The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-26
History Of The First VIM
ner Of The Cup.
Editorial Correspondence

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L see in the Goldsboro Argus that Col
James A. Washington, of Goldsboro, was
IN New York just fifty-two years ago
when the Cup was first won by this coun-
try by the America" said a gentleman
to some friends, as they were sitting near
the spring last night, after they had all
been imbibing large potations of this
health-giving water. do you reckon there
Is another North Carolinian now living
who was with him. Nobody could an
who was with him?" was asked Nobody
could answer.
did you ever hear the history OF
America the boat that first won the
Cup?' asked ex-senator Jarvis who was
the centre of the party. Nobody had
heard the story and Governor Jarvis told
it substantially in these words:
I'm 1884 when as Governor of North
Carolina l was in Boston to represent the
State at the Boston Exposition, was in
vited with others to take a sail on the
ocean by General Benjamin Butler, then
Governor of Massachusetts, in his private
yacht. 1t was perfect in every equipment
and sailed through the ocean with swift
ness and grace that I had never seen
equalled 1t was a delightful sail and l
remarked upon the fast sailing qualities
of the yacht and soon understood why it
made such rapid speed. 1t was the re-
fitted and refurnished America that in
1852 won the Cup from England Here is
it's history as it was told to me: After
winning the Cup America was sold
to a Southern man by the name of Lamar
and was brought South and was plying in
Southern waters when the War Between
the States began. Soon it was put into
the Confederate service as a privateer un.
der the name of Nashville and was SO
employed during most of the war Toward
the close of the war when it was in danger
of being captured by Northern vessels it,
captain deliberately ran it ashore in
the st. Johns River in Florida, where it
remained until peace was declared Then
General Butler. who knew the history of
the Nashville made up his mind to
own her and purchased Mr.. Lamar's in
terest and brought suit in the courts,
and won the title
At this point an interested auditor said:
"If Mr.. Lamar had brought the suit the
decision would have gone against him,
but General Butler won on the strength
of his reputation as a soldier"
Without commenting on the rather per-
tinent interruption, Governor Jarvis con-
tinued: after winning the case General
Butler had the America overhauled
thoroughly, and on the day of the sail
she was like palace in appointments and
equipments. At one place on the boat
the name the Nashville could still be
seen, thus telling a portion of the Confed-
crate history of the first Cup winner"
1t is a rather singular thing that the
first winner of the Cup, which enthused
all America, should have been a Confed
crate privateer, and should then have
been the private yacht of General Benja-
min f. Butler. who was then the Demo,
cratic Governor of the Bay State. Truth
= -
"On that sail, upon our return, from
the ocean" continued Governor Jarvis,
1--WE stopped at famous club house
where notable fish dinner was served
nothing but fish, but all kinds of the best
fish prepared most appetizngly in every
way known to the skill of the best cooks
Lord Coleridge, Chief Justice of England,
sat at Governor Buffers right and L sat
at his left. The chief thing about the
dinner that / remember is that during
the entire dinner General N. P. Banks,
who sat next to me. devoted his time
to trying to prove to me that 'Stonewall'
Jackson was not a great soldier"
Asked his opinion as to General Buffers
ability, Governor Jarvis replied by saying
that Chief Justice Coleridge told him he
regarded General Butler as the most 40
compnshed man he had ever known.
Butler asked me curious question: -
continued Governor Jarvis. HE turned
to me in one of our numerous converse
tons with him while was in Boston and
said: Jarvis, when you fellows offered a
reward for my head, what would you
have done with me if you had captured
me?'
'.He paused a minute before replying and