New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-11
CAMBRIA'S VAIN EFFORTS.
HOW THE SECOND INTERNATIONAL YACHT
RACE WAS WON
THE ENGLISH BOAT HAD NO CHANCE FROM THE
START-EEATEN by HALF A FLEET


sTART-BEATEN by HALF A FLEET.
The second race for the Americas cup was
preceded by that preliminary correspondence which
has ever since been apparently necessary to ar
range race for the trophy. The race was
sailed in 1870. but the correspondence relating
to il began in 1868.
James Ashbury, owner of the schooner yacht
Cambria, was the challenger, as representative
OF the ROYAL Thames Yacht Club. The Cambria,
1t has been declared since, was not tho fastest
British schooner Of the tim,. and her record in
England gives weight to this claim Still she
was. If not the very fastest. at least fair
representative OF British schooner yachts of the
time. ard the outcome proved that it dill not
take the fastest schooner yacht in America to beat
her She was beaten by yachts that were no
more entitled TO be called the fastest in America
than she was to bn considered the fastest in
England roint which Lord Dunravrn appears
TO have overlooked in his article on international
Yachting in The North American Review" The
race was. after all that has been said fair
international test. and, as usual, the Americans
This race Of 1870 was the last one sailed for
the cup where boat sailed against feet.
n manifestly unfair condition, but tho ono, never
ISL. Thu cup. after having been wen ny the
America, had been presented by her owners to
the Ncw-York Yacht Club to remain forever an
international Yachting trophy The cup had be
the absolute property Of the owners of the
America when that yacht won it, and they con-
veyed il 10 the New-York Yacht Clnb in trust
under - deed Of gift, embodyng the following
conditions
Apt oluk p
country shall always he entitled, through any one
more Of its members, 10 claim the rl2ht of sail
ing match for this cup with any yacht or other
vessel Of not less than thirty more than three
hundred tons, measured by the custom house rule
Of the country to which tho vessel BELONGS. The
parties desiring to sail for the cup may make any
match with tho yacht club in possession Of tho
same that may be determined upon by mutual
the match shall be sailed over the usual course
for the annual regatta of the yacht club in pos
session of the cup and subject 10 its rules and
sailing rcgulations-thc challenging party being
bound 10 give six months notice in writing, fin
ing the day they wish to start. This notice TO
embrace the length, custom house measurement,
rig and name of the vessel. Ii is TO he dis
tincty understood that the cup is to be the prop
crty of the club and not Of the members thereof,
or owners of the vessel winning it in n match.
and that the condition Of keeping il open to be
sailed for by yacht clubs Of all foreign countries
upon the terms above Land down slllll forever
attach 10 il. thus making il pcrpctIally ch1l-
lengc cup for friendly competition between for
cgn countries
Mr. A>hhury in his long correspondence with
the Ncw-Yorl Yacht Club seemed - give rather
cold shoulder 10 the deed of gift and, among
OTHER things, regarded "a rather unnecessary II
the tim, AMI since. said he did not propos" to
put h, boat against Il " mcr" shell or racing
machine However, the matcn was finally ar
ranged. and in july of 1870 the Cambria stIrt"l
for these shores In comfany with ia" schooner
Yacht DauntIcss. then IN" property Of James
Gordon Bennett. II was II race over. ahd the
Cambria won. The Dauntrss led nearly all the
way over, but AZ the Georges Banks, the wind
shifting she stood TO the southwark; thu Cam
hria got favorable slant OF wind, cut inside
Of her and got by the ightship first II WAS
luck and IN subsequent races the Dauntlcss
showed that she was the better boat, but, never