The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-18


liar Contests in the Past Recalled.
NEW YORK. June IS-Great interest
has been aroused among yachtsmen by
the suggestion that at the conclusion Of
the coming contest for the America $
Cup the Constitution, Shamrock II. and
perhaps the Independence participate in a
race across the Atlantic.
According to dispatches from London,
the proposition has met with the approval
OF Sir Thomas Upton, who says. how
ever that he never contemplated an
ocean race except under yawl rig. Under
that rig he does not think the contest
would be dangerous. Sir Thomas suE-
gests that the owner Of each boat sail
on her if the transatlantic contest
takes place In the matter of nasts to be
used he would leave the selection to the
designer Sir Thomas adds that if the
suggestion is acceptable to the American
owners Of Cup yachts. he viii enter the
two Shamrocks for the competition The
race. according to his opinion, should he
divided into two Iegs-the first TO the
Azores and the second to Falmouth
IN an interview Captain Hamilton.
who in 1899 Eavigated Shamrock / across
the ocean, said that he considered it i'm
practicable to carry out the proposed
race with the Cup yachts carrying their
racing gear.
The discussion of this ocean race propo-
sition recalls the first competition Of this
kind attempted when Aemrican yachts,
the racing schooners of thirty-five years
ago. sailed from the Narrows. with q
point off Cowes as the finishing line
The American public was amazed at the
mere announcement of such a race, while
Britons were even more astonished, for
although an American yacht had sailed
over fifteen years before, and had slipped
away with their Queens Cup they never
theIess looked upon this latest proposal
as a Yankee dream which would never
be realized Up to that time no Britisher
had attempted to sail over to TeCaptUre
the cup. Now, however. when II is pro-
posed that the big sIOOps called the nine
ty-fOoters, the challenger for the Queens
Cup, which has become known as the
Americas Cup. and the defender thereof
should make the $500 mile race it IS
looked upon as a matter of course.
IN the thirty-five years since the Hen
rietta, the FIeetwins and the Vcsta raced
to the Needles there has been more than
one Atlantic match for schooners- The
challenging cutters have come over on
their own bottoms, and 4 defender. the
Vigilant and one built for the honor. the
Navahoe have sailed to Britafn-s waters
Henrietta the FIeetwing- and the Vesta
made the voyage the London Times"
said 1t was reserved for the Americans
to send three yachts to do in the Atlantic
not only what is generally done on an in
land sea, but to carry on 4 race Of this
Kind for a whole fortnight. This ocean
race has brought high national qualities
into play. but the Americans were true to
their pretensions and shot clear ahead of
the Old World. The Americans have once
more done a thing never attempted by
any other people"
\ THREE-CORNERED OCEAN RACE.
The three schooneTs had had several
contests in home waters with varying
success, and at last the ocean race was
decided upon for stake of $500 And
nc fair weather sailing was sought. All
Of these boats were strongly built after
the manner OF the time, and December Il,
1866, was selected as the day for the start.
At noontiHe on that day, with a fair wind
and blue skies. the three yachts lined Up
at Sandy Hook As a Distinguishing
mark the Henrietta carried a blue flag,
the FIeetwing red one and a white one
few from the Vesta. On board the Vesta
as judges for the other two were Stuart
Taylor and G. NJ LoriIIard; on the Fleet
wing were Ernest Staples and Henry Cen
Jerome and a. NJ Knapp. Captain Sam
ueIs, a skipper famed in song and story,
commanded the Henrietta; Capt Thomas
had charge of the FIeeIwing. and the Yes
Ia was handled by Captain Johnson. The
River Queen with go invited guests OF
board, went down to the Hook for the
start The yachts had all their canvas
out by $3.50. and at I O'Clock the signal
was given The Vesta was the first tc
follower i minute or so behind went the
FIoetwiug
Fourteen days later. Al 5:45 D m, or
Christmas Day. the Henrietta sailed pas1
the Needles and into Cowes. At , O'Clock
the following morning the FleetwinE ar.
rived, and an hour and a half later The
Vesta sailed into the harbor. No wondel
the London Times called II an ''un
precedented contest
The best days sailing during the race
was the covering Of 80 miles, and th'
poorest when only l3 miles We're sailed
owing TO q storm which compelled thu
yachts TO lay TO- The winning yacht wa
designed by William Tooker and built bI
Henry Steers, who built the America
James Gordon Bennett and Jim Fisk wer
her owners. No one Of the yachts Wal
over i26 feet over all length. That is L
say they were not within six OF eight fec
Of the length Of the Columbia or the Con
EtitUtiOu-
Another yacht built in this year Of $50
vas also destined to become famous Thu
was the HiTondelle. built by FOTSyJhe
Morgan at Mystic Bridge. Conn Jane
Gordon Bennett purchased her IN 1853. ant
had her rennOdeled by J. 2 Van Deusel
at N0auk. Conn, and renamed her tn
DauntieSS- and Immediately began TO Sc
The pace for every schooner yacht tina
came along She won prize after prize OF
this side OF the Atlantic, and then she Sc
sail for England
THE MATCH OF $50
In 1870 It happened that a BritisheT
after almost twenty years, took heart I
make an attempt TO recover the long-los
sun. James Ashbury had the schoonc
5acht Cambria built, and with her chal
I.need the New York Yacht Club Ben
nett thought that as the Cambria wa
sailing over the ocean, the Dauntles
might as well accompany her, and a rae
was agreed upon. The two yachts st'trte
from the Needles at o'clock on the after
noon Of July +, 1870 Nothing was hear
NJ them until July =, when at $-s0 III IN
afternoon the Britisher passed the buo
at Sandy Hook. The American yacht a.
rived / hour L minutes later
The Dauutless, however, had sailed foI
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