HISTORY OF THE AMERICA CUP,

Otago Witness, Issue 2170, 26 September 1895, Page 28

HISTORY OF THE AMERICA CUP,

When in 1851 a race took place botween a number of yachts for a hundred-guinea enp, could anyone who was present, in their wildest imaginings, foresr-c thw.fc tho comparatively insignificant trophy ( ft" r red on thnfc occasion would become so i«uw.m th"t now almost annually many thousands of pounds are spent by the losers to effect its recapture, many thoueands by the holders to retain it P It is interesting to note the reasons that have led to this unparalleled notoriety, and the history of. the many raoes that have taken place for this much-coveted trophy. The otory of the America is so well known that only a brief'account of that world-famous schooner is necessary. She was built in 1849-50 by MeK« W. H. Brown and Co., from a design by George Steers, of Wllliamsbargh, Long Island. Her owners were Measrs J. C. Stevens, Hamilton WilkßS, J. B. Farley, E. A. Stevens, and Q. L. Schuyler, and she cost them £4000, or £2000 less than would have been the case had she not sustained a defeat at the hands of Maria, a sloop owned by Commodore Stevens. She left America far Havre in 185 L, her designer crossiog over in her on pnrpos* to tffecb some alterations to her forefoot. The initial venture in English waters was in a race round tho Isle of Wight, under the auspice 3of the Royal Yacht Squadron, the now celebrated Cup bein# the prize. There were 15 fitarterp, as followß :— The schooner.) Brilliant 392 tons (three-mast), Constance 218 tons, Wyvern 205 toaa, America 170 tons, Beatrice 161 tons, Gypsy Qaeen 160 tons, and lone 75 tons ; also the cotters A!.<rm 193 tons, Arrow 84 tons, Mono 82 tons, Bao-

ohante 80 tons, Freak 60 tons. Eclipse 60 tons, Volante 48 ton*, and Aurora 47 tons. The start took place at 10 a.m., and America got the winning gun at 8.35 p.m. , the wind being very light •nd fluky. All the English vessels went outside the Nab Lightehip, but the America secured • b'g lead by going inßide. The big cutters were »oon ahead again, bat Arrow, taking the giound, Alarm and sumo of the BChoonem went to help her, the two really dangerous boats being thus put out of the race. Then Volante lo«t ncr bowsprit owing to a foul with Freak, the pair bsing at the time close to the America. Eventually the latter crossed the Una ZOmin ahead of her pigmy rival, Aurora, and had there been the usual time allowance the latter would have only lost by 2mm. The race was a very poor trial of speed, and, had they finished, Alarm and Arrow, tha two crack cutters, would have almost been certain to have beaten the American. In the following year, in a race over the same oourse, with a very light wind, Arrow beat Alarm by lseo, with America nearly 2min astern, America, however, was undoubtedly a speedy ship, as her*4o mile race against the schooner TitaDia (100 tons), wbich she beat bj 52min, would show. She also beat (he Swediah schooner Svtrige over a 40 mile coarse by 26min, although in the 20-mile run to leaward the Swede was B£min ahead, but unfortunately broke tho jaws of her main gaff in rounding the lee mark. America was 94ft over all, 83ft 1.0.w.1., 22ft 6in beam, and lift 6in draught. After her races in England she was sold to Lord de Blaquiere, remaining in his possession for 10 yearn. Subsequently, she passed into the bands of the Southern Confederacy during the great civil war, and was sunk in the St. John's river. She was raised and sent to Port Royal and on to Annapolis, whero she was for Mtue years in the Government service, eventually passing into the posseis-ion of General Butler. America is still a staunch ship to this day. The second contest for the *' America" Gup was held 19 years later, when Cambria crossed over to try to regain the trophy. She was a fast schooner, measuring 100 ft w.1., 20ft sin beam, and 12ft 4in draught. A fleet ef vessels competed against her, the rice going to Magic, a considerably smaller bOftt. In the following year, 1871, came the triangular race between Sappho, Columbia," and Livonia, ihe latter being the old country repxeteutative, but the was unequal to the ttsk of wresting the cup from the holders. "This wa« the Jast attempt by an English yacht for 15 yearn, but in tho meanwhile Canada stepped into tho breach. In 1876 the Dominion challenged with Countess of Dufferin, of the following measurements •,— 107 ft w.l , 24<t beam, 6ft 6in draught. Madeline was the veisel chosen to defend the Cup. She was originally a *loop, but was altered to the popular schooner rig, and was built by D. Kirby, of Kye, N.Y., from a design by J. Voorbi«, at»d Ihe Canadian had to strike her colours to the New Yorker. Nothing daunted by this want of success Canada tried again in 1881 with Atalanta, a vary shallow boat, 64ft w.1., 19ft beam, and $ft sin draught. The iron t-loop, Mischief, of 79 tone, designed by A. Cary Smijh and built by Hollinf sworth and Co., Wilmington, Del., soccoMfully defended the Cup against the Canadian. In 1885 England made another attempt, Sir Richard Button challenging with Genesta. Puritan was *pecially built to uphold the American interests, and the big white sloop proved too formidable for the Britisher. Tbe following year Lieutenant Henn threw down the gauntlat on behalf of Galatea, but she was scarcely a representative English yacht, and Mayflower had but little difficulty in showing her a clean pair of heels. Again in 1887 America waß called on to answer another challenge, and, as Thistle was the yacht on whose behalf the defl. had been issued, there seemed to be a great ohanoe of the muoh-coveled Cup returning to the mother country, so well had the fine Scotch racer been performing in Home waters. She was 86 46ft w.1., 20 - 03tt beam, 138 ft draught, Volimttor, the vessel elected to compete against her, being 85 88fc w.1., 23 02ft beam, and lOi; draught. Once again violory went to the representatives of the Stars and Stripe*. After an interval of six years Lord Dunraven sent a challenge, which resulted in the meeting between Vigilant and Valkyrie 11. In the first race the contest was stopped owing to the yachts not completing the course in time, the Britisher then being 25min ahead. The second and third race went to Vigilant, however, by smin 53« ec and 40#ec respectively. In the latter race Valkyrie led in the beat to windward, but, bursting her spinnaker Vigilant outran her. The 'aca between Valkyrie HI and Defender, make* f «-" ninth t ! ms the Cup has been competed for.