George
L. Schuyler
George L. Schuyler was a civil engineer with steam
ferry and railroad interests. He was a Colonel in
the Civil War and a descendent of General Schuyler
of Revolutionary War fame. After AMERICA won the "Hundred
Guinea Cup" at the Isle of Wight in 1851, some
of the five member syndicate responsible for building
her wanted to have the Cup melted down so that each
owner could have a medal struck from it in commemoration
of the race. George Schuyler fought against the idea,
urging that the Cup be presented to the New York Yacht
Club as an international trophy to be raced for by
foreign clubs. His idea was accepted, and George Schuyler
was responsible for writing the terms for the conveyance
of the Cup to the Club, later known as the Deed of
Gift.
Dated July 8, 1857, it read: "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 for this Cup with
any yacht or vessel of not less than thirty or more
than three hundred tons, measured by the custom-house
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 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 sailing regulations -
the challenging party being bound to give six months
advance notice in writing, fixing the day they wish
to start. This notice to embrace the length, custom-house
measurement, rig and name of the vessel."
"It is to be distinctly understood that the
Cup is to be the property of club, and not the members
thereof, or owners of the vessel winning it in the
match; and that the condition of keeping it open to
be sailed for by yacht clubs of all foreign countries
upon the terms laid down, shall forever attach to
it, thus making it perpetually a challenge Cup for
friendly competition between foreign countries."
In 1881, Schuyler revised the original Deed of gift
to include the following: First, that the challenging
yacht be met by only one defending yacht; second,
that the challenging vessel be constructed in the
country she was to represent; third, that, in the
interest of good seaworthy construction, the challenger
be required to sail to the site of the match; fourth,
that a defeated vessel not be permitted to sail again
until a contest with another vessel intervenes, or
until 2 years elapses from such defeat; and, finally,
that any challenge, to be valid, must come from an
organized yacht club of a foreign country.
