The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-01-03
AN UNBEATEN CUTTER
The Daring Was the Fastest
Racer In Our Navy.
HER MOST FAMOUS VICTORY.
II Was Over the Crew Of tho Iron Duke,
a British Man Of war, and Was De-
cisive - Why the American Band
Played the British National Air.


cisive - Why the American Band
Played tho British National Air.
The fastest racing boat that ever
brought shekels and glory to the Amer
lean navy or TO any other, for that
matter, was the cutter Daring
When she went down with the Van
dalia In the great storm which sank
almost every vessel In the harbor Of
Samoa she left behind her an unbroken
record Of victories.
None OF these was more sensational
than the one she easily plucked from
a crew OF the Iron Duke when the
Daring was attached 10 the Wisconsin,
then on the Asiatic station. Appropri-
ately enough, the crushing defeat was
administered In centennial year. 1876,
and It was the more significant because
the English boat had given the chal-
| lenGe and had fairly rushed upon its
| fate.
When a blucjacket wants a race he
goes about II In his own peculiar fash
Ion. lie doesn't write out challenge
and send II with due formalities. He
| does not appoint committee 10 extend
It. He does not post notice I'm con
| spicuous place"
He simply lowers his boat, climbs
| into II TO the number of twelve or four
teen, pulls toward the ship whose
crew he wants to race, tosses his oars
as he comes under her bow, and there
you are. The challenge has been CIV
ell In the sight Of the whole harbor.
This sort OF invitation doesn't mean
| that the other crew Is to hustle into Its
boat for race right then and there.
On the contrary, there is a lot Of pre-
| liminary work yet to be done, much
OF II being of strictly financial ma
| ture.
Thousands OF dollars change hands
over these races. The officers them
selves are generally ready to back the
| honor OF their own ship with substan-
tial proof OF their loyalty.
AS for the average sailor man, he
digs up every cent he can rake and
scrape. As winner OF these shekels
the Daring. ms before mentioned Is OF
blessed memory, except to her rivals.
or these latter none was more conf
dent than the Iron Duke crew. The
Wisconsin was already at anchor when
| the British vessel came into the har-
bor one fine day, her advent being
greeted with the usual attention every
newcomer commands.
She hadn't been In very long before
she lowered boat The men on the
Wisconsin idly watched. They con
tlnued to observe, but without much
concern, as the British cutter was
pulled toward the Wisconsin. heading
across her bows.
Then the unexpected happened. To
the surprise and intense delight OF the
| Americans. up went the British oars,
and little thrill OF excitement swept
the widening ripple around the harbor.
| A challenge had been given. race
was to come.
| And IL was race that meant q
whole lot more than a mere contest
between two crews 1t involved con
tested principle OF boat building
The British believed In substan-
tial seaworthy. solid craft. The Amer
leans made their cutters lighter and
more graceful, contending ut the same
time that the fine lines which made
their boats beautiful did not make
them the less seaworthy.
The day for the race was SET n
course OF three and half miles desig-
I mated and the wagers piled up on both
sides. But when the day came there
was n high wind making the going so
rough that the Americans, thinking
that 1t wouldn't be n pretty race, pro
posed putting II Off.
Not much! The British thought they
saw through the proposal. They imag-
! ined the Americans were afraid, and
! they saw glorious opportunity to
prove their wisdom In sacrificing beau
| ty to seaworthiness. They were as
firm as nobody but an Englishman can
be. The race must 30 on.
And II did You bet IL did! And the
| Daring came skimming In n whole half
mile ahead-a half mile. If you please.
While the Iron Dukes crew were
plugging through the waves 10y main
force the Daring cut across them and
over them like the thing of delight she
was. And, while she was as dry as a
parlor car. the Iron Dukers were ball
ing TO keep themselves ahoat
Well, you can imagine whether there
was Joy aboard the Wisconsin. But
the officers could afford to be generous
I'm victory. SO the band was ordered to
play God Save the Queen"
A British naval officer was standing
with an American officer on shore
watching the finish, and when the
band struck up he turned 10 the Amer
lean I'm bewildcrment.
That's funny he said. Your boat
comes In ahead. and yet they're play
Ing God Save the Queen | don't un-
derstand"
We'll" said the American, 'if God
| xxAn't caNa tho .,tna,, pnxx Chn might