The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-18


MIR. Aslbury and the New York Yacht
CIno-rhe TeIearaphic Correspondence.
We publish to-day the correspondence be-
tween Mr.. James Ashbury and the New York
Yacht Club relative to the races for the
Queens Cup. II will be remembered that
Mr.. Ashbury, in one of his after dinner
speeches, announced that by his interpreta-
ton of the deed of trust under which the cup
is held by the New York Yacht Club he had
the right to challenge for race with one rep
resentative yacht, and that he was not COM
PEELED to sail the entire fleet, as did the
America when the cup was first won. The
published letter of Mr.. Schuyler, in which he
announced that it was the intention of the
donors to have the race sailed by one vessel
to be selected, aud not by the squadron,
| served to confirm the expressed opinion of
| Mr.. Ashbury. Acting upon this letter alone,
the New York Yacht Club generously acceded
thereto and agreed to name yacht to meet the
Livonia when the latter made her appearance.
| The action of the club was at once commune
Gated to Mr.. Ashbury by cable. Following
from Mr. Ashbury, saying that in the event of
the New York Yacht Club being willing to
waive the six months notice, the Livonia
would leave for New York in the month of
September. Again, the club, willing to meet
him more than half way, considers his propo-
siton and valves the required notice, and in
notifying him thereof asks that he name day
on which the race shall take place. Then
follows the reply of Mr.. Ashbury, in which,
while failing to name day for the match as
he was requested to do, he says that the six
months notice being waived, the several clubs
will shortly send the necessary certificates for
the Lvonia's matches, to be sailed some time
in October, thus carrying out his threat made
in another after-dinner speech, that he was
going to the United States as the representa-
tive of eight English yacht clubs, and by this
means if he did not win in the first race, he
would have seven more chances to secure the
Queens Cup, the prize he so much covets.
Mr.. Ashbury, by his speeches and corre-
spondence, shows great ignorance OF sporting
matters. He apparently does not stop to con-
slider we'll how much he is requiring and how
much has been conceded to him. or he would
not endeavor to force so much more upon
those who thus far have granted all that he
has asked 1t is evident that he has ceased to
consider the race he is so anxious for as one of
model against model, but looks upon it with
only an eye to the Queens Cup and how he can
contrive to recover it from us. With this one
idea he fails to recollect that it is entirely out
of the power Of the New York Yacht Club to
accept challenge for the SECOND race until
;! the first has been decided He would have to
| the Livonia against vessel of our squadron
| that may be selected to meet her. Then if
| defeated he can challenge for race No. 2, and
it would be time enough then for the New
York Yacht Club to determine if it would
adhere strictly to the terms of the deed of
trust and demand six months notice
for the second race, or waive it again.
| The Livonia may win the drst race and
then the matter would end, the second race
| becoming an after consideration. Mr. Ash
bury, upon reflection, must see this and be
content and feel that to ask more is impos-
sible until after the first race is decided. The
New York Yacht Club, we suppose, in doing
what it has done had solely in view the inten-
tons Of those who placed the cup in its
custody, as expressed in the letter of Mr..
Schuyler. 1t made a concession in waving
the six months notice. This was no doubt
done to prove its sincerity and to give Mr..
Ashbury the opportunity Of being the first
Englishman to recover that which England had
lost. The same spirit that sent the America
to English waters to race the combined yacht
squadrons has beyond question actuated the
New York Yacht Club in its dealings with
Mr.. Ashbury--a feeling Of fairness, of good
will and desire to throw no impeachment in
his way; but it looks to us as if all this was
not appreciated Mr.. Ashbury appears to think
that because some points have been conceded
! all must be; that we must break through
| all established customs and rules for his sake
that he has but to ask to have granted. The
question has been more than once asked, has
not enough been done for Mr.. Ashburyp And
the opinion has frequently been expressed
that too much has been given up to him. If
the latter is the case it is only because OF the
unselfsh feeling for which Americans are pro-
| verbal II an error has been committed it has
, been one of generosity, and if this generosity
is not appreciated no blame can be attached to
US. The course pursued by Mr. Ashbury has
net in our opinion, been Of that sportsmanlke
! character we had every reason to expect. We
| admire his audable ambition to re-establish
the lost reputation Of England for owning the
fastest yacht, but regret that bis ambition has
carried him 50 far as to cause him, apparently,
to forget the courtesies that are customary on
occasions like the present. We are willing to
concede much, but cannot give up everything
In ardar "a raad n cartaia ttaat Mr. Ashh.,sxx