YACHTING IN 1901. 



801 



was becalmed for a while, but finished far in ad- 

 vance of the rest, and established beyond ques- 

 tion her reputation as the fastest sailing vessel 

 afloat. 



If it had been difficult to secure a worthy an- 

 tagonist before this is was impossible now. Com- 

 modore Stevens posted a notice in the Royal club- 

 house at Cowes offering to race anything for any 

 sum up to 10,000 guineas, but he was able to ob- 

 tain only one chance, and that appeared to have 



absolute impartiality and apparently at their own 

 sweet will. 



With such a reputation as she had gained, the 

 America was easily sold to a British purchaser; 

 her name was changed, and for several years she 

 flew British colors, but never distinguished herself 

 under alien management as she did when manned 

 by a Yankee crew. Eventually she fell into the 

 hands of the Confederates, was used early in the 

 civil war for blockade-running, was captured 



Copyright, 1901, by James Burton. 



COLUMBIA AND SHAMROCK II. 



been brought about only in consequence of the 

 general howl of derision that went up from all 

 over the United Kingdom at the expense of the 

 champion yachtsmen of the world, who were ap- 

 parently afraid to risk the reputations of their 

 boats against the only worthy antagonist that 

 had ever crossed seas with a view to giving them a 

 contest. 



So wide-spread was the indignation that a depu- 

 tation of local fishermen is said to have waited 

 upon the yachting authorities and offered, if the 

 gentlemen would put up the money, to take the 

 best cutter that could be found and race her (the 

 America) to Cape Clear and back, " and the hard- 

 er it blows the better." 



The nearest approach to such an ideal contest 

 as this was found in the Titania (Robert Stephen- 

 son, Esq.), and the conditions were fairly favor- 

 able, for the course was laid 20 miles to sea in the 

 face of what is described as " heavy weather." 

 The America came out handsomely a winner, as, 

 indeed, everybody expected she would do, consid- 

 ering her size and weatherly qualities. But other 

 races were not forthcoming, and the Americans 

 were obliged to content themselves with attending 

 such regattas as they chose merely as spectators, 

 sailing around victors and vanquished alike, with 

 VOL. XLI. 51 A 



by the Federals, and remained in the United 

 States navy for some years. She was finally pur- 

 chased by the late Gen. Benjamin F. Butler, and 

 upon his death became the property of his son 

 Paul, who takes pride in keeping her in seagoing 

 trim, and who last summer entertained on board 

 as a guest Sir Thomas Lipton, owner of Shamrock 

 II, the last challenger for the cup. It speaks well 

 for American builders of half a century ago that 

 a vessel stigmatized in her day as unseaworthy 

 owing to purposely light and flimsy construction 

 should still be afloat and capable of giving a good 

 account of herself, even when compared with the 

 latest achievements of naval architects. 



By tacit consent the handsome silver cup then 

 won by the America was rated high above all 

 similar trophies in the world, and at an early date 

 came to be somewhat inappropriately termed 

 " the blue ribbon of the seas." In 1857 the owners 

 of the America executed a deed of gift whereby 

 the cup was given over to the New York Yacht- 

 Club, to be held as a perpetual challenge prize 

 open to all nations under certain specified condi- 

 tions. 



No.t until twenty years had passed was an at- 

 tempt made to win back for England the coveted 

 trophy, but since that time at irregular inter- 



