Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-09-07


Wilkes. who alone survived of the syn
dictate that built the America, presented
the cup Won in 1851 10 the New York
Yacht Club, in whose hands 1t has since
remained as q trophy for which any
country may challenge.
X 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 hay
ing been arranged after much CORE
spOndence, the race came OFF in New
York h3rb0r on August 6. Yachting
was always a fayorite sport in New
York, and the international feature OF
the event, the first of the kind that had
been seen on this side OF the water,
made great excitement. and a grand
fleet OF vessels entered for the race.
There was also a great number OF eX-
cursiOn boats on the battlefield, and
the spectators were treated 10 a scene
that had never met their vision before,
but which was TO be many times en-
HANGED in magnitude in years 10 come.
The start was made from anchorage,
with all sail down. the Cambria having
received the weather position, out of
courtesy. Next 10 her was the America,
manned by naval officers and tars. The
latter was the last of the fleet TO get
under way. The other starters were
the keel schOoners Fleetwing, Daunt-
less. Restless. Rambler, Alarm and
the Tarolinta. and the centre-boarders
Tidal Wave. SilviS, Madgie, Phantom,
Madahne. Idler, Magic, Jessie, Halcyon,
Widgeon. Calypso, Josephine, Era,
Flaur dc Lis, Alice and Palmer.
THE MAGIC WAS FIRST AWAY
on the journey and she led over the
entire course. The Idler was second
the SilviS third, the America fourth
and the Cambria tenth, in corrected
time. The Magic beat the Cambria by
SO min. y sec. and the America was
IS min. AZ see better than the English
yacht
Mr.. Ashbury was not daunted by his
defeat. however, and challenged the next
year with new boat, the Livonia
which he had built at COwes for the
purpose. The Englishman showed
I that he was a good hand at writing
\ letters and demanding concessions in
this match First, he claimed 10 repre-
sent twelve different clubs and called
/ for twelve racers.
If he won any of them he was TO get
the cup.
Workers could hardly yield this point
I bur agreed to sail twelve racers the
/ winner Of seven TO be the victor IN the
7 match Ashbury finally consented 10 q
match Of seven races. One important
/ thing was conceded 10 him, however
/ This was that the club should present
/ but one Yacht 10 meet the L!vOn!a, m
/ stead Of a whole fleet, as heretofore
| Mr. Ashbury also objected TO racing
/ against a centre-bOarder, but his OBJ
| lection was not entertained.
The races began on October &c and
were alternately over the regular \. Y
/ Y. c.. or inside" course, and twenty
miles 20 windward or leeward and re-
turn from the Sandy Hook lightship
\ The triangular course had not beer
tried in those days On the first day The
wind was light, and the Columbia was
chosen TO sail. the committee having
/ reserved the right 70 name any one
/ yacht on each day Of a race. The
| Brl,isher
WAS NEVER IN IT."
and the Columbia won by % minute:
| and Is seconds On the second day tht
Columbia was again picked and she
I won by 10 minutes and SO seconds. Mr.
/ Ashbury protested this race on the
/ ground that the Columbia rounded the
/ mark on the wrong hand, but the com
I mitJee decided that the rules permitted
the boats 10 round either way.
The DaUntless was 10 have sailed the
third day, but, While preparing for the
| start, some of her headgear was carried
away, and the Columbia was hurriedly
| got ready to take her place. Before thC
day was over. the Columbia lost the use
of her flying jib, and her steering gear
gave way The LiYonia won by 10 min
! 10 sec.
The shore races were carried out, the
Sappho being the American representa-.
tive in, and winner Of both, the frs
Tor fourth of the seriesl by 50 min p
sec. and the second by % min. q sec
The last, or fifth of the match, made
four victories. a majCriy OF seven, fol
the New York boats. but Mr.. Ashburl
demanded that the other two be sailed
/ His letter 10 the committee was cOucheC
In dOCmatic terms, but met with no re-
ply. Then the challenger claimed The
cup. lie argued in vehement style tha
/ he was entitled 10 four or the sever
/ races. hus. One when the Columbia
/ turned the outer mark on the wrong
| hand: two, when he did beat the Column
/ bia: three and four. when he was ready
/ 90 sail the sixth and seventh races, anC
| the \. Y. y. c. put forward no COMPETE
] ]. 2
A LAPSE OF FOUR YEARS
! took plaCe'befOre the cup was neXtraceo
/ for. In 1876, Continental year, Major
/ Charles Clifford, vice commodore Of The
I ROYAL Canadin y. c., headed syndi-
cate which built the schooner Countess
of Dufferin, at Belleville, Ont, and sent
her here. in charge of Captain AleXan-
der Cuthbert. who designated her and
owned large part of her, after having
obtained a promise from the \. Y. Y. {,
/ that thew would offer but one defender
I in q match OF best two out OF three
races. Commodore VoOrhiss schooner
Madeline, was the defender. Only two
races were necessary. The Madeline
won the first on August II, over the IN
side course, by 10 min. 90 sec, and the
second. over a windward and leeward
| course OF forty miles from Buoy No. .,
off the point of Sandy Hook. by q min.
"A sec. In this second race, the Amer
/ lea went over the course with the racers,
and beat the Canadian boat by 10 min.
9 sec. The Canadians made another
attempt TO capture the cup in 1881,
when the Bay OF Quinte Y. c., of Belle
vile, challenged with a centre-board
sloop, called the Atlanta, which was al
so built and sailed by Capain Cuthbert.