Omaha daily bee., 1914-05-31
PATRIOT STARTED RACING
], 9. Stevens Responsible for Inter
national Yachting Contests.
TAKEN Sl5,OOO,OOO TO DATE
eapremacy af who - who on the
water with saiibOats Has Cost
Participants Large sum
of Money.
n, FRANZ q. MENKE.

NJ FRANK g.. MENKE.
NEW YORK. May s0-A patriotic
gentleman named J. c. stevens startei
oil this excitement over international
yacht racing back in 1880. and since that
time something like u6o0oOO0 has been
spent in contesting for an ugiy silver
mug ths1 has real value OF only
about 500.
Somewhere alons in the latter Fart OF
1879 a number OF English persons began
boastins about what wonderful shippers
they were. and that they could build
better boats and sail them better than
the Yankees. In due course of time
these remarks reached the cars OF
Stevens. who was the first commodore
Of the New York Yacht club.
They can, eh?" snorted stevens.
whereOpon Stevens formed syndicate
which included some of the wealthy
spcrtsmen OF that DAY, and they ordered
che building Of a yacht OF about 40 tons
George Steers. famed in those days as
the greatest yacht builder on this side
OF the Atlantic ocean, was given the
commission. and he turned out the sloop.
America.
The America showed It's stern to every
other American yacht with which II
competed In trial events. and the Ameri-
can crowd then began to lombard tho
English with challenges. After ignoring
the challenge for a rather lengthy period.
the Royal Yacht club OF England, ac-
ceptcd. anu agreed to offer a cup worth
500 10 the winner OF a race that would
be open to the world.
short story of the Race.
The race was run on August %. 1851.
and the course lay from Cowes TO the
Isle OF Wight and return There we're
eighteen entries originally. but only
fifteen started. These yachts varied In
weight from forty-seven to sse tons The
America got off to good start and
led all the way,
When Queen Victoria was told OF the
result of the race, she said
The American won. did Il? And who
was secondg'
Your Hlghness. answered her in
formants there was no second"
Which really was true. The America
was go far ahead OF tho others when II
crossed the finish line that no one waited
around long enough 20 find out which
boat was following II in.
Before the America sailed back TO it's
home some of the British sportsmen
raised the claim that the victory of the
America was fluke. They declared also
that the America had been built especially
for racing purposes, while the other boats
we're just ordinary sailing vessels.
Huh" responded stevens Beat you
fellows good and plenty and now you call
1t fluke. en-? Wen. I'll show you just
how much I think OF your boat and Of
your boasting sailors. I'll wager you
tizs,oo0 that the America can beat any
thing you can build during the next year,
ana I'll keap il right here In England
until you get your boat built"
But Stevens offer was not accepted,
and the America sailed back for homo.
The champion yacht carried a crew OF
only seven men during it's voyage across
20 England and back to America, adding
an extra eight men during tho race. The
yachts In these days carry at least sixty
men,
some Later Races.
There were no further international
yacht races until 1870. when J. Asbury. an
English sportsman, built the Cambria, a
e27-ton boat. and challenged the Ameri-
cans His challenge Immediately was ac-
cepted and the Americans set to work
building the Magic. a ninety-seven-ton
boat. Franklin Osgood Of Philadelphia
was the designer
The Cambria and Magic sailed around
the course that covered from staten Is
land. n. ". to Sandy Hook and return.
and the Magic beat the bis boat by more
than forty minutes.
In 1871 Asbury brought over the Livonia,
and Il was beaten by the Columbia, a
new yacht that the Americans had built
during the year. The American Yacht
sappho was pittcd against the Livonia
while Il was here during 1871 and defeated
the challenger in the only two races that
we're run.
Five years later a new yacht, the
Countess OF Dufferin, was brought over
in an attempt to lift the cup. and the
American yacht Madeline, after two races.
sent the Countess back cupless.
The American Mischief defeated the
Atlanta in two races IN 1881. and the
Puritan defeated the Genesta In 1856.
England made further. but unsucoess-
ful efforts 10 lift the cup in iSSe-Ss. lSs3,
1896 and then just when the majority OF
the English yatchsmen despaired OF ever
winning from the Yankees, Sir Thomas
Upton. filled with hope came along, built
tho Shamrock 1 and sent II against tho
American ship Columbia, IN 1898.
The Shamrock met the Columbia In
three races in that year but IN each in
stance the Columbia triumphed. Upton
waited two years and then sent over the
Shamrock II. which was pitted against
the Columbia, ane the old Columbia re-
pealed the triumph OF two years before
BY beating the new Shamrock IN ali three
q the races
In 1906 Lipton brought over his third
Shamrock which went into battle with
the American Reliance. The Yankee shiT
lived up 20 It's name. for Il simply made
a Ralk-away OF the three races that were
run over the New York Yacht club course.
In the last race the English boat was losl
IN the fox.
And now Upton, after an absence OF
eleven years, iE coming back IN our midst
lhis time. more determined than ever &c
accomplish the seemingly impossible--ths
defeat OF the Yankee sailors and the in
eidentai lifting Of the cup that has beer
In Americas keeping for siNty-thre'
ears