New Britain herald., 1930-04-23

 Here arc pictured the Americas Ct ish Royal Yacht Squadron in the ] what indrtiatic silver pitcher, but it victorious eAmcrica is shown as sf
 EDITORS NOTE: For more
 than three quarters of a cen
 tury, American and British
 yachtsmen have fought thrill
 ing duel for possession of the
 AmeriCas Cup. and prcpara-
 tions now arc being made for
 another match, to be sailed off
 Newport. l.. l., this year. In
 the following article, the first
 of a series of three, is told the
 romantic story of the origin of
 the famous challenge trophy,
 which has been successfully de-
 fcndcd ever since its capture by
 Yankee schooner in 1851.
 New York, April 23-1t has been full decade since English yachts men, have sought to win from this country the most highly-prized tro- phy in the sporting world-the Americas Cup. But the stage is being set now for another thrilling contest. While Sir Thomas Lipton five times a challenger and four times a gallant loser, is finishing another Shamrock to contend against the sWiftest of four new de- fcnding yachts, modern vikings are thrilling to the thought that this summer may add another victory 10 the amazing succession that have graced American sails.
 Wherever water sportsmen gather the Americas Cup races are d sup iect for excited speculation and treasured anecdote. Present inter- est is no stronger than pride in past triumphs, for the story is rich il tradition.
 Seventy eight years have proven too short q time for Britain to re- cover tho trophy first snatched from Ter yachtsmen. The cleverest de- siguers have built craft in which the pluckiest mariners have come overseas, one after another, to re- gain it. But all have gone back empty handed.
 Millions of dollars have been spent in these attempts, and other millions in defcnsc-all over q silver pitcher with an actual value O. about $500. To q landlubber's eye it is an ornate, inartistic thing, but in the yachting world it is beauti ful and priceless. For, since 1851, i. has represented supremacy of the seas.
 First Cup Race
 When a schooner from the United States lifted that's trophy from tn } Royal Yacht squadron on August 22, 1851, in a race around the 1sla osAVight, the sport was in it's in- fancy here. Few men were rich enough to make it a pastime. Seven years before, a little group of men had met aboard the schooner Gim- crack. belonging to John C. Stevens, and organized the New York Yacht club. Among them were John c. Jay, George l.. Schuyler and James M Waterbury, names which still are prominent Stevens himself was chosen as first commodore of the club, and ever since has been known ! as the father of American watching.
 The organizations first challenge l came from abroad. Polite Victorian l whoopee was being planned for the worlds fair in London, and boat races were part of the program | Would the Yankees deign to seul 1 over some sort of craft to lend an international aspect to the contests? |
 The Yankees would. Already they | were leading the world >ith their clipper ships and coastWisc vessels | and tho New York harbor pilot fleet, Of clcan-cut little sChooncc5 | with round bows and full, sweeping l bodies. had attracted wide attention ! with their speed. |
 \ sporting Ohcr
 One of the latter vessels might | have been selected for the races, | except for | sporting offer made ue ore ". II. Brown shipbuildor i with wards on New Works East i river. Brown offered to build a boat i Tor the yacht club which would l prove faster than any craft in ] America or England. Otherwis.,, | he said, it need not be accepted or | paid for. Commodore Stevens ani ] lis associates told him 10 go ahead l
 The result was the America, . | rame ever since dearest 10 ths hearts of yachtsmen. X slim. grace i full schooner she was. with lines i reminiscent of the pilot boats, but . with ends wcll-turncd for speed | Hor overall length was l09 feet, ! 9 inches. with a 23-Ioot beam. They | launched her with q hope and a prayer, put on her sea rig. and started her abroad with crew of 15 men reinforced by "a goodly supply Of rum"
 Commodore Stevens already had sailed, to meet tho America on the other side. Captain Dick Brown. veteran Sandy Hooa pilot took her across and vas 10 sail her in tho worlds fair races.
 A nephew Of tho Amorjcl's de- aigNer, George Steers. w#s q mem her Of inc crcW and kept the ship'a i los on her eastward passage. which was accomplished in IT.: day. ! On one day he wrote:
 She is the best sea boat that ever passed out of the Hook. The Way We have passed every vessel