The Washington herald., 1908-07-19
By RUDOLPH DE zAPP.

for the Americas Cup. provided Sir
Thomas was willing TO build a boat con-
forming 20 the new rules laid down for
competition Tor the famous old trophy.
The challenge from Sir Thomas was
not unexpected on this side. although
considerable doubt has been expressed
II he would finally conform TO the con
ditiOns governing the race. as set forth
in the last manifesto by the New York
Yscil. Club, Of building a boat under the
So-fOot rule II viii be remembered that
when Upton challenged last year his
challenge called for a race Of boats Of a
65-fOot water line, as he said. "A whole
some form Of boat" The cup committee
Of the New York Yacht Club held that
the cup stood for the highest type o.
racing boat up to the limit set for
sloops. which is a S0-foot water line.
The contest for the possession OF the
Americas Cup naturally brings a query
IS 10 the building Of the first American
yacht. and by wnom: for it was an
American yacht that brought the coveted
piece Of silver from the shores OF Albion
10 those OF these United States.
Words Meaning Doubtful.
ton arises from q necessary doubt as
10 its meanins-whether the querist
contemplstes a decked sailing boat or
one Of the large pleasure boats OF the
present day. which latter are not used
merely for purposes Of sport
Lieut.. J. D. Jerrold Kelley, L. s. y,
whose work on American yachts is
recognized authority. writing on the sub
ject twenty years ago. said that the first
decked vessel ever launched in American
waters was built upon Manhattan Island
in the spring Of 1614 by the early Dutch
settlers. She was Christened Onrust.
meaning The Restless. and was con
structed from timber cut from the trees
growing along the shore where the keel
vas laid This is supposed to have been
somewhere between the present Rector
street and the Battery. Of New York City.
Lieut. Kelley describes her as being "a
yacht - feet in length and Il feet inches
in beam proportions. characterisIicaIly
Dutch. and still handed down in the most
favOTite type Of small boat found IN our
waters"
This was the first American yacht
says Kelley. though. save this one fact.
We have no authentic history Of the sport
previous 10 the beginning Of this cen
tury."
sport Old in England.
In England. yachting dates from l6o4.
when Henry. Prince Of Wales, had a
pleasure craft built by that master con
structOr, Phineas Pett. to whom the Eng
lsh navy owed 50 much Of its success in
the reign Of the early Stuarts. The idea.
so Pepys and Evelyn tell US. was taken
from the Dutch and in the diaries of
both there are quaint Ahd occasional ref
erences 10 the pastine- From these we
gather that the sportive King Charles
was well satisfied with the results OF his
rrst race sailed in 1852, in the yacht
Mary, a boat presented to him by the
Dutch East India Company. for Pepys
writes BY water 20 Woolwich. On my
way saw the yacht lately built with the
help Of Commissioner Pett- Set out from
Greenwich with the little Dutch began to I
Try for the mastery. and before they got
TO WoolTich the Dutch beat them half a
mile. and I hear this afternoon. on com
ing home II got before three miles. which I
all our people are glad or The King.
ne says, hath been 10 see the yacht /
which Commissioner Pett is building. I
which viii be very pretty; and also that i
his brother at WOOlWich is making"
And at later date he enters in his I
book Mr. Grant showed me letters Of 4
Sir William Pettys. in which he saws
that MS vessel. which he built upon two I
Seels-a model whereof has been built for 4
the king-hath this day July 81. 1852 I
Son wager Of $50 in sailing between I
Dublin and Holyhead with the pacquette /
boat, the best boat the king hath there. 1
Gets Back TO Dublin. /
In their going back from Holyhead
hey started together. and the vessel came
10 Dublin by at night. and the pacquefta
lot before 5 o'clock the next morning.
and when they came they did not he
ievs this vessel had been drowned. OF
It least left behind. not thinking she
,ould have lived n that sea" Strange
stories are hinted Of this famous craft.
whereof the name We know not but AZ
east she was lost in a tempest which
overwhelmed a great feet the same
hight"
John Evelyn. most honest and lucliesr
4 chroniclers. notes for Is that on the
sst OF October. 1861. he sailed with his
majesty IN one OF MS yachts OF pleasure
loats-vessels not known among US until
he Dutch East India Company presented
hat curious piece to the King-and being
cry excellent sailing vessels
The first COrinthian match OF which
here is record vas sailed about this time.
he contest being between King Charles
new pleasure boat. built frigate-Iike
nd one OF the yachts belonging 70 the
luke OF York afterward King of Eng
and The stakes OF these royal game
ters were s100.
King Himself steers.
The course was from Greenwich n q,
ravesend and back. and the King lost
going. but saved stakes returning
ometimes steering himself. his majesty
eng aboard with divers noble persons ,
nd lords In 1852 Pepys again said ,
August l3 went 20 Lambeth. and there :
aw the little pleasure boats in building
5r me King my Lord Brownwicke-. ana ,
he viriuosos o. the town. according 20
sw lines which Mr., Pett cries I'D might :
= out how i viii prove We shall soon :
W nile the Dutch boat Onrust will stand +
history as the first American Yacht :
et 10 show the strange anomaly arising :
ON the title given each racing boat the / :
lie of the father Of American Yachting
accredited TO John c Stevens. by rea-
'n OF the fact that in 1892 he built "a
acht, or pleasure boat entitled The ?
I've He certainly stands pre-emiue1t '
nong. TO use keIeys eulozy. not only O
he most successful promoters Of Yacht >,
le world
he subsequently constructed yachts of :
rger tonnage than the one that origin :
ly gave him fame among those Who :
ICED upon the deep Stevens, BY the ,
dy- was the originator. with others. Of :
e first American yacht club. then known =
the New York Yacht Squadron. Il :
ID its inception on July 30. Issf The .
lsrter members, besides Stevens. were