The age-herald., 1901-06-30
-s NacMts and vacMtvN0. e1
BY PAUL sTELLEoUR.

stitution at this side and the Shamrock II at the other side are laid up in their re- spectiye hospitals undergoing repairs, 1t will be interesting to watch how MT. Law sons Independence fares in her trials, as there is Q possibility she may be the chosen racer to defend the great trophy of the sea under American colors
 It Is now over fifty years ago since George Steers, of Brooklyn, conceived the Idea that he could build yacht that could sail across the Atlantic enter the lists of the crack English yachts and give a good account of herself against the best of them 1t may have seemed a wild dream them, but there were those who had faith in Steers The America was built. Frelghted with the best wishes of her American friends at home she sailed out of New York harbor with the stars and stripes flying at her peak for the far off distant shores of Old England. II was a somewhat venturesome undertake ing in those days She reached there all right. With little preparations, on the 2 day of August 1851, she entered the lists against the best yachts of England. There were seventeen, 1 think in number all told. The course was from Cowes around the Isle of Wight. We'll to make a long story short, the America won so .magnlfi- gently that her performance elicited the admiration of all. She led the way so speedily that 1t is recorded that Queen Victoria, who was following the race on the royal yacht, on inquiring which yacht was leading, was informed by the skipper of the royal craft, "The America your Majesty" ''What boat is second?" again inquired the young Queen. "There is no second. your Majesty" That Is how the America won the blue ribbon of the sea, and that is practically the origin of the Americas Cup-a prize originally of- fered to the yachts of all nations by the Royal Yacht Squadron of Great Britain.
 On the 24th day of October, 1887, George l.. Schuyler, sole surviving owner of the cup won by the America, made a deed of gift by which he donated the Americas Cup to the New York Yacht Club upon condition that it shall be preserved as a perpetual challenge cup for friendly com petition between foreign countries.
 No more clear cut, honest, open, we'll sailed victory was ever won over the deep green waters of the sea than that achieved by the America She sailed from here un- attended. There was no friendly compan- ion vessel or steamship in convoy to lend g. hand in case of help, or in answer to Cle appeal, I'm In troublesome to my as- sistance." She made her Journey over the three thousand miles of water pluckily to the starting point at Cowes and won out as clean as whistle. The America, 1t is true, was not one of these tin-pot racing machines, with a lead mine in her keel to keep her up when the stormy winds do blow. She wasn't fitted out with an iron funnel for mast which was liable to buckle when big cap-full of wind struck 1t, and come down on deck or go over the sides when least expected. No, she had none of these modern accomplishments, She was a good. honest, seaworthy craft who could take care of herself as well in gale of wind with heavy sea running, with all the sail she could stand up under, reefed to the size of pocket handkerchief as if she was out for a summers day cruise with every sail she could carry set in cloud of canvass. The old America is afloat today-I think in commission. Over half century. has passed since she won the yachting sceptre of the seas in the early days of good Victoria's reign. What a grand idea 1t would be to send the old America once more across the Allan tic for a friendly visit. When 1 say would like to be on board to write the ac- count of the voyage across and her well come at Cowes, mean 1t, but "shver my timbers" if I would risk the chances of a watery grave and a mansion in the skies on one of these new-fangled, metal-bear- ing lead mines under the name of yachts that are now flying the flags of America and England and contesting for the grand distinction of the yachting supremacy of the sea. Racing machines they undoubt- edly are-yachts they assuredly are not.