The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-03
CONTESTS FOR THE CUP.
Brief Review Of the Various faces
for the Coveted Prize.

The story Of the Americas cup goes back
to the year 1851. The British people were
holding a worlds fair in London that year,
and when the invitations to participate were
received in this country, 1t occurred to a
number of New York gentlemen who were
interested in ships. that an able Yankee
schooner. built chiefly for speed. would
make an exhibit that would open the eyes
of our cousins over the sea a wee bit wider
than anything likely to appear at the fair.
The men among whom this idea was dis
cussed were Messrs. j. c.. Stevens, Edwin
A Stevens, Hamilton wilkes. j. Beekman
Finlay and George L. Schuyler. They were
all members of the New York Yacht Club,
then a young as we'll as ambitious organi-
cation of sailormen.
Accordingly, they went to George Steers,
who. with his brother James r., was build
ing ships in Williamsburg, and ordered a
schooner that should be able to outsail any
thing with two masts. So Steers went to
work. He had already made a name by
building pilot boats able to weather any
thing on the Atlantic coast, and he reck-
oned that he could do better with the new
order than he had yet done.
How this vessel was named the America,
how she crossed the ocean to France and
then appeared at the chief yachting harbor
of acknowledgements not be told here.
1t was a sporting outfit on board, and they
were looking for races for cups, but unfor-
tunately, when approaching the harbor they
met the cutter Laverock, a British crack,
anc could not resist the temptation TO show
her what she could do. In fact, their show
ing was so remarkable that the entire yacht
squadron was frightened like a flock of
doves when a falcon swoops down among
them. The Yankees wanted to race for
1000 guineas a side-they only got a race
with 1itania for f1O a side.
Nevertheless. although scared stir by
the stranger from the west. the British
yachtsmen of Cowes were of the Viking
blood. For an unrecorded number of years
the Royal Yacht Squadron had given a
cup each year. weighing 100 ounces, for
without any restrictions on the size of the
yacht or the time allowance. Failing to get
any better change to show her speed. the
owners entered the America for this cup.
1t was on Aug. q. TIL race was made
from their anchors. with all sails down.
The preparatory gun was fired at 9:55. and
at 10 a second gun set the capstan pawls
a~-cilnking. 1t was a race around the island
of Coves, an inland water course, where
the local pilots had every advantage, but
America won in a fashion ever since
famous among yachtsmen. Having brought
this silver cup to America. the owners kept
1t was given to the New York Yacht Club
as a perpetual challenge cup. and while
men race sailing ships for sport and the
good fame of the donors shall not be al
lowed TO pass from memory
However, it was a long time before any
yacht came hunting the trophy. In 1865
yacht Cambria and a member of the Royai
Thames Yacht Club. began a correspond
ence that ended In a race on Aug. S. 1910.
AS America had won the cup in compati-
ton with the entire Cowes feet. Cambria
had to compete for II against the entire
New York Yacht Club squadron. The cup
this race was sailed over the clubs regular
course-from wis Head. just above Fort
Hamilton. out around the Sandy Hook
In all fourteen yachts made the race, the
America among them. and nine beat her.
Cambria lost her foretopmast on the way
out. when of the point OF the Hook. but she
was already hopelessly behind. The center
board schooner Magic led at the finish, and
she was sem. lbs. corrected time, the yacht
club having agreed that certain time allow
ances should be made for small-siZed ships.
Mr.. Ashbury at once went home and or
sse was named the ipiyonis. In chaiiensinpe
Mr.. Ashbury wanted 10 have twelve races.
each In behalf of a separate yacht club. any
one race to give him the cup II he won the
race. The New York Yacht Club offered
him seven races, each with a single boat
instead OF the fleet. and a majority of the
races TO decide the fate of the cup. To this
Mr.. Ashbury eventually agreed. and the
first races. boat against boat, were sailed
for the. cup; but IL must, be said that We
changed our boat during the series.
The first race was sailed on Oct. 10, 1871,
and the Columbia. a crack schooner. was
named to meet , dhs e oe,neng Ind G rne paGe
finished at Al. SIM. 42c. Her corrected time
was Oh. Ism. As. and Liyonia's Oh. 46m. i5c.
The next race was sailed Oct. is. and in
a smashing good breeze Columbia covered
the route first. her corrected time being
Oh. I'm. 4ls.. and Livonia's 3h. Ism. 15s.
In the third race. Oct. -. Columbia went
to pieces and lost. First her flying jIb stay
broke. Next she lost her steering gear.
After that was repaired the maintopmast
staysail sheet broke. The official time as
corrected was: Livonia. An. 2m- 25s.: Column
bia. Al. lin. 35s.
For the next race the racing committee
named Sappho. and on Oct. 2i an outside
course the first for the cup). twenty miles
to winward and back from Sandy Hook