THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING.
63
FfCcL.S Cogens- "^
1 FORTUNE, BOSTON
Mr. Ashbury, the Havre (France) regatta
was sailed July 12, 1872, and among the
entries were the British schooners Guinevere and Livonia and the American
schooner Sappho. The Guinevere was withdrawn, and Mr. Douglass, owner of the
Sappho, at once withdrew her, declining to
sail against Mr. Ashbury. He started,
however, fifteen minutes after the Livonia;
came up with and ran through her lee, and
then went on over the course, finishing an
hour and a half ahead of her.
In this year, 1872, it was, that Commodore Bennett presented his Brenton's Reef
Challenge Cup, valued at $1,000, for an international trophy. This is the cup that
was won last season by the British cutter
Genesta. As there seemed some disinclination to entering for it, Mr. Bennett offered an extra prize of $500 in case five
yachts started, to be presented to, and held
by, the winner as his own private property.
The only starters, however, were the Ram-
■bler, then owned by Mr. J. Malcolm
Forbes, who now owns the sloop Puritan
and the Madeleine, then owned by Commodore Jacob Voorhis, Jr., of the Brooklyn
club. The start was made July 25, 1872,
and the yachts had dirty weather. The
Madeleine had to put in to New London,
and did not reach the outer mark. The
Rambler made the course in 39b. 55m. 59s.
She belonged to the Eastern club, which
from that time on, has constantly increased in importance.
During the August cruise of the New
York club, this year, there was a handicap
race over the regular Block Island course ;
which is important, as showing how the
yachts of that time were rated. I think the
clubs of both countries will finally come to
this as the fairest way of sailing yacht
races. Certain it is, no system of measurement has ever been satisfactory, and probably none ever will be. Here is the way
in which the committee rated the yachts of
that day. The schooner Columbia allows
the Madeleine im* Resolute im.; Tidal
THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING.
63
FfCcL.S Cogens- "^
1 FORTUNE, BOSTON
Mr. Ashbury, the Havre (France) regatta
was sailed July 12, 1872, and among the
entries were the British schooners Guinevere and Livonia and the American
schooner Sappho. The Guinevere was withdrawn, and Mr. Douglass, owner of the
Sappho, at once withdrew her, declining to
sail against Mr. Ashbury. He started,
however, fifteen minutes after the Livonia;
came up with and ran through her lee, and
then went on over the course, finishing an
hour and a half ahead of her.
In this year, 1872, it was, that Commodore Bennett presented his Brenton's Reef
Challenge Cup, valued at $1,000, for an international trophy. This is the cup that
was won last season by the British cutter
Genesta. As there seemed some disinclination to entering for it, Mr. Bennett offered an extra prize of $500 in case five
yachts started, to be presented to, and held
by, the winner as his own private property.
The only starters, however, were the Ram-
■bler, then owned by Mr. J. Malcolm
Forbes, who now owns the sloop Puritan
and the Madeleine, then owned by Commodore Jacob Voorhis, Jr., of the Brooklyn
club. The start was made July 25, 1872,
and the yachts had dirty weather. The
Madeleine had to put in to New London,
and did not reach the outer mark. The
Rambler made the course in 39b. 55m. 59s.
She belonged to the Eastern club, which
from that time on, has constantly increased in importance.
During the August cruise of the New
York club, this year, there was a handicap
race over the regular Block Island course ;
which is important, as showing how the
yachts of that time were rated. I think the
clubs of both countries will finally come to
this as the fairest way of sailing yacht
races. Certain it is, no system of measurement has ever been satisfactory, and probably none ever will be. Here is the way
in which the committee rated the yachts of
that day. The schooner Columbia allows
the Madeleine im* Resolute im.; Tidal
