The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1920-07-15
0o0C 10000
g HISTORY OF G.
6 AMERICA CUP RACES. G
9 g Q G G G G @ G 9 COCO

The America Cup is a trophy that
cost $500, and was offered by the Royal
Yacht Squadron in 1851 for race
around the Isle of Wight. Foreign
boats were invited to compete. and the
America, owned by Commodore Stew
ems and other members of the New
York Yacht Club, was entered. There
was no time allowance for tonnage,
and America won very creditable
race, since she was by no means the
largest of the competitors.
The trophy thereupon became the
property of Commodore Stevens, who
in 1857 decided the cup to the New
York Yacht Club, to be hel das per-
petual challenge trophy for interna-
tional races betwee vssels of not less
than 80 nor more than 300 tons.
The first challenge came in 1870
from James Ashbury, who races his
yacht Cambria against the whole fleet
of the New York Yacht Club, and an
American yacht named Magic was the
winner In 1871 Mr.. Ashbury returned
to the attack, and on this occasion it
was agreed that there should be a
single defender. This was the yacht
Columbia, owned by Franklin Osgood.
The Columbia defended the cup until
she lost through an accident, after
which the New York Yacht Club sub
stituted the Sappho owned by w. p.
Douglas. The cup remained in the
United States but the race ended in
protest.
In 1876 Vice Commodore Clifford,
backed by the Royal Canadian Yacht
Club, challenged with the schooner
Countess of Dufferin. Two races were
sailed and both we're won by the
American defender. the schooner Mad
eeine, owned by j. S. Dickerson.
In 1881 syndicate OF Canadians or
ganized by Alexander Cuthbert chal-
lenged with the Canadian sloop At
lanta and was defeated in the two
races by the American sloop Mischief.
owned by j. r. Rusk,
After this race the New York Yacht
Club decided that the deed of gift was
not adequate, and returned the Gun to
the surviving donor. George L. Schuy-
Ter, who amended the ded of gift by
providing that challenging yachts
should proceed to the port of contest
on their own bottoms and also that
no vessel could race again until two
years had elapsed. In 1882 the club re-
vised its system of measurement
which determined the time allowance
to be given or received. In 1891 the
rule was again changed, and the pres
ent rule was put in force in 1903.
In the mean time several challeng-
ers had been defeated by American de-
tenders. In 1885 Sir Richard Cutton of
the Royal Yacht Squadron challenged
with the cutter Gonesta. Two races
were sailed, in both of which the chal-
lenger wa sdefeated by the American
sloop Puritan owned by j. NJ. Forbes.
The next year Lieut.. Hem, of the
Royal Northern Yacht Club. chal-
lenged with the cutter Galatea and was
defeated in two races by the American
sloop Mayflower, owner BY Gen. c. J.
Paine. In 1887 James Bell came over
with the cutter Thistle. The sloOp Vol
unteer. owned by Gen. Paine. had little
difficulty In defeating the Thistle in
the two races.
1889 Lord Dunraven challenged, but
the Royal Yacht Squadron declined to
approve his challenge on the ground
| 'iul tic nc" uceu VI Sht Nuo hic6di
and not in. the interest of good sport
In 1893 Dunraven came over with the
cutter Valkyrie II. and was defeated
in three races by the American sloor
| Vigilant, owned by q syndicate headed
by G. o. Iselin. In 1895 Dunraven re-
turned with the cutter valkyrie III
TIL esloop Defender was built by the
Iselin syndicate to defend the trophy
In the second contest valkyrie III. was
disqualified and withdrew.
In 1899 Sir Thomas Upton brought
over his first challenger, Shamrock |
To meet her the Iselin syndicate built
the sloop Columbia, which won the
first race of the series by 10 minutes
and 8 seconds. In the next race the
Shamrock was disable dand the de-
fender had a sailover. The third race
was won by Columbia in 6 minutes and
| 81 seconds.
| For the next race, in 1901, SiI
Thomas Upton built the Shamrock II.
while the New York Yacht Club agar
relied upon the Columbia to defend the
cup. The Columbia won the first ant
third of the series. Shamrock II fin
ished first In the secon dcontest, bu
lost the race on time allowance.
The last series WAS In 1903. wtei