New-York tribune., 1903-03-22
YACHT RACING FROM EARLY DAYS TO THE PRESENT.
INTEREST IN COlIING CONTEST FOR ANERICAS CUP
FIRST YACHT BUILT IN THIS COUNTRY.

and Irishmen belong the honor of having first
adopted this royal amusement
While the Dutch boat Onrust will stand in history
as the first American yacht, yet to sshow ths
strange anomaly arising from IN" title given suca
racing boats. the title OF the father of American
yachting Is accredited to John C. Stevens by
OF that in 1902 built "a yacht OF pleasure
boat" entitled The Dive He certainly stands pre-
eminent among to KclIey's eulogy. not only
'the most successful promoters Of yacht designs.
but the best known yachtsmen in the world
He subsequently constructed yachts Of larger tom
than the one that originally CAV" him f.trH9
among those who raced upon the deep Stevens iy
the way. the originator. with others. "f tho
first American yacht club. then known as th" Nv
York Yacht Squadron. 1t had It's inception ON Juy
90 1874. The charter members besides Stevens.
Hamilton WiIks William Edgar John '. Jay,
George l.. Schuyler Captain Rogers. Louis ~
Depan James w. Waterbury and GcorE" Y. R'.-
lins. each Of them the or schooner or ~i""p
yacht Stevens was justly mad" the first flag off,
GER 1t has been said OF him that ne hcour"f %" 4
family OF inventors and discovcrer@. for his ftH-
was confessedly the first to employ tn" screw II
steam propulsion. and his brother tn" first 90 mako
use of compound engines-two factors which trEs
mad enormous influence upon the H-F'i'iiI.'i' .C
and yacht builders from boyho"d aud hos .,c tho
second generation were the moving spirit which
and In subsequent yacht cnnstruru'n Thy M
bodied and sound IDEAS. which 6aV" a-'rIE.c
American yachting 10 its pTeS5 nj condition "t I'-
After the yacht America had lowered F.aru-l
pride on August p ISL 6y winning n. -
reluctantly forced TO admit their infcri"r.tv I
speed and seamanship. al least at that
more comfortable on the open sea This poi it.F
appear to be- anxious to 6rinF 6s T. or
the R2ya al s9uadiEFon YiE I, Cup Up which thG The Ant t
while. had be,n presented to and accepted n 20
American yacht owners frequer5ly mad -a.. ~
ms 1sI threat that If o EnFiand and did g"5 IT, dr.
her what Yankee boats could DO and nos tEt-l-
able they were for oce2n tTaE@l.inE DIS " -
looked merely Yankee pTdS ana
but in 1866 It assumed decidedly practice s"..n
when for enormous stake the owners 90 -
American yachts Henrietta Fieerw!ns an. V.~-t
The manner in which the contest arose. a- sus---
g1sdntdy 1eddd b3 GefGF5ed at Kc rfTP9a % IN as
,or match TaT csn mu6S a; aIner m @ %.g
yesta and the FleetTing gas as :" the e"ni.r-.,,
speed and e4dgranGe a. re- of their 0ois o - ~
agreed replied the other What j" y"r' -.t
IT Il Should be- for sso 80 side Thos pTa ms
settled 1t then became simple question = ms
and dates BY mutual consent the ienFierra ~+5
nent was drawn up. 10y which he owner. t."'.i
them,sslTeS to-, t" sal Ill., on 70 Hecem5sr rS I H. al
prize Of 5000 Square sails TSTc allow. n?
baiIsst Gould be SHIFTED and thl rt.e " =, ri
when the yachts the channel -
Cowes. with the vest end Of III" Is,@ ~ %fsnc
date fixed. play pay. blow high or L,E -
waters for their speed and staGn-hu~<e Ms
better, indeed. as thu Henrietta aad The Fi"~rw-s
was famous representative Of the cent? ,r''ri
class.
'The Henrietta built for James tio-(!o~ Ti-s-
nett in 1861 by Henry Steers. at tTTc""inIrt. y r..
built In 1855. after his nRn designs. IN
Deuser. Of New York. for George DaS'ud- .t.t >
built by David CARL a. ''!tE I--,-.. - "a
1866 for Pierre Loriilard-
The across the ocean INST r.
one and aroused unbOun'icI interest .urH
novel one. the stake Not "Hiy uuVr'--"., nr,r5 -
length of for b" class e $50 J. eItgT /
before equallcd. buy IN, rtr,. .i.r /
the rigorous season ~ tt' r'.lr and II ri1N
three vessels crossed the 0rrtD Nl''"Er -.it"!E
English the ull~r.tvort Hifr<~ o. 80
no housing of racing ma5tS. th-Tn ~frIn
yacht acting convoy. Their Were 30" ""H"T5
rushing tho other side NtirutIH tItrr~ =
Yachting WIS rt-'. t'rt 20 30
credit Of English hrfrts be II ~iiG that wHtG ~
Henrietta having learned from a E,'Ws~ pilot trar
OF blue and flashed alOSr the Prvst" ~i-"stI W .""
owner. the crowd that later saw Il rom ~" '0"S5
Parade gave her a hearty welcome. I!s TIM -
the Henrietta 13 DAYS. Il hours wIu--"Ss
that OF the FTcetwing II dayS. 8 hours ami n
utes: that Of the NCsta. Il dayS. hours s-5 ,
American yaChtsmen treated with -u'l hos
pitalitv the other side that Mr. r. r't "ffer"1
the Henrietta gift 10 Prince Alfred fNHB
looked upon the representative EUCit-H sailor
but the latter, In very kindly letter Etr rDr7 -
gift the ground that il the 1rltE r EEE,|l-
could accomplish such feat That event was. n
fact. the origin OF the succeeding intern sJ.I, 'n-
tests for the Americas Cup which have h~0-jE' 9
English yaChtSmen repeatedly TO these shores II
vain attempt to take back the. trophy fEIf fr9
America carried from the chalk cliffs Of Alit"u