A pretty long net-work of law to cover so small a matter. Thus protected and fostered, the work pressed bravely on. The progress, however, of the popular taste in this direction was very gradual. In 1850, the whole fleet of the club could be counted on one's fingers. It had its regattas, but they were not the popular events they have since become. In the summer of 1851, the yacht America, built by George L. Steers, bearing the pennant of John C. Stevens, Commodore of the New York Yacht Club, crossed the Atlantic to take part in an international yacht race, open to the yachts of all nations. Sailing from Havre to Cowes, she fell in with the crack yacht of England, whose owner proposed a race. Her sailing-master (Commodore S. not being on board) assented, and the yachts started for Cowes, Isle of Wight. The America soon left the English yacht astern, which so frightened the Englishmen, that the international race was given up. Commodore Stevens then posted a notice in the Club House at Cowes offering to race the America against any English yacht for ten thousand guineas. That offer was not accepted; but the America was entered for one of the Royal Yacht Club matches, the prize being a cup presented by the squadron, open to the yachts of any country, of any rig, and of any size, to be sailed without time allowance, around the Isle of Wight. There were sixteen entries. The America won the race with ease, and returned with the cup to the United States. Her owner presented the cup to the New York Yacht Club, to be always held as a challenge cup. It received the name of the 'Queen's Cup,' though British yachtsmen call it the '1851, or America's Cup,' its proper name. The deed of trust to the New York Yacht Club reads The America's Cup. as follows: "Any organized yacht club of any foreign country shall always be entitled, through any one or more of its members, to claim the right. of sailing a match with any yacht or other vessel of not less than thirty nor more than three hundred tons, measured by the customhouse rule of the country to which the vessel belongs. "The parties desiring to sail for the cup may make any match with the yacht club in possession of the same that may be determined upon 1 The America is now owned by the Hon. Benjamin F. Butler. by mutual consent; but, in case of disagreement as to terms, the match shall be sailed over the usual course for the annual regatta of the yacht club in possession of the cup, and subject to its rules and regulations, the challenging party being bound to give six months' notice in writing, fixing the day they may wish to start. This notice to embrace the length, custom-house measurement, rig, and name of the vessel." The great event in the history of the New York Yacht Club took place in 1866-67, when the Henrietta, Vesta, and Fleetwing crossed the Atlantic, the Henrietta, belonging to James Gordon Bennett, Jr., winning the race. This daring event contributed more to give a status to our country's yachts and yachtsmen than any feat ever before accomplished by them. For years, although the speed of our yachts was admitted, it was the custom, at home and abroad, to consider our yachtsmen as smooth-water sailors, addicted to cruising in land-locked bays, and seldom venturing off soundings. After this race, all such jibes were forever silenced. The start in this ocean race was made Dec. 11, 1866. The course was from Sandy Hook Light-ship to the Needle's Light, in the English Channel; it was a sweepstake race, for a purse of ninety thousand dollars, thirty thousand dollars for each yacht, the winner receiving the entire amount. The contestants were the schooners Henrietta, a keel yacht of 205 tons, the Vesta, centre board, of 201 tons, and the Fleetwing, keel, of 212 tons. The race was a close and gallant one, all three making their Cowes anchorage within three hours of each other. After the first day out, the vessels saw nothing more of each other until they encountered in port. Mr. Bennett went out in the Henrietta, and Mr. George Lorillard in the Vesta. The Henrietta, Captain Samuels, carried off the honors, making the passage in 13 days, 22 hours, 46 minutes.1 The Henrietta was modelled by William Tooker, and built by Henry Steers, at Greenport. She was launched in June, 1861. Her dimensions were 107 feet on deck, 99 feet water line; tonnage, by custom-house measurement, 205 tons. Soon after her launch the civil war began. Mr. Bennett generously placed her at the disposal of the government. His offer was accepted, and the yacht was commissioned as a revenue cutter, and 1 We are indebted to the politeness of the publishers of 'Brentano's Monthly' for the engraving of the Henrietta. The Log of the Vesta,' by Col. Stuart M. Taylor, and 'How the Henrietta Won,' by Stephen Fiske, published in 'Brentano's Monthly,' are admirable records of the race. See, also, the illustrated paper on Yachts and Yachting in 'Scribner's Monthly,' vol. iv., August, 1872. did efficient service from New York to Florida, and at the close of the war, in 1865, returned to the service of the New York Yacht Club. In September, 1865, she was beaten by the Fleetwing, in a race around Cape May Light-ship, by 1 hour, 19 minutes. In October she was defeated by the Vesta over the same course, both her contestants in the ocean race, when she came off victor. After the Henrietta's return from the ocean race she was laid up, and ultimately sold for fifteen thousand dollars, to a Boston gentleman, for a fruiter; and, after making several successful voyages, she was lost off the coast of Honduras, Dec. 16, 1872, on her return voyage to New York. The Henrietta will always be thought of as winner of the first mid-winter ocean yacht race across the Atlantic, and no subsequent yacht race can ever deprive her of its laurels. After her triumph, Mr. Bennett bought her antagonist, the Fleetwing, for sixty-five thousand dollars, and renamed her the Dauntless. In 1870, the race between the Dauntless, belonging to Bennett, and Cambria, belonging to Mr. Ashbury, was undertaken, resulting in the defeat of the Dauntless. The club-house of the New York Yacht Club, bought in 1868, is a villa-like structure, located in Clifton, Staten Island, and is conducted. on house rules varying in no substantial particular from city clubs in general. The admission fee to the Club is forty dollars; annual dues, twentyfive dollars. The New York Yacht Club remained in undisturbed possession of the America's cup until 1870, when Commodore Ashbury, of the Royal Harwich Yacht Club, England, challenged the New York club, and entered the yacht Cambria against the fleet of the New York Yacht Club, over their course. The race was sailed Aug. 8, 1870, and was won by the Magic, of the New York Yacht Club, the Cambria being the tenth yacht in. Commodore Ashbury, returning to England, had a new yacht built, the Livonia, and again challenged the holders of the cup to sail a series of races, the first of which came off Oct. 16, 1871, and was won by the New York yacht Columbia. The second race was between the Livonia and Columbia, Oct. 18, 1871, and was also won by the Columbia. The third race was run the next day, between the same vessels, and under a time allowance the victory was assigned to the Livonia. A fourth race, between the Livonia and Sappho, was won by the Sappho; and a fifth race, between the Livonia and Dauntless, was won by the Dauntless. These races were all sailed under the rules of the New York Yacht Club, under the management of the club committee. That they were fairly won, and proved the superiority of the models of the American yachts, there can be no doubt. The Livonia sailed for England, November 9, leaving the cup in the possession of the New York club. During our civil war, the America, which had previously been purchased by an English gentleman, became a noted blockade-runner, but was once so closely pressed that she was run on shore and scuttled. She was raised by our officers, repaired by the United States government, and stationed at the Naval Academy at Annapolis, where she was used for experimental practice until June, 1873, when she was offered at auction, and purchased by Major-General Benjamin F. Butler, who was the only bidder, for five thousand dollars, and she is now (1880) owned by him. The following are the names of the principal American yacht clubs whose signal-flags are given in the colored illustration (Plate X.), with the date of their organization or incorporation, when known: |