The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-01
OLD CUP DEFENDERS
LITTLE NOW HEARD OF FORMER
 QUEENS OF THE SEA.
America, the Famous Schooner, Now Fifty Years Old-Was Once
 Used as a Blockade Runner.
Hartford Times.

Hartford IlmeS-
 Just now. when the Constitution. the latest production in the way of a cup defender, holds first place in the affec- tions of the nautically minded. the question arises, What has become of former queens of the sea? Like ex- Presidents. once they have served their terms, they quickly drop into obscuri- ty, and while their most trivial action in their hey-day of usefulness was faithfully recorded in the newspapers, months, even years, now pass without mention of their names.
 America, the famous schooner that, fifty years ago, went to England and in race around the Isle of Wight against fifteen of the British cracks bore away the Queens Cup for good and aye, as it seems, is still fine and seaworthy craft. She is the property of Paul Butler. a nephew of General Ben Butler, and is now fitting out at East Boston. She will cele- brate her fifteenth anniversary by be- ing present next September when the Constitution and the Shamrock II, off Sandy Hook, renew the struggle for the marine supremacy which she instituted
 But America since winning the Queens Cup, which was afterward re- named in her honor, has not lived in idleness on her reputation. Some time after winning, the trophy she was re-christened the Camilla, and won several races under her new name In 1861 she turned up as the Memphis at Savannah in the service of the Con federates, and to escape capture by the United States frigate Wabash she was scuttled and sunk in St. Johns River in Florida. After the war she was raised by the government. and used as practice boat by the naval cadets at Annapolis. In 1870, when James Ash bury challenged for the cup the gov ernment fitted her out at the Brooklyn Navy Yard at an expense of $25.00O. and although twenty years old she beat the challenger. the Cambric. Franklin Osgoods Magic. however. was first home out of fleet of twenty four ves- ses. America was fourth. Ben Butler bought her from the government for $5,000 and took her to Boston.
 The Hub has become quite a snug harbor for these ancient danes of high degree, and one may find there not only the America, but the Mischief of 1881 the Puritan of 1885, the May flower of 1886. and the Volunteer of 1887. The Mayf1ower was chartered last week by a Western yachtsman, and she. too, will he seen at the Cup races.
 The Magic, which beat the Cambria by forty minutes in 1870, went ashore at Wilmington, Del, dozen years later, and in time wind and wave wrought out their work upon her, and not a trace remains.
 Columbia was the next Cup. defen- der. and In 1871 she defeated Livonia. Ir Acb hIIr Ros Cup. Columbia is now owned by J. De F. Junkin. of Philadelphia, and takes a prominent part in all club functions.
 The schooner Madeline. which de- tended the Cup in 1876 against the Canadian boat Countess of Dufferin. is still a trim craft. now owned by Mir. Lord. who purchased her from her original owner, John S. Dickerson. who Is said to be the oldest yachtsman in the United States. took many cruises in her before he sold her and the logs of these expeditions are full of interest to the ardent seafarer.
 The Mischief. which beat the second Canadian challenger. Atalanta. in 1881. lay dismantled for number of years in a Boston shipyard, but last season she was once more in commission. still
 
 The Puritan, which was built by Ed Burgess for a Boston syndicate, year after her success over Genesta, in 1885, was converted into a schooner and is now owned by John O. Shaw, Jr.-
 Mayfiower, which beat Galatea, the next conner. in 1886, also became a schooner and was sold by, General Paine to E. D. Morgan. who is manag ing the Columbia in her race with the Constitution. MT. Morgan, who paid $20. 900 for her, sold her after year or so, and her new purchaser brought her back to her old home. Boston.
 The Volunteer, also a Burgess boat, is now schooner rigged and black hull ed, and is one of the finest cruising yachts in Boston waters.
 The Vigilant, which in 1893, defeated Lord Dunraven's Valkyrie II, subse- duently passed into the hands of Percy Chubb, former commodore of the Sea wanhaga -Corint hian Yacht Club. and he has seen to it that her nautical ed- ucation has been kept up. This sea- son he had her rig changed to that of a yawl, and she has sailed five races thus far in her new form against Hem ry 5 Redmond's imported yaWl Allsa. All of these races she has won, except the first, when she sailed without her
 
 the New York Yacht Club. A stiff breeze blew throughout the day, and the handicap of not having her board was too much. Since that day she has beaten the Ailsa all the way from three to f@fr minutesFwhich shows she stiY hasH9bkins for British cham pionship. zN Sh
 Defender. that in 1895. defeated Lord Dunraven's Valkyrie III, on his second quest for the cup. died this season, a martyr to science. She was built of steel aluminium, and bronze. and the intimate association of these three metals. together with the action of the sea water. caused general corrosion. She was built for the sole purpose of defeating Lord Dunraven, and having done that rendered service in tuning up Columbia. But the fatal malady was well developed even then, and Captain William Butler Duncan has said he wondered if she would hold to- gether as he walked up and down on her, picking up the bronze rivets as they popped out of the aluminium deck. She was sold to a junk dealer, and as Columbia and Nigilant vent up the Sound a few weeks ago to race for the Glen Cove Cups they saw her for the last time as they passed City Island. There was the old champion stark up- on the shore. Only garboard strake and the keel remained, and the blows of the wreckers' ham mess iesounded on these as the fleet gIided by. Her spirit still goes ma'"t- Ing on. however, and ner steel mast has been stepped in Royal Phelps Car