The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-07
HISTORY OF THE YACHT RACES
since 1881. when the America Brought
Rark the Much- pr,IZetI Gnp.


New York Sept. s-The tale Of the
America : Gun has been many times told.
hut u never loses interest, II Was during
the year 1881 that the schooner yacht
America went 10 Europe aud won the cup
which has ever since borne the name &C
that vessel The idea of building tho hoat
was conceived by Commodore John &.
Stevens. Of The New York Yacht Club. and
? syndicate was formed TO build the boat.
and IN II with the commodore were fiamh-
ton Wilkes. George L. Schuyler. James
Hamilton and J. r. Finley. While the ves-
sci was in course OF censtructi0n--in
March 1s5i-the ROYAL Yacht squadron.
whose members had heard Vhat was being
done. sent communication "a Commodore
stevens offering hospitaliiies 70 the New
Workers. and indicating that the Yankees
could find All the racing they wanted IL
they had the nerve 70 bring their boat
across the water. The nerve was not lack
ing and the Yacht which had been named
America. left New York IN the early part
of July 1851 for Coves. England. COM
manded by Dick Brown, a famous Sandy
Hook pilot When the America first an-
peared before the gaze of Englishmen she
created great surprise. Nothing ike her
had ever been seen before, and Il quickly
became known that the new arrival was "A
racer. This was the year of the Crystal
Palace worlds fair. and an International
regatta was arranged ~ a part of the ex-
hihtion.
The regatta took place on August -. and
the prize was the Royal Squadron cup.
worth 100 guineas. The course was from
Cowes around tho 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 MarlhorouGh's
schooner Wyvern 80 tons: the Marquis or
ConynEhan's schooner Constance. 2lE tons:
Mr.. T. wills cutter Alarm, 12S tons, and
Mr. w. II Fckers' three-masted schooner
Brilliant, 192 tons The America measured
10 tons The regatta created the liveliest
enthusiasm. Queen Victoria and the prince
consort shared in the excitement. and went
10 COwes 10 witness the event. when tho
America beat the whole neet OF English
racers the competitors were completely
Crestfallen and utterly surprised. The
America afterward sailed in a match with
the f0Q-fon schooner Titania in strong
breeze. and beat her hy more than an hour.
Commodore Stevens could not induce anv-
body else 10 meet him. and he finally sold
the Yacht 70 Lord dc Blonquicre for S5.oa.
under whose management she afterward
raced the sf-ton cutter Arrow twice, losing
one race and then winning
Tho Yacht WAS finally converted into a
blockade runner While ia this business
she was scutiled. After the war the United
States government raised her and made
school shin Of her for the cadets at An
rapolis when the Cambria challenged for
the cup ln 1870 the navy department nttci
the Yacht ont FOR competition. bat she fin
ished no better than fourth. The old boat
finally PASSED into the hands ~ Cen y y.
Butler ~ Massachusetts, and iB stil
owned hy tho late generate
In 1SJT McsFrs stevens SCHUYLER and
wilkes who alone survived of the synai-
cate that built the America. prescnted tho
cup won IN 1851 70 the New York Y.seht
club. in whose hands ~ has since remained
as q trophy for which any country may
challenge.
n was not until 1870 however that =
challenge was received Then u came
from James Aehbury. 81 the Royal Thames
Yacht CIub tho owner of the schooner
Cambria. The race came or In New York
harbor August g A grand feet ~ vessels
entered for the race. and great enthusiasm
prevailed The Magic was first away on
the tourney and she led over the entire
course Mr. Ashhury was u1daunted hy
his defeat. however. and challenged tha
next wear with "A new boat the Iivoua
sphhtlrv finally consented - match of
seven races. on the first day the Column
bla was chosen 20 sail, and the Brftisher
was never IN IL. on the second day tho
Columbia was again picked. but on Tho
third dav the Livonia won by IS minutes
and 10 seconds Two more races were car
rfed out the Sappho being the American
representative and the winner of both.
The last or afih race made a victory os
four. or A majority Of seven. for the New
York boats
lanse ~ four years took place before
the cup was next raced for. Ia 1876. the
centennial year. Mai. Charles Clifford.
vice commodore Of tho R0val Canadian
Yacht Club headed a syndicate which
hs4It the schooner Countess of Dunerin
~ ReUevIlle. ont. and sent her, after
having obtained promise from tho New
York yarht club that they would offHr
hut one defender IN America. best fwo
ont of three races Commodore Foorbfs'
e-hgorer Madeline vas made tho defend
e~ only TWO races srere necessary The
Madeline won both with case. The Cana
diang made another attempt IN capture
.ra Gun in fssf when the BAY of Quiufe
yaeht club of BelIeviIIe challenges with
.antarhoara sioop called the Atlanta,
which was built and sailed ~ Capt Guth
hsrt The Mischief owned hv J. y.
Fnek. was selected 20 meet her and on
November ? she defeated the Atlanta by
= minutes ~ seconds
II was in 1856 that sir Richard S1tton's
cutter Genesta. designed hE Beaver
webb. gave our yschtamen a scare. but
that very fast vessel met one Nttie fast
er and ths. cup was s'iil safe. ~ was ~
1se- that size came over from England and
met the Puritan. Boston hoat Meantime
the lroucfad Priscilla was ronsi rieted on
7,ars ia4d o8t ~ 4. Cary nrtif, tire pop
ulsr New York designer. and the new
beats vent fu the trial races with t1@
f:rarfa su4 rofoafn. the latter beng 7n
fttt-anf. .astf cutter from designs hy John
Ffarve,. af eaif-a uf out FwEbahman Tine
p4rtfs4 and priarif4a Wege fae largest
sIoopS that had eEer bgea built - Amer