New Britain herald., 1922-04-12
SCHOONER MAGIC A
 STAUNCH OLD RELIC
Was First American Cup Defender
 in Its Day

Key West, Flao April 1.-The schooner Magic, which on August s., 1870, in lower New York bay suc- eessfully defended the Americas cup against the British yacht Cambria, probably will have a final resting place on the beach or a sand bar in the harbor here. Old, weather worn and dismasted, the vessel which once represented in all her glory the ma- rlne architecture and seamanshp of the Yankee against those of the Brit isher, has been condemned by her owner as useless after ending her ac- tive days alioat as a pilot boat on the key West bar
 First Cup Defender.
 The Magic in reality was the first or the modern cup defenders for the America, which first won the interna- | tional trophy, did so on August 22, 1851, by defeating the British yacht Aurora, and it was not until nineteen years later that British yachtsmen attempted to take 1t home. It was in this contest that the Magic emerg- ed the victor, the first of nineteen vessels in the race to cross the finish, defeating her British challenger by thirty-nine minutes and twelve sec- onds. In this contest the Magic then owned by Franklin Osgood, of New York, bested the America, Dauntless, Rambler, Fleetwing, Alarm, Widgeon, Silvia, Idler, Alice, Tidal Wave, Ga lypso, Madeline. Phantom and four n hoy A ontt, Co, their day, all of which were in the race to outsail the Cambria, the Brit ish entry. At the finish the Cambria was eighth in actual time and tenth in order by time allowance,
 When Built.
 The Magic was built in Philadel- phia by T. Byerly and Son in 1857 for Captain R. F. Loper, as a soop and upon launching was christened the Madgie. After her first season she was heightened fifteen feet for ward, the second season twelve feet aft, her rig at that time being chang ed to that of a schooner, and during her third season she was heightened fifteen feet amidship. Before meeting the Cambria she was rebuilt at City Island, N. Y. and when she defeated the challenger sailed on about sev- enty-nine feet waterline, twenty feet nine inches beam, and six feet three inches draft She registered 92.2 tons.
 The vessel passed through various hands before Mir. Osgood gained pos session of her. She was sold by Capt. Loper in 1864 to William J. McVick- CT, who became commodore of the New York Yacht club in 1866, and it was McVicker who changed her name from Madgie to Magic. George Lorilard purchased the yacht in 1S66, kept it one year, then sold it to w. H. Cray, who rebuilt the craft before disposing of it to Osgood in May, 1870. The vessel was owned by many other yachtsmen in later years, MT. Osgood having her on two other oc- casions after disposing of her to Les ter Wallack in 1871.
 Used As Pilot Boat.
 The Merrill Stevens Shipbuilding and Drydock company of Jackson vile, Fla, purchased the schooner some years ago from John S. Clarke and Brother, of Pittsburgh, Pa, and disposed of her to stephen Lowe, of Key West who immediately put the | vessel on the bar as a pilot boat. The | Magic was dismasted and sunk in the | harbor here by hurricane and Lowe raised the hulk. For many monthS it has been anchored in the harbor near the railroad pier awaiting dis nOsjtion Now Mr. Lowe has con- demned the craft