Show THE OLD VICTOR From the World we condense some interesting facts regarding the old America which now lies In the lower bay of New York celebrating her golden wedding 16 the sea Compared with the Columbia her dimensions are Interesting ns follows America Columbia Walcrllnc length SSOO 8977 Overall length 3101 13200 Hear 2200 M17 3Iclpht of topmast11100 13100 Draught 1150 19S3 The World says the sail area of the America Is not known bu lit was r probably about half that o the Columbia Co-lumbia Her draught was greatest just at the rudder post Her cutwa ter was fine and her midship section has scarcely been improved upon by the Introduction of the fin keel which for cruising at least Is no Improvement Improve-ment Her sails were the best ever seen In England and fitted fiat The America crossed to France in twenty two days and for greater secrecy was refitted in Havre They noted her speed on the other side and It was impossible to arrange for any match races She finally entered the regatta at Cowes Eighteen yachts took part In that race ranging from the cutter Aurora of 17 tons to a great three masted schooner of 392 tons There was no lime limit The course was I around the Isle of Wight a treacherous lane of fiawy winds and Intricate fierce I I I tides and It took the victor nearly eleven hours to sail over I the little I Aurora being second The America lost her Jib topmast early in the race The story runs that her Majesty tho I late Queen Victoria witnessed that race and that when tho America was reported coming In ahead she eagerly asked about the others and thft i reply that went back to her was Your Majesty the others are nowhere and It has been kept up eVe since I was as line a rca as that of Thursday last and It was a greater astonishment to John Bull than that of Thursday last because at that time the air that was played was Britannia Rules the Wave nnd there was not a doubt in all England but what some of the tl0 eighteen yachts would run away from the Yankee The little America has had an experience She was captured L blockade runner In the war She was bought In by old Ben Butler He flailed every summer In her for several weeks That was the way he took his vacations vaca-tions She Is still In Now YOIk harbor har-bor and some of her points arc as line as any inventor since has been ablo to create She was a fighter In the beginning be-ginning and all her record has been filled with honors < |