The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-08-22
IN QUEST OF THE CUP
AMERICAN YACHTSMEN HAVE DE-
TENDED 1T HALF A CENTURY.
Americas Cup Was Brought Over I'm
1851 and Remains In Spite of Many
Attempts to Win Ii Back.
New York Herald.

pun pOSS VI IA ihS luc OpSA n w.
The British yachtsmen called her the
American pilot boat" and one of the lead
ing English dailies drew a caricature of her,
in which she was represented with torn
sails being towed to the goal. That was be-
fore she sailed. But when she had stretched
her sails opinion changed. The result of
that contest Is known to all. The America
won a sweeping victory and came back with
the trophy. For nearly half a century the
cup, won by white-sailed America, has re-
mained on these shores. There have been
many attempts to win il back. the challen-
ger having come often. but all efforts have
been unsuccessful. What will be the out
come Of the races to be sailed here In Octo-
Der? Only time can tell, for Upton has a
good boat. and yachting across the Atlantic
has made strides since Dunraven's failure of
four years ago.
The cup was established almost by acct
dent. 1t belonged to the Royal Yacht Club.
not to Queen Victoria. as has been errone-
ously stated, and was to be given to the best
yacht sailed in the open fleet at Cowes. 1t
was 1850, the year of London's worlds fair.
and the yacht race was to be a feature or
the English exposition. Some one suggested
that it might be a good thing If an Amer
lean yacht could BE- invited to compete; so
an invitation was extended to the New York
Yacht Club to send over a yacht. No i'm
portance was attached to it. But the Amer
lean yachtsmen were delighted at the honor.
Knowing the merit of home ship builders
they gave the commission to Mr.. Steers, a
noted builder and designer. The result was
a schooner that eclipsed all previously con-
structed ones. and in July. 1851. the America
crossed to havre. thence to Cowes. for the
contest.
The result was startling. AS soon as she
was placed in English waters she began
showing her heels to the other boats. and
it was soon decided that, in order to keep
the cup that had been offered for the swift
est yacht, the course must be again declared
open TO all. Yachts were summoned from
everywhere. Many boats entered, but the
America flew away from all. How little i'm
portance was attached to. this race. how
ever. may be gathered from the fact that
as soon as 1t was over the America was sold,
and Commodor Stevens, the principal own
er, returned to his home In New York,
bringing the cup as his persona property;
important trophy the Stevens family pre-
seiited it to the New York Yacht Club for
public contests.
To the little Magic belonged the honor of
being the first cup defender. After the
great victory won by America the yachts
itated about challenging for the cup. But
In 1870 James Ashbury, representing the
Royal Thames Yacht Club, expressed a de-
bria, a keel craft Of good model, widely diff
ferent from the antiquated tubs which the
Before. Eight yachts sailed against her.
after the old-fashioned custom OF making
the race an open one. She met the Amer
sailed over the crooked tidal course In New
York bay. and the stranger was badly de-
FIRST CUP DEFENDER.
nL. rxx4I1 Nfo-;o 49, Gret c,,n dafopdor
a fast centerboard schooner, a typical
American yacht of the day, was modelled
and built in New York by r. F. Lopez. In
1857, as a sloop. In course of years she was
changed, and by various successive rebuild
ings became a schooner of IS feet water line,
20 feet 8 inches beam and 6 feet s inches
draft.
Not discouraged, Mr.. Ashbury engaged
Ratsey, of Cowes, to build him a better
boat. And the following year he challenged
again for the cup. This time 1t was decided
to sail several races instead of one, and to
limit the number of American boats that
could compete.
Mr.. Ashbury was again defeated, this
time by the Columbia. a yacht which was
Just or the stocks, a s &c f.a, @1 schooner moe =
feet beam and only 6 feet draft, modelled
and built by j. b. Van Deusen, a builder
of some prominence.
came from an unlocked for quarter. The
yacht was the Countess OF Dufferin, mod
madam of considerable ability as a modeler,
but whose experience was wholly in yachts
of the ordinary. American type.
The new yacht was built for the purpose
Of challenging for the cup, being owned by
a syndicate of Canadian yachtsmen and en-
rolled in the Royai Cana adj nrr faeh II Club hub
York in July, 1876, the New York Yacht
Club selected the schooner Madeline alone
to meet the challenger in every race.
She was the fastest of the centerboard
division of the fleet. The two yachts were
nearly of a size. some IS feet water line
and the difference in point Of model was
not very great. The Canadian yacht. how
ever. was very much. inferior in construc'
ton, finish and rig. AS a matter of course
Five years later Captain Cuthbert was
ready 10 try again for the cup. This time
the challenge came from the Bay Of Quintt
the first time in the history of the cup II
was from a single-stick vessel.
But the Mischief defeated her. She wa.
hauled out. and, under the fostering care
of her skipper, old Captain Than Clock
was put In as perfect condition as any
iron bottom being scraped and sandpa
pered. Carefully painted with red lead, and
then covered with successive coats OF var
nish into which pot lead of graphite
was rubbed with brushes until the whole
hull of the yacht from ~planksheer to kee
shone like a mirror.
lOoNt btAh 4At TN Nao seBl " IL
rigging and canvas to most of the New
York fleet of the time, and she came to tn,
line on Nov. 9 for the first race in absolute
ly' f~aultless racing form. 1t was the sam,
old story. the Mischief won by half an hour
in each of the two races sailed. and tn,
cup was again secured. That was in 1851
, Four years elapsed without a challenge
Then in 1885 the owners of the Galatea chal
, lenged for the cup, and a syndicate o
Boston gentlemen built the Puritan. Tn
first of the three cup races was sailed OIL
!, Sept. a., 1855, and it resulted in a decided
victory for the American boat. II was owe
the inside course on New York bay.
/ THE RULES CHANGED.
After this race there was an agitation
for a change of the measurement ruiz
5 Of the Yacht Racing Association. which
toward the last Of the year. reached
, successful result. After a very Thorough
I inquiry. in the course of which the leading
!. British designers were called on 10 Civ,
. their opinions at length. the old tonnag
rule which had done so much both TO he'll
and hurt yachting, first in teaching tn
value of outside ballast. and then In com
pelling the construction of extremely mai
e row craft, was finally replaced by a lengt
! and sail area rule very similar 10 that use
for three years by the Seawanhaka CORN
2 THAN Yacht Club. and later generall
e adopted by Americn clubs
5 The first to avail himself of the ne,
rule was G. L. Watson. of Glasgow. an
: toward the end of the year the keel of tn
: tween the Thistle and the typical. BIRTHS
I onttor Of tho pracedfnC darado u1e shau-