Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-09-17
THE HUNT FOR THE CUP.
FORMER CONTESTS BETWEEN ENGLISH
AND AMERICAN YACHTsMEN.

Mr.. w. ]. Henderson gives succinct
account In McClure's for September, OF
the successive contests between English
and American yachtsmen for the posses
sion Of the Americas cup. An odd
feature Of this history Is that so many
years should have elapsed after the
America had won the cup In the big
regatta OF 1851 before any Euglishman
tried to win 1t back. This Mr.. James
Ashbury, member Of the Royal Thames
Yacht club, attempted to do In 1870.
He failed, but went back to England
and had the Livonia built especially to
compete for the cup. In 1871 the
Livonia won one of the five races sailed
with American yachts, and she Is the
only challenger that ever won race for
the Americas cup, which has been pre-
sented by the Americas owners to the
New York Yacht Club to be held rs
perpetual international challenge trophy.
In 1876 the schooner yacht Madeleine
won two races with the Canadian
schooner Countess Of Dufierin. In 1851
occurred the first Of the races between
.single-stickers, the Mischief success
fully defending the cup against the
centreboard sloop Atalanta.
'In 1885 came the challenge which
lifted the Americas cup TO the level
that its donors had sought for it-that OF
an international challenge cup; and so
far as America WAS concerned, made the
contest for II representive OF the high
est skill in yacht building and sailing"
The offering Of the Royal Yacht
Squadron and the Royal Northern Yacht
Club OF the Genesta and Galstea as chal-
leugers at once aroused the greatest
interest. The Puritan and Priscilla were
built as cup defenders, and after the sail
Ing Of three trial races, the Puritan
having won two Of the three,
was selected to sail against the Genesta'
IL the Genesta failed TO win in 1885, the
Galatea WAS TO try for the cup In 1856.
The Puritan won, and the following
year the Gslatea came over to race Tor
the cup. The Mayfower, 3 ninety-foot
yacht designed by Edward Burgess,
who had built the Puritan, won both
races that year. In lSS1 came the races
between the Scotch yacht Thistle aud
the Volunteer, new creation OF Bur-
CESS.
In 1898 the Vigilant, designed by
Nathaniel G.. Herreshoff, defended the
cup against Lord Dunraven's Nalkyrie.
"The first race was sailed on October 4,
1893. after failure for lack OF wind on
October ). The course was fifteen miles
TO lseward and return, but owing to
shift OF wind the yachts sailed from the
outer mark with the wind nearly abeam.
The Vigilant won by five minutes and
forty-eight seconds. The closeness OF
the contest served TO increase public
interest, which was already at the fever
ish point, and great crowd went out to
see the second race sailed over trian-
gulsr course on October .. The wind
blew twenty knots an hour aud held
true. This time there was no doubt In
any mind. The Vigilant outsailed her
rival on every leg Of the course and won
the race by ten minutes and thirty-hve
seconds. On October IL the yacht went
out for their third race. Again the wind
failed them, but the Vslkyrie led for
three hours and aroused new interest,
hut on October Is, in y rsttling easterly
breeze and a choppy sea, the Vigilant
finished her task by beating the Valkyrie
in the finest yacht race ever sailed In
American waters by the narrow margin
OF forty seconds"