The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-09-07
RACES.
The Various Contests for the Amer
fca,s CUP. and How They Reunited.


Americas cup has been many times told.
but IL never loses interest. There are many
details In the yarn that must ever absorb
the attention OF the patriot, as well as that
OF the yachtsman. From the very birth OF
the trophy. so TO speak. there have been
brought a series OF exciting Incidents and
episodes In the history of the most widely
known OF all the international emblcms that
belong TO sport. and these are pointed out
briefly below:
II was during the year 1851 that the
sckooner-yaeht America went to Europe and
won the cup which has ever since borne the
name OF that vessel. The idea of building
me boat was conceived by Commodore John
c. Stevens. of the New Yors~s-elub.~vvho be-
iieved that there were many, trophies and
side bets to be gathered IN on the other side
or the ocean. and that George Steers, of
Williamsburg. who had already achieved a
nne reputation as the builder OF pilot boats.
was the mar to design and PIT together the
needed yachts. Commodore Stevens con-
suited with the other members of the club,
and a syndicate was formed to- build the
poat- In the syndicate with the Commodore
were Messrs. Hamilton Wilkes, George l..
schuyler. James Hamilton and J.. B. Fin
ley. While the vessel was in the course of
construcuon--that was In March. 1851. the
Royal Yacht Squadron, whose members had
neard what was being done, sent a COM
munication to Commodore Stevens. Offering
inequalities 10 the New Workers.. and In
dicating that the Yankees could find ALI the
racing they wanted IL they had the nerve
TO bring their boat across the water. The
nerve was not lacking. and the yacht.
which had been named America. left New
York In the early part OF July. 1851. for
Gowes. England. by the way OF Hayre.
twenty-one days. she was Commanded bv
DICK Brown, n famous Sandy Hook pi,of
ana designer Steers sailed in her across the
ocean. nelson Comstock. another WELL
known pilot. was first mate of the yacht.
Commodore stevens joined the vessel at
the gaze OF the Englishmen she created sur
prise. Nothing like her had ever been seen
eeIore. and she carried neither jibboom nor
Iorefopmast- When under way her sails
set nat and stif, while ii was the idea Of
the English yachtsman that a sail should
psx somewhat. In order 10 obtain the full
tnat the visitors had with the Yachts In
tneir own waters the Yankee showed great
speed, and IL quickly became known that
the new arrival was a racer to be feared.
THIS was the year OF the Crystal Palace
worlds Fair. and an International regatta
ras artanged as a part OF the exhibition.
- ~ otattu@ however. I04f tt0mmn-
oore Stevens had before this tried. without
success. to arrange a private match.
THE AMERICAS VICTORY.
ne regatta took place on Aug. %. and
the prize was the Royal Squadron Gun.
worth 100 guineas. The course was from
Cowes around the Isle OF Wight. without
time allowance for tonnage. The America
had fourteen competitors. several Of them
being of greater tonnage than herself.
These were the Duke OF Marlboro's schoon-
er Wyvern, 25 tons: Marquis OF Conyng-
hams schooner Constance. 21s tons: Mr.. J.
Wild's cutter Alarm. 1893 tons. and Mr.. @.
n. Aekers's three-masted schooner Bril-
liant. 1872 tons. The America measured 10
tons. II seems strange. to think Of II, but
" II a fact that the Americans entered
mat regatta only with reluctance. The only
tnfng to win was the cup. and they wanted
Q MAKE money enough to pay at least a
part OF the cost of building the yacht and
taking her across. They hunted high and
low for bets. but failed to discover a single
II spV ~or, VINO w would wager enough TO make
on the race was a flying tib-boom and a
set OF sails. the cost of which they bet with
any other boat named. Sir w. p. Carow.s
i6l-ton schooner. Beatrice. was named. Nv
the way. the flying jib-boom was carried
The regatta with the America in II
Created the liveliest enthusiasm. Ous en-
Victoria and the Prince Consort shared in
the excitement and went o Cowes TO wit
ness the event And right here belongs a
touching little story. which has been re-
Pea'ed so mapy times that L must be true.
The America beat tile whole fleet of English
racers easy enough. and when. she. came in
no other yacht was In sight from the posi-
finish. when the victorious America hove
In sight the Queen turned to her attendant
and inauired "who wins II to"
"Th America. your Majesty" replied the
Lord cha mbarlain
And who is second2. continued the
Queen. trying to conceal her chagrin.
Alas, your Majesty" 4he Chamberlain
replied. with tears in his eyes. There is
The America bea, Mr.. r. L. Merchants
boat I'm. by twenty-four minutes. while the
others, as the horse-racing people say.
we're all strung out. The America afterward
tchooner Tftania I'm a strong breeze, and
beat her by more than an hour. Commodore
meet Sef him s'n and n hs a inanSe sa aIRdye pSa vs el5s to
Lord De Blanquiere for 5000, under whose
management she afterward raced the
encn and then vS Su,iIe A Tbe eStce, Losing
In England until 1861. changing ownership
several times. and was then sold - A South
erner. who converted her into a blockade
runner. While In this business she ran up
the 81. Johns river in Florida to escape
the United States frigate Wabash. and was
ment raised her and made a school shin
OF her for the cadets at Annapolis. When
the Cambria challenged for the cup. in
1870. the Navy Department fitted the yacht
out for competition. but she finished no bet
ter than fourth. as will be told later. The
old boat finally passed into the hands Of
n still owned by the late Generals son.
In 1857 Messrs. Stevens. Schuyier ard
Wilkes. OF the syndicate that built the
America. presented the cup won In 1851 to
the New York Yacht Club. I'm whose hands
II has aimee remained as a trophy. for which
any country may challenge.
THE MAGIC WINS.
1t was not until 1870. however. that a
challenge was received. Then It came from
Mr. James Ashbury. OF the Royal Thames
Yacht Club. the owner OF the schooner
Cambria. Preliminaries having been ar
ranged after much correspondence the race
came OF In New York harbor on Aug. s.
Yachting was always a favorlte sport In
New York and the international feature
OF the event. the first trial OF the kind
that had been seen or this side of the
water. made great excitement. and a grand
feet OF vessels entered FOR the race. There
IN the battlefield and the spectators were
treated 20 a scene that had never met their
vision before. but which was 10 be many
times enhanced In magnitude la years TO
come. The start was made rom anchor
age. with all sail down. the Cambria hav-
ing received the weather position out OF
courtesy. Next 20 her was the America,
manned hy naval officers and tara. The lat
- Ifi1k