Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-24


from Sandy Hook light ship and return. The
wind was light at the start and the Columbia
was put in. II breezed up to q moderate gale
afterward. but the Columbia won by eight min
test on the ground that the Columbia had
rounded the mark-boat the wrong way, lufinR.
and thus gaining . great advantage over the
Livonia, which was jibed around The skipper
of the Columbia had been informed that he
could round as he pleased. The captain OF the
Livonia had not been so instructed. and he fol-
lowed the English racing custom Of keeping
the mark on the starboard hand Mr.. Ashbury
did not claim the contest but wanted 1t de-
clared no race. His request was fair one and
ought to have been granted, but the committee
refused it.
THE ONLY VICTORIOUS CHALLENGER.
The third race was again with the Columbia,
and over the club course. The Columbia parted
her fyIng-jib stay and broke her steering gear,
losing the race by Is minutes 10 seconds 80
that the Livonia achieved the distinction of be-
ing the only challenger that has ever won a
single race in the contests for the Americas
cup. The Livonia's fourth race was against the
Sappho, October Il, 20 miles to windward and
return. The Sappho won by 30 minutes q
seconds. The final race was sailed on October
70. over the club course. and the Sappho, after
running through the Livonias lee almost at
the stars, again won by rs minutes q seconds
Mr.. Ashbury had a long war of words with the
cation OF unfair and unsportsmanlike conduct
The club responded by deciding to have moth
ing further to do with him. and he disappeared
from international yachting contests.
THE COUNTESS OF DUFFERIN.
Several years elapsed before another chal-
lenger appeared. In 1876 Vice Commodore
Charles Clifford of the Royal Canadian yacht
club sent to Secretary Minton of the New
YORK yacht club challenge, naming the
schooner Countess of Dufferln and requesting
the holders OF the cup to waive the required
six months notice. At a special meeting Of
the New York yacht club on April 20 the chal-
lenge was accepted. of all the confident per-
sons who have come to New York to get the
cup undoubtedly the yachtmen aboard that
Canadian schooner we're the most disap-
pointed. The schooner made her first public
appearance here in the Brentons Reef cup
race, which began July n. 1876. This is a race
for cup given by James Gordon Bennett from
the Brenton's Reef light ship, off Newport, to
and around the Sandy Hook light ship and re-
turn. 1t is usually sailed. however. with the
start and finish at the New York end Of the
course. Capt. Coffin records that the Countess
of Dutferins people were so confident that
they started to accompany the racers over the
course without setting top-sails. They soon
discovered their mistake and by adding their
upper canvas managed to keep mp with the
rear of the procession in the run to the east
ward. As soon as the feet rounded the Bren-
tons Reef light ship and turned to windward
the Countess fell astern and left out of
sight Her owners. on reaching New York,
promptly ordered a full set of new balloon can
vas
The schooner Madeleine was selected BY the
New York yacht club the cup defender. Her
record was fine one, and she was well
manned. The first race was sailed on August
IL, over the club course, with a southerly wind
The Madeleine gained steadily from start to
finish. The official record follows:
Start. Finish. / lapsed Cor
Il. NJ. 8. Ii. M. s. II. NJ. s. n. N. 8.
Madeleine. :. IL It, 81 AL rs 524 55 523 "a
Countess of
Dufferin. III II O6 451 SO 5345 So 594 So
The second race took place on August II, the
course being twenty miles 10 windward, south
southeast from buoy 5, off the point of the
Hook and return. The Countess was sailed by
the crack skipper Capt. Joe Ellsworth, but he
could not force her to do more than there was
IN ner. The race was uninteresting. the Mad
elelne gaming from start to finish. The Amer d.
lea went over the course AMI was timed by
courtesy of the regatta committee. She also
beat the Countess The following are the OIL
cial figures:
Start. Finish. Elapsed Cor.
H. M. s. H. NJ. 8. Il. N. s. Il. NJ 8.
Madeleine. ~ II "a 7s7 IL 7lsH 7ls 46
Dufforin. ..12 II 50 os 50 $4,000 74s 90
America. ....12 % 90 74JO0 726 81 1926 81
Thus the Madeleine beat the Countess q
minutes IA seconds. and the America beat her
- minutes seconds.
ATLANTA vs.. MISCHIEF.
Capt. Cuthbert, the designer of the Countess
OF Dufferin, came forward once more in 1881,
when he designed and built the center-bo GARD
sloOp ATLANTA, at Bellevilie, Ontario. After
three trial races the iron sloop Mischief was Sc
lected to meet this new challenger, which ar
rived here by way Of the Erie canal and the
Hudson river on October go This voyage of the
Atalinta led to the insertion OF this clause in
the deed of gift of the cups Vessels selected to
compete for this cup must proceed under sail
on their own bottoms to the port where the con-
test Is to take place" The Atalantas first race
was sailed i'll fine breeze over the club course
on November Q, 1881, the Oracle going over the
course and beating both contestants. In fact,
the whole interest OF the day, after the start,
conferred in the contest between the two New
York yachts. The record is as follows:
Start. Finish. Elapsed Cor.
n. NJ. s. H. MS. Inns. H.Ms.
Mischief IL IA 80 81 SO All 90 4I7Os
Atalanta.. IL 10 81 4 O4 1514 As 24L 4 A. 29hl
Oracle. III Is 90 8 80 46 4O5 At 405 46
Thu, the Mischief beat the Atalanta % min
utes 204 seconds. The second race. which was
the final one as usual. was sailed on November
TO- The wind was west by north, a fresh breeze,
and the course was 10 miles to leeward from
buoy and return. This time the Mischief beat
both ATLANTA and Oracle. The Canadian did
well In the leeward work, but she had not a
ghost OF chance after the outer mark
was rounded. The beat home was made BY the
New York boats under single-reefed mainsails;
the ATLANTA put in two reefs. The record OF
the race follows:
Start. Finish. Elapsed Cor.
s H.:sa3se i a$$$$as 81 i