The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-12

ing season mas given marked evidence OF the
growing popularity of this noble recreation.
Yachting may be said to date from the time Of
Noah, who took his first cruise in craft of
large dimensions, but unknown rig, Familiarity
remembered as "The Ark" Noah appears to
have had ample accommodation In this vessel,
and from what we can learn he paid more at
tention to space than speed. He evidently
had never weighed the respective merits of
keel and centreboard vessels. The growth of
civilization, however, has made wonderful
wallis" and If the said Noah was to be
carefully resurrected be would doubtless feel
rather surprised at the trim and stanch little
crafts In which the yachtsmen Of 1872 brave
the perils of an ocean cruise. For many years
Great Britain is said to have ruled the sea,
as admired. The offshoot from the elder
branch which crossed the Atlantic Ocean in
search of q new home has, however, taken
root, multiplied ten thousandfold, and, shooting
up with the vigor of youth, has outstripped the
parent plant and spread its branches across
the vast expanse of the Western Continent.
AS seafaring nation they always were a recog-
nized Power; but 1t was not until 1851, when
the yacht America visited English waters, that
the British really realized the fact that there
were vessels a1oat at to compete with their
models of naval architecture and of sufficient
speed to even outsail them In their own
waters. The blow was very severe, and for
many years after the America had returned to
her Western haven, bearing with her the
Queens Cup as q trophy of her victory, there
was little heard IN the subject Of international
yachting. Some few years since three Ameri-
can yachts sailed race across the Atlantic in
the depths Of winter, and, Notwithstanding
the severe and tempestuous weather they en-
countered, made remarkably quick passage.
Their arrival In the harbor of Cowes ap-
peared to throw little more life into
yachting matters, and In the course of the
next two or three years several other Ameri-
can yachts arrived In the English Channel.
The possession of the Queens Cup was always
sore point with English yachtsmen, and finally
Commodore James Ashbury and the Cambria
came over with the intention Of seeing what
they could do to recover the much coveted
trophy. In the ocean race, which constituted
the trip across, the Cambria arrived an hour
and half ahead Of her rival. Her subse-
quent defeat, however, by the same rival
and other American yachts, proved that the
ocean victory was only one Of those lucky
events that often transpire in open sea
racing where the competing vessels are so
much dependent on the chances of wind and
tide.
The past season has been enlivened by the
second visit of Commodore Ashbury, with the
Livonia, new yacht especially constructed
to race for the Queens Cup. Previous to her
arrival the New York Yacht Club made their
annual cruise, which extended over period
of three weeks, and included visit to Bos-
ton, where they were received with every
courtesy. The grand entrfe into Boston
Harbor of the combined fleets of the New
York and Eastern Yacht Clubs was probably
one of the most magnificent nautical spectacles
ever Witnessed. The month Of October was de-
voted to the series of races for the Queens
Cup, which resulted In complete triumph for
the American yachts. In fact, in only one
instance did the Livonia win race, and that
was owing to the loss of the steering apparatus
of her competitor. the Columbia. The result
of these matches appears to have thoroughly
convinced Commodore Ashbury that any fur
ther excursions after the Queens Cup had
better be postponed until English yacht
builders can construct model ct to compete
with American yachts. Some of the English
sporting weeklies appear, however, to take
the defeat of the Livonia in exceedingly bad
taste, and have published lengthy articles,
in which, however, we have discerned very
little on the subject Of speed, as they are
chiefly brought to bear upon the gingerbread
and champagne basket" style of the Amerl-
can rig, which, they claim, makes our yachts
unseaworthy aud unfit for rough weather.
This is conclusion which they have arrived
at but decidedly without much Judgment, as
past events have clearly demonstrated. Three
champagne baskets" in racing rig crossedthe
Atlantic in mid winter and endured one of
the most tempestuous passages on record. One
Of these champagne baskets" was what is
spoheu VI III CuSisu Jouruais as racluB ma
chine" one of the most unseaworthy of all
American yachts. There are numer-
GUS other Instances that we can recall, in
which American yachts proved themselves
thoroughly stanch and seaworthy in every
respect. It would, perhaps, be better for
the yachting writer's Of these English weeklies
to take their defeat with better grace, and,
instead of raising question on probabilities,
base their assertions upon recognized facts.
If English yachts are so wonderfully
constructed for sea-going purposes, why
do we not see few more on this