race across the Atlantic because he
had done 1t once and should not do 1t agalD--and,
a. he mad SAID before If ever he dld an, mora |
racing across the Atlantic 1t should be In II steamer
and not In yacht He was now engaged IN
friendly controversy with the Americans, The ques 7
lion being whether in the contest for the cup kno, ~
IS the American Cup he should sail against ono
vessel or against O fleet. BY q deed OF Il , rho
New York Club were bound to sc a,
champion vessel and not fleet, al n,s
construction was supported by opinions Ken moth
n this country aud In the States. rne Com.
'.ou .''' VI ''o w" N D oo~ the opinion
: me eninen' Juus.s anu 'ne Jniy surviving
lonor OF the cup, and their reply WI ,not tho IN.
o .. ""s '""' 'no ~" ~ Wv o should send 0
sie ''''o' anu W. NV, anu II was said the OBJ
ect OF inserting the clause requ 80 nontha,
lotce IN the deed was that, ,no avon, !, thair
,ns .o.'S" y"o ~ coming which was