Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-08-21
The Earlier Cup Races.

tests in which this trophy has occupied
q central position. Everybody knows
that the famous cup was brought over
from England to this country by the
schooner America in 1851. The course
was around the Isle of Wight, and the
second boat was IS minutes behind the
winner II was on this occasion that
orean Victoria. who viewed the race
from her private yacht, on asking
what boat was second to the America.
WAC given the famous reply, Your
Majesty, there is no second!' All this
ia a welI-known story, but the names
of the half a score of American boats
which have successfully defended the
cup against the English yachts which
have come over in quest of it, and the
story of these later contests are little
known to the most us of the present
day.
The Americas cup, which had been
originally called the Queens cup be-
fore it was brought to this country,
was decided to the New York Yacht
Club to be a perpetual challenge cup.
But il was 80 years before English
yachtsmen got up their courage to try
to win it back. The first challenger was
the Cambria, which came over in 1870,
hIr hn MAGIC and
eight other boats of the New York
Club fleet The Magic came over the
line 40 minutes ahead of the Cambria,
which was a margin that has never
been exceeded in any later race. The
next wear the Livonia was the chal-
lenger and was handsomely beaten by
the Columbia. The English boat won
one of the races that year on account
of the disabling of the Columbia, and
that was the one race in all these 81
years that challenging boat has cap
tlrcd. The Columbia had won the first
two races by q and 10 minutes re-
spectively; and after 1t was disabled,
the Sappho was substituted as the de-
Tending yacht, and proceeded to de-
feat the Livonia in two races by 30 and
% minutes respectively.
Five years later, in 1876, an English
yacht called the Countess Dufferin
came over for the cup and went back
without it, as the Madeleine proved too
fast by nearly one-half an hour over
the usual course. Another five years
ami then thehtalanta challenged 70:
the cup, being sent down by Canadian
yachtsmcn. This is the only time that
the challenging boat has not been Eng
lish. The Mischief was the defesling
yacht, and defeated the ATLANTA in
two races by rs and 80 minutes. The
fifth challenger was the Genesta, and
she came over in 1885 to be beaten by
the Puritan in two races. In the first
of these, the American boat won by Is
minutes, but in the other the margin
of victory was only one and q half
minutes, which was getting too close
for comfort. Thus encouraged, the Eng
lishmcn sent over the Galatea the next
year. This year the Mayflower was
the defending yacht, and defeated her
in two races by IL and % minutes. Still
the English courage was good, and in
the next year. 1887, the Thistle came
over. The American boat was the
Volunteer, and it won by 10 and u
minutes.
After having had international races
for three years in succession, there
was now n break of six years, and in
1893 Lord Dunraven brought over
Valkyrie II. This year for the first
time the race was over a 80 mile
course, as has since been the case, and
tn" contest was the best three races
out of five. The Vigilant was the de-
Tending yacht, and proved equal to its
task, though In the third race the mar
I'm VI hiCtoiy NttS less lIittll ii iIllii-
ute. Two years later Lord DunraVen
brought over Nalkyrie III. The De-
fender was the American boat. 1t
won the first race by nine minutes;
was given the second race because il
was deliberately fouled by the Val
kyrie, and had n walk-over in the third
race as Lord Dunraven withdrew his
boat. The Englishman showed him
self a bad loser, and made an ass OF
himself generally. He was the exact
opposite of Sir Thomas Upton.
We are all familiar with the more re-
cent story of Sir Thomas Upton and
the attempts of his Shamrocks to lift
the cup. Shamrock I. was beater
handily by the Columbia in the three
races of 1899. Two years later Sham
rock III. came over, and as we coul6
not build a better boat than the Co
lumbia, it again defended the cup
The closeness of victory in the three
races of 1901 is shown by the fact tina
the margin was only 1 minute and 81
q ~