THE MAYFLOWER AND GALATEA RACES OF 1886.
m
to windward back home, and finally won
the deciding event by 29m. 9s. For the
subjoined history of the America's Cup I
am indebted to my friend, Captain Roland
F. Coffin, famous as a sailor, and still
more so as the historian of sailors' deeds:
The cup which has once more been successfully
defended by an American yacht, was first won by the
schooner America in 1851, in a race of the Royal
Yacht Squadron around the Isle of Wight, she sailing
as one of a large fleet of schooners and cutters. The
popular impression is that she sailed against the
whole fleet; but this is incorrect. She simply sailed
-as one of them, each one striving to win. When
won it became the property of the owners of the
America, and was brought by them to this country
and retained in their possession for several years.
They then concluded to make of it an international
challenge cup, and by a deed of gift placed it in the
custody of the New York Yacht Club as trustee.
By this deed of gift any foreign yacht may compete
for it upon giving six months' notice, and is entitled
to one race over the New York Yacht Club course.
There is, however, a clause in the deed which permits the challenger and the club to make any conditions they choose for the contest, and as a matter
of fact, it has never been sailed for under the terms
expressed in the deed of gift ; the two parties having always been able to agree upon other conditions.
When the schooner yacht Cambria came for it
in 1870, she being the first challenger, the six months'
notice was waived, and she sailed against the whole
fleet, against the protest of her owner, Mr. James
Ashbury, he contending that only a single vessel
should be matched against her. The Cambria was
beaten, and Mr. Ashbury had the schooner Livonia
built expressly to challenge for this cup. The
matter of his protest having been referred to Mr.
George L. Schuyler, the only one of the owners of
the America who was living, he decided that Mr.
Ashbury's interpretation of the deed of gift was
correct, and that such was the intention of the donors
of the cup. When the Livonia came, in 1871,
the club selected four schooners, the keel boats
Sappho and Dauntless, and the centerboards Palmer
and Columbia, to defend the cup, claiming the right
to name either of those four on the morning of each
race. The series of races was seven, the best four
to win. There were five races sailed, the Columbia
winning two, the Sappho two, and the Livonia one.
The next challenger was the Canadian schooner
Countess of Dufferin, in 1876, and Major Gifford,
who represented her owners, objected to the naming
of more than one yacht by the New York club, and
asked that she be named in advance. The New
York club has from the first behaved in the most
liberal and sportsmanlike manner in relation to this
cup, and on this occasion it assented to Major Gilford's request and named the schooner Madeleine.
The races agreed upon were three, best two to win.
Only two were sailed, Capt. "Joe" Elsworth sailing the Canadian yacht in the second race. The
Madeleine won both races with ease.
In 1881 a challenge was received from the Bay of
Quinte Yacht Club, naming the sloop Atalanta, and
the conditions agreed upon were the same as in the
race with the other Canadian yacht, the club naming
the sloop Mischief, which won the first two races.
The next challenger was the cutter Genesta last
year, practically the same conditions being agreed
upon as in the two previous races. The only difference was that as a concession to the challenger,
two out of the three races were agreed upon to be
sailed outside the Hook. The Puritan won the
two first races, as the Mayflower has won them this
year. From first to last, the only victory of either
of the challengers has been that of the Livonia over
the Columbia, which was gained by the American
yacht carrying away part of her steering gear.
THE MAYFLOWER AND GALATEA RACES OF 1886.
m
to windward back home, and finally won
the deciding event by 29m. 9s. For the
subjoined history of the America's Cup I
am indebted to my friend, Captain Roland
F. Coffin, famous as a sailor, and still
more so as the historian of sailors' deeds:
The cup which has once more been successfully
defended by an American yacht, was first won by the
schooner America in 1851, in a race of the Royal
Yacht Squadron around the Isle of Wight, she sailing
as one of a large fleet of schooners and cutters. The
popular impression is that she sailed against the
whole fleet; but this is incorrect. She simply sailed
-as one of them, each one striving to win. When
won it became the property of the owners of the
America, and was brought by them to this country
and retained in their possession for several years.
They then concluded to make of it an international
challenge cup, and by a deed of gift placed it in the
custody of the New York Yacht Club as trustee.
By this deed of gift any foreign yacht may compete
for it upon giving six months' notice, and is entitled
to one race over the New York Yacht Club course.
There is, however, a clause in the deed which permits the challenger and the club to make any conditions they choose for the contest, and as a matter
of fact, it has never been sailed for under the terms
expressed in the deed of gift ; the two parties having always been able to agree upon other conditions.
When the schooner yacht Cambria came for it
in 1870, she being the first challenger, the six months'
notice was waived, and she sailed against the whole
fleet, against the protest of her owner, Mr. James
Ashbury, he contending that only a single vessel
should be matched against her. The Cambria was
beaten, and Mr. Ashbury had the schooner Livonia
built expressly to challenge for this cup. The
matter of his protest having been referred to Mr.
George L. Schuyler, the only one of the owners of
the America who was living, he decided that Mr.
Ashbury's interpretation of the deed of gift was
correct, and that such was the intention of the donors
of the cup. When the Livonia came, in 1871,
the club selected four schooners, the keel boats
Sappho and Dauntless, and the centerboards Palmer
and Columbia, to defend the cup, claiming the right
to name either of those four on the morning of each
race. The series of races was seven, the best four
to win. There were five races sailed, the Columbia
winning two, the Sappho two, and the Livonia one.
The next challenger was the Canadian schooner
Countess of Dufferin, in 1876, and Major Gifford,
who represented her owners, objected to the naming
of more than one yacht by the New York club, and
asked that she be named in advance. The New
York club has from the first behaved in the most
liberal and sportsmanlike manner in relation to this
cup, and on this occasion it assented to Major Gilford's request and named the schooner Madeleine.
The races agreed upon were three, best two to win.
Only two were sailed, Capt. "Joe" Elsworth sailing the Canadian yacht in the second race. The
Madeleine won both races with ease.
In 1881 a challenge was received from the Bay of
Quinte Yacht Club, naming the sloop Atalanta, and
the conditions agreed upon were the same as in the
race with the other Canadian yacht, the club naming
the sloop Mischief, which won the first two races.
The next challenger was the cutter Genesta last
year, practically the same conditions being agreed
upon as in the two previous races. The only difference was that as a concession to the challenger,
two out of the three races were agreed upon to be
sailed outside the Hook. The Puritan won the
two first races, as the Mayflower has won them this
year. From first to last, the only victory of either
of the challengers has been that of the Livonia over
the Columbia, which was gained by the American
yacht carrying away part of her steering gear.
