The Washington critic., 1885-11-17
THE GENUINE QUEENS" CUP


row Issues Challenge.
The New York World says that the fol-
lowing challenge in the London Fieid has
caused great excitement among the yachts
men of New York City, and the probability
is that the sportsmanlike offer of the
owner of the cutter Arrow, or, as she is af-
fectionately called by British yacht skip
pers, the "hold Harrer,n will meet with a
ready response and will result in an inter
national contest in British waters next sum
mer The Americas Cup has been aud
still is called by persons not well informed
the "Queen's Cup,n but, in point of fact,
the old schooner, while under American
management, never sailed for "Queen's
Cup at all. She was entered for "Queen'sn
Cup on the day succeeding that on which
she won her famous race, but the weather
'not ben' suitin and tlttin' unto her. on
the morning Of that day she did not start
with the other yachts, although she went
out afterward and beat them all over the
course Failing to obtain match for her,
the owners of the America sold her to Mr..
John dc Blaquiere for 10000 and the sue
ceeding year, 1852, he started her In race
for Queens Cup, which was Won by the
Arrow. The America In this race was un-
der British rig and British management.
The following is the full text of Mr.. Cham
berlayne's challenge, as published in the
Iicld'
SIR: As long as the cup won by the Amer
lea In 1851 remains on the other side of the At
lantic there will be an inducement for the
owners of our best yachts to go over and try
to bring II back; hut II seems TO me pity we
have not some similar attractions on this
side for which such vessels as the Puritan
might think 1t worth while to visit our shores.
] will endeayor to supply this deficiency. As
has been often pointed out In your columns,
the America took the II. Y. S. cup from a very
moderate lot of English yachts, the two best,
the Alarm and the Arrow, being out of the
race-the latter having run aground and the
former going TO her assistance, Consequently,
the trial, internationally speaking, was of no
value. In the following year America met
Arrow at Ryde, also in a race for II Queens
cup, and great interest was excited among
yaChtsmcn anxious to see what the cutter
could do with the schooner, bar accidents
The result was that Arrow beat her decsivcly,
Lord LondesbOroughs Mosquito being next
vessel (only one second behind Arrow, and
then at some distance came America, and the
last vessel was the schooner Iephyretta. Mos
quitos defeat of America, although as deci-
sive as Arrows, need not he further alluded
to, as am only concerned with the actual
winner of the cup,
The difference between the race in 1851 and
that In 1852 is this The latter was not, strictly
speaking, an international struggle, inasmuch
as the America then belonged to an English
nobleman and was manned by an English
crew; but, bar this the trial was certainly be-
tween representative vessels from either
country, and these vessels had not sailed a
race together before.
Moreover, no American yachtsman could
despise or seek To undCrrate the well -known
capabilities of English sailors In the match
in question, In similar weather and over the
same course as In the previous year. the
American vessel took less time to sail over IT,
and she was undoubtedly well handled, and
the Arrow beat her when before the wind on
which point of sailing the excellence of the
crew Is more or less immateral. There are
two cups In the races for which the America
took part-one, the II, Y, s., she took away,
and the other, Queens cup is in my pos
session, | propose to offer IL as u challenge
cup, MS the other has been, ana | trust an
American yacht viii come over and try TO win
It, While II remains here the value of the
other one Is cssoned, inasmuch as the Amarl-
can vessel which won that lost this to an
English yacht.
must considerthat the Arrow is the present
holder, and have sufficient faith IN my old
| ship to think that, after some suitable altera-
| lions, should be able to make "A gallant, even
ifa losing, fight i'm defence of the trophy
| have not raced her for the last three years be-
cause She has been So mCrCilcssly bOyCOttel
| by the Yacht Racing Association, and made To
| measure thirty tons more than the Marjorie,
| though the latter is really the larger and more
| powerful vessel. However, with an American
| boat she would be ON better terms rs the
| lead and canvas type, Is not 50 much IN
| vogue over there and stabilityis sought IN the
| shape of the hull, and not obtained only urti
hClally by hanging on so many tons 10 the
| keel Your journal Is widely read in America
| ana nope lhls Cnallengc VIII catch the eye
| of some cnterprising owner of one of thcl
| beautiful sloops, II Is, of course, unnecessary
| now to speak of conditions, but will name
| three /, The challenging yacht must be a cut
! ter or sluop ,. The best out of three race,
! over the Queens cup course at Cowes, To de
| tcrmnc the contest, and .. Six months notice
| to be given to me | ask for this because
| should have 10 do SO much TO my old cutter t.
| make her ut to compete wtha modern flyer
! If any American brother yachtsman will
honor me with a reply, shall be delighted e
| hear from him at my home, Cranbury Park
| near Winchester,
| TANKERyuIE CHNMBEELANNE,
steam Yacht Amazon, Salcomhe llarbor
| October -.