"Mischief... magnificently handled, easily outdistanced the Atalanta, a new yacht, hastily built... and bungled around the course by an alleged crew, who would have been overmatched in trying to handle a canal boat anchored in the fog".

This was the description of a Spirit of the Times journalist in his article about the 1881 challenge.

In 1901, there are two yacht designers engaged in the task of defending the "America" Cup, and the yacht which is being built from Mr. Crowninshield's designs is of a type very widely diferent from what might be called the typical Herreshoff model. The "Independence" is an attempt to apply to the 90 foot yacht a form of hull which has been developed of late years in the keen competition between small craft of 15 and 20-foot waterline.

Capt. Barr was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but removed with his parents at an early age to Gourock on the Clyde. Here the famous skipper sailed his first race and began his career as a yachtsman, which resulted in the first 12 years of racing in an average of 10 winnings a year, all in small boats.
Capt. Barr during his career had charge of the Neptune, a Fife boat, in which he won 35 prizes out of 50 starts, all sailed in Scotch and Irish waters.

Andrew Jackson Comstock was one of several Comstock brothers from New London who were accomplished racing yacht masters.

Comstock was skipper of the racing schooner Columbia, which defended during the 1871 America’s Cup challenge and also skipper of the Magic, the successful defender of the 1870 Cup.

Michael Keane is a world-renowned marine artist. His works are considered to be preeminent in the genre. A fine arts painter for over a half-century, Keane's works have been eagerly sought after by astute collectors for many years.