Yves GARY Published: 14 October 2020 Hits: 634
Category: 1871 : CHALLENGE N°2
THE DECISIVE RACE FOR THE QUEEN’S CUP - OCT. 23, 1871The decisive race for the Queen's Cup, so gallantly won by the yacht America in 1851 from the flower of the English yachts, was sailed on Monday, October 23, between the Livonia and the Sappho. Our artist was a witness of the friendly contest from the start to the close; and on this page records the triumph of the American yacht in a series of pictures which show the position occupied by each of the competing vessels at different hours during the progress of the race.
| November 11, 1871 | HARPER'S WEEKLY. | *1061 |
The start was from the anchor, and the representative of the Livonia won the choice of position. By ten o'clock the waters of the bay off the Quarantine Landing were crowded with all kinds of craft to witness the race. The day was all that could be desired, the air was quite warm, and the sky almost cloudless. At 11.16 the signal to make ready was given, und at 11.22 the whistle was blown for the start. The Livonia had lowered her foretop-mast as if she anticipated heavy weather. The wind was moderate from west-southwest, and the tide at the last of the ebb. 
The Livonia got much the best of the start, as men had been sent aloft, who, at the sound of the whistle, jumped out of the rigging, clinging to the jib-stays, and thus running the head-sail with celerity. The crew of the Sappho displayed remarkable coolness, and the Livonia jibs were half up before the Sappho began: everything moved with the most perfect system; and although the Livonia soon filled and got well under way, the work went along deliberately upon the deck of the American champion. It was fully five minutes after the signal, or three and a half minutes after the Livonia crossed the line, that the Sappho got her sails drawing perfectly. The Livonia was lending by fully three-fourths of a mile, and under jib, stay-sail, jib-headed maintop-sail, and fore and main sails, was doing her utmost to maintain her position. The Sappho, in addition to her main and fore sails, carried her three lower jibs and fore and main gaff top-sails.From the very start, as soon as she got way on, the Sappho began to gain upon her antagonist. The Livonia passed the fort on the lower point of Staten Island at 11.36.30, the Sappho at 11.38. So the yachts went on, passing Buoy 15, the Livonia at 11.41, Sappho 11.42; Buoy No.13, Livonia 11.49, Sappho 11.49.30. |
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As the yachts approached Buoy No. 11 the Sappho attempted to pass to windward of her antagonist; but finding that this could not be done, she drew up until her jib-boom was nearly over the Livonia’s taffrail, and keeping broad off to get good way on, she luffed and passed through the lee of the Livonia as if the latter had been at anchor.At 11.58 the Sappho passed Buoy No.9, and at 11.58.45 the Livonia passed the same point. Passing Buoy No.7 the Sappho had a clear lead of five lengths. 
The Buoy No.10 was new on the lee bow of the yachts, and they kept off. The Sappho set her jib top-sail and the Livonia set her maintop-mast stay-sail. The former passed the buoy at 12.15.12, the latter at 12.16.58.By this time the wind had moderated, and from this point to the light-ship was dead aft. Both yachts boomed out their mainsails to port and their foresails to starboard, and ran wing and wing. The Sappho jibed round the light-ship at 1.32.58; the Livonia at 1.45.22, as shown in the accompanying illustrations. 
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The race back to the stake-boat showed in a still more remarkable manner the superiority of the American over the English yacht. It was the subject of general remark that the Livonia did not sail within two points as close in the wind‘s eye as the Sappho, while her inferiority in the matter of speed, supposing her to have been properly handled, was so conclusively proved that even Mr. Ashbury can hardly fail to be convinced of the fact. The wind continued blowing freshly; and the Sappho, fairly outrunning the steamers, came in at the home stake-boat at 3.59.05. 
The Livonia arrived at the stake-boat at 4.25.41. The following table will give a clear idea of the race: Thus the American yacht beat the English in actual time twenty-six minutes and thirty-six seconds, and as corrected for allowances twenty-five minutes and twenty-seven seconds. Adding the three minutes lost at the start, makes the victory of the Sappho twenty-eight minutes and twenty-seven seconds. 
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THE RACE FOR THE QUEEN’S CUP. - Harper's Weekly Nov, 11 1871 - HathiTrust Digital Library
THE INTERNATIONAL YACHT RACES - Hunt's Yachting Magazine Dec. 1871 - Google Livres
THE QUEEN'S CUP. - Another Race Won by the Sappho and the Match Decided. Protest from Mr. Ashbury--He will Sail Over the Course Twice More--A Match with the Dauntless for a Fifty-Guinea Cup. - Article - NYTimes.com:
