Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-07
strong breeze and beat her by more than

under whose management she afterward
raced the eighty -four-ton cutter Arrow
twice. losing once and then winning.
Blockade Runner.
The yacht remained in England until
1861, changing ownership several times,
and was then sold to a southerner, who
| converted her into a blockade runner.
While in this business she ran up the st.
Johns river, in Florida, to escape the
] United States frigate Wabash, and was
| scuttled there.
After the war the government raised her
cadets Of Annapolis.
! The old boat finally passed into the hands
| of Gen. b. F. Butler of Massachusetts, and
| Is still owned by the late generals son.
In 1857 Messrs. Stevens, Schuyler and
Wilkes, who alone survived of the syndi-
cate that built the America, presented the
cup won in 1851 to the New York Yacht
Club in whose hands it has since remained
as trophy, for which any country may
challenge.
The Cnmbria's Attempt.
1t was not until 1870. however, that
challenge was received. Then 1t 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 off in New York harbor, on
| August 8.
d i
| 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
also a great number of excursion boats on
the battle field, and the spectators were
| treated to a scene that had never met their
vision before, but which was to be many
times enhanced in magnitude In years to
come.
| The start was made from anchorage,
| with all sails down. the Cambria having
received the weather position. out Of
| courtesy. Next to her was the America,
manned by naval officers and tars. the boat
having been fitted up by the Navy Depart
| feet to get under way. The other starters
were the keel schooners FIeetwing Daunt-
less. Restless. Rambler. Alarm and the
! Tarolinta, and the centerboarders Tidal
Wave. Silvie. Madgie Phantom, Madeline,
| Idler, Magic. Jessie. Halcyon, Widgeon,
Calypso. Josephine, Era, Fleur de Lis,
| Alice and Palmer.
| The Magic was first away on the Journey
! and she led over the entire course. The
! 1dler was second, the Silvie third, the
America fourth and the Cambria TENTH in
corrected time. The Magic beat the Cam
bria by 80 min. II Sec, and the America
was 13 min. AZ sec. better than the En-
] glish yacht.
Mr.. Ashbury was not daunted by his de-
| feat however, and challenged the next
| year with new boat, the Livonia, which
he had built at Cowes for the purpose.
The Englishman claimed to represent
twelve different clubs. and called for twelve
races If he won any one of them he was
! to get the Gun.
| The New Workers could hardly yield this
point. but agreed to sail twelve races, the
winner of seven to be the victor in the
match. Ashbury finally consented to q
| match of seven races.
Only One Defender.
| One important thing was conceded to
| him, however This was that the club
| should present but one yacht to meet the
| I4ivonia, instead of whole fleet, as there
tofore.
| Mr. Ashbury also objected to racing
against centerboarder, but his objection
| was not entertained
The races began on October 16, and were
alternately over the regular N. Y. Y. c.
| or inside" course and twenty miles to
wiadward or leeward and return, from the
| Sandy Hook lfghtship. The triangular
course had not been tried in those days
! On the first day the wind was light, and
| the Columbia was chosen to SAIL the COM
mittee having reserved the right to name
| any one yacht on each day of race. The
Brltisher was never in it," and the Co.
lrmbia won by % minutes IS seconds.
On the second day the Columbia was
s:s seconds. Mr.. Ashbury protested this
race on the ground that the Columbia
| rounded the mark on the wrong hand, but
the committee decided that the rules per-
! mitted the boats TO round either way.
A British Victory.
The DauntIess was 60 have sailed on the
| third day, but, while preparing for the
start, some of her headgear carried away.
and the Columbia was hurrieJly got ready
| to take her place. Before the day was over
the Columbia lost the use of her flying iib
/ and her steering gear gave way.
| The Livonia won by Is minutes 10 sec
onds.
| Two more races were carried out the
Sappho being the American representative
| in and winner of both the first Tor fourth
of the series) by so minutes u seconds, and
the second by p minutes q seconds
| The last, or fifth OF the match, made Tour
victories majority of seven, for the New
York boats, but Mr. Ashhury demanded
that the other two should be sailed.
His letter to the committee met with no
reply.
Then the challenger claimed the cup. He
| argued that he was entitled TO four CT the
seven races, thus: Ore when the CoiImoia
| turned the outer mark on Tie wrong hand;
| two, when he did beat the Columbia; three
and four when he was ready 20 sail 'he
sixth and seventh races, and the n. Y. Y.
q. put forward no competitor. But he
never got the cup.
Tie Canadians Try.
A lapse of four years took place before
! the cup was next raced for In 1876 CEN
| tennial year, Major Charles Clifford, vice
! commodore of the Royal Canadian Yacht
| Club, headed a syndicate, which built the
! schooner Countess Of Dufferin at Belle
| VILE Ont. and sent her here, in charge of
| Captain Alexander Cuthbcrt, who designed
/ her and owned n large part of her. after
| having obtained a promise from the n. Y.
| Y c. that Akey would offer but one de-
| fender in match of best two out OF three
| races.
| Commodore Noorhis schooner Madeline
was the defender. Only two races were
necessary.
| The Madeline won Tia first on August II
| over the inside course by 10 minutes 50
seconds and the second. over Il wirdward
and leeward course Of forty miles, from
| buoy No. g. off the point of Sandy Hook,
| by % minutes IA seconds.
In this second race the America went
| over the course with the racers and beat