The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-07-19
Thn Ynnht AnarIna.


One Of the most brilliant successes
OF the clipper era was the yacht
America, built in 1851 by James r, and
George Steers for John Q. Stevens and
several other gentlemen, who desired TO
secure a vessel which would win the
Queens Cup at the annual regatta Of
the London Royal Yacht Club. She
cost about S23, 900, and her builders
we're to have large bonus in case she
won. After sail Of twenty-five days
and four hours, during FIVE days of
which she was so becalmed as to make
only six miles day, she reached the
neighborhood of Havre. her port
Of destination, and was met by
Channel pilot-boat, which at
once showed the French flag, and
was supposed, of course, to carry
q French pilot. As soon as the pilot
stepped on board, James r. Steers said
to his own pilot, Richard Brown, who
had brought the yacht from New York,
"Dick, that fellow is no Frenchman."
Immediately Dick walked up TO the
stranger, and shouted, in most en-
phatic tones "I tell you what, lay
friend, if you let this yacht scrape bot
tom, Ill throw you overheard" Dick
kept hold of the tiller himself, and
would not give it up. As the yacht ap-
preached the lights of Havre the pilot
confessed bis inability to take her in.
He left her, and hurried in his own boat
to Oowes, with the news that "the Yam.
kee Is the fastest vessel going" The
Englishmen always spoke of the Amer
ica as the Yankee"
So it came to pass that when the
Steers brothers and the rest of the party
crossed the Channel and offered to back
their yachts with wagers, they discov.
cred that they had been betrayed.
There was nobody to take their bets.
So confident of success we're they that
they had brought 81, 600 each to invest
IN that way, while Dick Brown had
manifested his faith by mortgaging his
own pilot.boat in New York to John O.
Stevens for 50, 900, every cent of which
he intended to stake upon the race.
But the French pilot, who had been
employed by somebody to get on board
the America and learn her sailing quail.
titles, had destroyed their chance of
winning dollar. Moreover, at IL
o'clock of the night preceding the long
anticipated regatta, the Messrs. Steers
we're informed that their yacht, which
they had brought three thousand miles
to sail, was ruled out of the race. Why ?
Because twas "a rule Of the club" that
every competing yacht should be owned
by but one owner. Now the America
was owned by several owners.
The next day, however, August 81,
1851, the America sailed from Cowes
at the moment the regatta yachts sailed
from Ryde, and beat them handsome.
ly, although the distance traversed by
her was nine miles longer than that
traversed by the other yachts. The ex-
citement was tremendous. but over the
victory of the Yankee the twenty
thousand spectators were mute
as oysters. Queen Victoria, Prince
Albert aud young Albert Edward, how
ever, paid visit of compliment to the
winning yacht that did not get the
prize. Her majesty was dressed in re-
publican simplicity; the one thing that
one of her hosts best remembers to this
day is that she wore plain calico
gown. The tastes of her maids OF
honor were less severe. On leaving
the yacht the queen asked how many
men there were in the crew, and, on be.
ing told the number, drew from her
pocket purse, from which she
counted an equal number of guineas,
laying them one by one upon q plate
that had contained some "ginger-
snaps" brought for her refreshment.
With a request that the steward
distribute the guineas, and with po-
lite invitation to the yachtsmen to visit
her at Osborne, she took her leave.
The next thing the Steers brothers
heard from her was that she had given
them another "Queen's Cup" pre-
else duplicate of the Queens Cup for
which they had not been allowed to
compete. That is the cup which was
brought home by them, and deposited
by Mr.. John O. Stevens and his friends
in the hands of the New York Yacht
Club, where it still lies safe, in spite of
the repeated efforts of foreign yachts to
capture it. The visit to Osborne was
duly made and greatly enjoyed
Harper.