Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-06-16
Upton WILL ,
TRY AGAIN TO !
LIFT TROPHY
History OF Americas Cup Race
Told from First Race Over
go Years Ago

A patriotic gentleman named j. C.
Stevens started all this excitement
over international yacht racing hack
in 1850, and since that time something
like $4,000, 900 has been spent In con
testins for an ugly silver mug that
has a real value OF only about $500.
Somewhere along in the latter part
Of Is49 a number OF English persons
began boastiug about what wonderful
shippers they we're, and that they
could build better boats and sail them
better than the Yankees In the
course OF time these remarks reached
the ears of Stevens who was the first
commodore OF the New York Yacht
Club.
They can, eh?" snorted stevens.
Thereupon, Stevens formed q syndi
cate which Included some of the
wealthy sportsmen of that day, and
they ordered the building OF yacht
Of about 10 TONS George Steers.
famed in those days as the greatest
yacht builder on this side OF the At.
lantlc ocean, was given the commits
sion. and he turned out the sloop
America.
Challenge English.
The America showed lis stern to
every other American yacht with
which It competed In trial events
and the American crowd then began
to lombard the English with challeng'
es. After ignoring the challenge tor
rather lengthy PERIOD the Royal
Yacht Club of England accepted and
agreed to offer cup worth $500 70
the winner of the race that would be
open to the world.
The race was run on August ~.
1851, and the course lay from Cowes
to the Isle OF Wight and return. There
were Is entries originally but only
Is started. These yachts varied In
weight from AZ to 800 tons. The Am,
erica got off to good start and led
all the way.
There were no further Information
al yacht races until 1870 when ]
IAsbnry, an English sportsman built
the Gambfia q CLIFTON boat, and chal
Elenged the Americans. His challenge
Immediately was accepted and the
Americans set to work building tho
Magic 97-ton boat. franklin Os
good, of Philadelphia, was the design
er.
Magic Won by Forty Minutes.
The Cambria and Magic sailed
around the course that covered from
Staten Island. N. Y, to Sandy HOOK
and return, and the Magic beat tho
big boat by more than 40 minutes.
In 1871 Asbury brought over the
Liyonia, and It was beaten By the
Columbia, a new yacht that the Am,
orleans had built during the year.
The American yacht Sappho was pit.
ted against the Lfvonia while she was
here during 1871 and defeated the
challenger in the only two races that
were run.
Five years later new yacht. the
Countess of Dufferfn. was drought
over in an attempt to lift the cup.
and the American yacht Madeline
after two races, sent the Countess
back eupless.
The American Mischief defeated the
Atlanta in two races In 1881 and the
Puritan defeated the Genesta In 1889.
England made further but uflsuc.
cessful efforts to lift the cup In 1885.
1887. 1899 and 1896 and then Just
when the majority OF the English
yachtsmen despaired Of ever winning
from the Yankees Sir Thomas Upton,
filled with hope, came along, built the
Shamrock and sent II against the
American ship Colnmbia, In 1899.
Columbia Does " Again.
The Shamrock met the Columbia
In three races in that year, but 10
each instance the Columbia triumph.
cd. Linton waited two years and then
sent over the Shamrock II. which was
pitted against the Columbia, and the
old Columbia repeated the triumph OF
two years before by beating the new
Shamrock in all three OF the races.
In 1903 Upton brought over his
third shamrock, which went into bat.
tie with the American Reliance. The
Yankee ship lived up to its name. for
1T simply made walk,aWay Of the
three races that were run over the
New York Yacht Club course. In the
last race the English boat was lost
in the fog.
And now Upton, after an absence OF
IL years, is coming back In our midst
this time. more determined than ever
to accomplish the seemingly impOssi-
bic the defeat Of the Yankee sailors
and the incidental lifting Of tie cup
that has been in Americas keeping
for So years