Setting the Stage:

The ill-advised conditions under which the Great Ocean Race of 1905 was organized, the extreme diversity of the eleven yachts and attendant cast of characters– ranging from English Aristocracy to American Robber Barons and from professional seamen to club amateurs, including just one woman who sailed them—makes for a compelling story. Add an egomaniacal German Emperor determined to claim (false) international naval supremacy and set the drama on the nascent 20th Century World stage… now this is a Gilded Age mini-series worth watching!

I found Scott Cookman’s Atlantic: The Last Great Race of Princes, so interesting it motivated me to “navigate the stacks” for additional information on this fascinating topic. With the help of IYRS’s online database and Librarian, Francis Frost, I was able to access numerous records and contemporary accounts that shed more light onto this auspicious event and its eclectic set of competitors. We hope that you find this topic as interesting as we did and follow the multi-part story that I was able to discover thanks to the richness of supporting materials found in the IYRS Maritime Library Collection. (References linked & below.)

In May 1905, the eyes of the world were focused on a no-holds barred, transatlantic yacht race that would serve as a proxy for perceived international naval supremacy. In 1888, Germany’s newly-minted (and last) Emperor, inherited little navy to speak of but was determined that Germany should emerge as a seafaring superpower. Kaiser Wilhelm II devised a shortcut to maritime bragging rights by offering a “solid” gold trophy for the winner of his propaganda-driven challenge in the form of a yacht race. Ten vessels flying the flags of the U.K. and U.S.A. spared no expense or effort in preparing for the 3000nm sprint in treacherous North Atlantic spring conditions to claim the Emperor’s Cup. The eleventh yacht, selected by the Kaiser to represent the Fatherland was actually the British-built Rainbow. He renamed her Hamburg— but it was not lost on anyone that there was not a single German-built boat in the contest.

The public watched with rapt interest as eleven of the fastest, most opulent yachts ever built were staged by a cast of competitors that included British nobility and American industrialists. The priceless collection onboard Lord Brassey’s Sunbeam (comprised of gifts acquired during 3 circumnavigations) was compared to the contents of the British Museum. Lord Lindsay, the 26th Earl of Crawford’s mammoth Valhalla featured several fireplaces, a grand piano and a formal dining room for 30 guests; the crew of 90 were decidedly not invited. Atlantic’s luxuries included marble floors and Tiffany skylights. This was after-all the zenith of the Gilded Age; World War I, the Stock Market Crash and Great Depression were not yet sighted on the horizon.

The diversity of the yacht designs, each favored in different (unpredictable) weather conditions, frustrated New York’s bookmakers who finally set odds based primarily on the experience and mettle of each captain.

The Fleet & Cast of Characters

Eleven widely differing yachts, sailed by owners, captains and crews– ranging from English Aristocracy to American Capitalists and from professional seamen to club amateurs, including just one woman— encapsulate the many compelling backstories of the 1905 Ocean Race. They were…

Fleur de Lys

Owner: Dr. Lewis A. Stimpson studied medicine in Paris and was a protégé to Louis Pasteur. After earning his M.D, he was a surgeon at NY’s Presbyterian Hospital where he inaugurated the use of antiseptics in American medicine. While deeply grieving the loss of his young wife, he found comfort in sailing his little schooner, Fleur de Lys with daughter Candace where they enjoyed the simplicity and challenges of offshore sailing. Although a competent sailor, Candace was broadly criticized as the only female racing among the 359 male officers, crew, owners and guests— at the time it was considered “no place for a lady.” Lord Brassy was the sole competitor to support her: “Candace Simpson was the only lady in the race aboard the smallest contestant—truly the Grace Darling of the yachting world.” Additional resource: The Cruise of the Fleur de Lys in the Ocean Race by Lewis A. Stimson

Pro Captain: Thomas “Captain Tommie” Bohlin , was a renown Gloucester fishing captain who worked the North Atlantic for 30 years. No matter the conditions, he was known to sail fast, making his catch first to market, while never losing a man or seriously damaging his boat. As a condition of taking charge of Fleur de Lys for the Great Ocean Race Bohiln stipulated, “There will be no New York Yacht Club flubdubbery about it and we will not wear fancy uniforms.” And he told reporters: “We will not take heedless risks, but we will not be afraid to take a chance, night or day.”

Alisa

Owner: Henry S. Redmond, a Wall St. investment banker, spent nearly $9 million in today’s dollars to prepare his badly neglected yawl, yet he was unable to convince any professional captain to take charge of her. Redmond was the only yacht owner that did not sail in the race; he stayed safely ashore by sending a “representative” (Grenville Kane) as was allowed by the rules.

Pro Captain: When Lem Miller was unceremoniously replaced by his mentor, Cpt. Charles Barr as the skipper of Atlantic, he accepted a last-minute low-ball offer from Redmond. After protracted negotiations Miller agreed to take charge of (what he would later learn) the shockingly unprepared Alisa —because “the salt sea lad wanted command of a yacht—any yacht—in the greatest race of the century.”
Crew: 18 professional deckhands

*Alisa’s progress in the Great Race was documented in depth by Paul Eve Stevenson, who in 1907 published his journal The Race for the Emperor’s Cup In addition to first-hand observations, the book contains Logs of all competitors (except Apache), along with race statistics, results and charts.

Hildegarde

Owner: Edward R. Coleman, Esq inherited his wealth from his father, William Coleman, a steel magnate and business partner of Andrew Carnegie. Among his high-profile guests onboard were the surgeon-general of Pennsylvania and the heir to the Diamond Match fortune. Hildegarde was among the winningest yacht so fthe NYYC. The New York American reported that Coleman had spent a great deal of money in preparing her for the race, “All of her spars, rigging and sails are absolutely new.”

Pro Captain: S.M. Marsters, was given the highest accolade of all captains by the NY Herald’s knowledgeable reporters who described him as “a deep water veteran of the most pronounced type…” His experience included three years as a mate on Hildegarde. Prior to the race he saw to the optimization of the boat for ocean racing. He ordered hollow steel spars, a suit of state-of-the-art silk sails, and applied non-slip (varnish w/sand) on deck for crew safety.
Crew: professional

Endymion

Owner: George Lauder, Jr., Commodore of the Indian Harbor Yacht Club, had as comfortable an upbringing as his ultra-rich rivals, but considerably more seagoing experience. Spanish-American and Philippine War hero Dr. Henry C, Rowland was among his onboard guests. Endymion was purpose built for offshore work, prior to the race, she held the record for fastest transatlantic yacht passage to date.

Pro Captain: James A. “Captain Jim” Loesch, held the record for the fastest transatlantic passage ever made by a sailing yacht to that time. The press called him a “driver” known to risk everything… “He hangs on to sail until the last gasp”—Boston Sunday Herald.
Crew: professional

Thistle

Owner: Robert E. Tod, Esq . Commodore of the Atlantic YC was the true Corinthian captain of his own yacht; one of only 2 in the fleet stacked with “hired gun” skippers.

Corinthian Captain: An expert navigator, Commodore Tod firmly believed and showed by example that it should be the aim of every yachtsman to take a personal part in the handling and navigation of his vessel. Having earned a Master’s license, he had no need of a professional captain. He was the only competitor to skipper his own yacht in the race; many observed that he should have been awarded the Cup on that basis alone. Tod had been instrumental in initiating the transatlantic race by suggesting it to Sir Thomas Lipton, who took up the idea and became the event’s original “sponsor.” This did not sit well with the NYYC, who were relieved when the tea magnate was “out-ranked” by royalty and replaced by the Kaiser for that privilege.
Crew: amateur

Hamburg

Owner: Syndicate, head Adolf Tietjens refused to speak with the press. Although competing as an entry from Hamburg YC, this vessel was sailed by and represented the German Navy, who had been using it as a training ship for officer candidates. In this proxy-war for “naval supremacy”—it should be noted that the Kaiser actually selected a British-built* boat for his purpose. Even though Hamburg placed second in the Ocean Race, she had awakened national sentiment for Germany’s future on the water. By 1914 the Kaiser’s Imperial Navy numbered 441 war ships compared to just 24 when he claimed the throne in 1889.

Pro Captain: Captain-Lieutenant Edward Peters, Imperial German Navy
Crew: All German Navy “regulars” included 2 mates, 23 seamen, 2 cooks and 2 stewards.

*Hamburg (formerly named Rainbow) was one of 6 British-built yachts in the 11-boat Ocean Race; just 2 of them sailed under the British flag.

Sunbeam

Owner: Lord Thomas Brassy, the oldest competitor (69) sailing the oldest yacht (1874) had already logged more than 300,000 ocean voyaging miles. He was the first amateur British yachtsman to earn a Board of Trade Master’s Certificate and as a dedicated lord of the British Admiralty, he was an acknowledged expert on naval affairs. Brassey publicly stoked the political pre-race rhetoric when he told the press: “I have now no higher aim than to utilize every opportunity to contribute in all possible ways to a victory of the English-speaking people.”

Captain: Corinthian, helmed by Brassey, assisted with navigation by Captain Echard and Sailing Master Fayle– these three had sailed together for 36 years.
Crew: An all-British crew of Cornishmen and Jerseymen, in his Log Brassey noted: “Have never sailed with a better crew.”

Atlantic

Owner: Wilson Marshall, heir to his father’s N.Y. Broadway Stage Line was unimaginably wealthy. After the death of his beloved wife, he commissioned a great schooner that would provide him sanctuary while grieving. It was both fast and comfortable, fitted with every modern luxury including an electrical generating plant, refrigeration and hot running water.

Pro Captain: Charles “Wee Charlie” Barr wanted nothing to do with the race, but was made an “offer he couldn’t refuse” by the NYYC members upon whom his personal career and income depended. He was reluctant to leave the side of his sickly wife who was not expected to live. In order to seal the deal, the NYYC paid for the best medical care which ultimately cured her.
Crew: Barr had to work with existing professional crew (totaling 39) , trained by Miller but unknown to him—he also had to deal with an excessive number of supernumeraries and a second captain onboard kibitzing with the owner. In an ocean race where there was little time for pondering critical decisions, Marshall and captain #2 could second-guess Barr’s judgement at their leisure.

Utowana

Owner: Allison V. Armour, the American meat-packing heir and widower also relied on his yacht to relieve his anguish and to pursue his avocation for botany. Utowana was drafted into the race primarily because she was among the largest vessels owned by a NYYC member, she was both fast and opulent. Prior to the race Armour had already logged more than 100,000 ocean miles over eight ocean voyages including approximately 20 Atlantic crossings.

Pro Captain: J.H. Crawford
Crew: 30 professionals

Apache

Owner: Edmond Randolph, a Wall Street banking heir owned the largest yacht on NYYC’s roster. According to contemporary accounts, he had “embarked on the sea of large yacht ownership only one year before the contest; he knew little about sailing and nothing about racing.” He equipped Apache with Marconi wireless equipment to communicate with westward-bound steamers to obtain weather information—at the time, this cutting-edge technology was in use by only a few navies and steamship liners. Randolph’s guests were fellow hard-partying American multimillionaire heirs. Some reports suggest that intoxication was to blame for Apache’s dismal last place start and finish—more than 4 days behind the tiny Fleur de Lys. It may also point to the reason that no racing log can be found for Apache?

Pro Captain: J.H. MacDonald
Crew: 40 professionals

Valhalla

Owner: Lord James Ludovic Lindsay, the 26th Earl of Crawford was one of the now-extinct breed of Victorian dilettantes. Never having to work, his avocations were astronomy, ornithology, philately and yachting. He spent 10 months/year onboard his mammoth floating mansion where he could pursue all of these passions while in search of climates favorable to his asthma. A brilliant navigator, he was actively involved in plotting the Valhala’s course aided by the latest, most advanced nautical instruments and telescopes money could buy. One does wonder though at his “brilliance” in carrying his $3 million stamp collection onboard throughout an angry ocean race!

Pro Captain: Captain J. Caws , no racing credentials
Crew: Totaling 100 officers, crew, stewards and cooks

Curtain Up; The Race is On!

The Pre-Start: Intrigue Ashore

Not unlike match-racing boats circling each other in pre-start maneuvers; international controversy swirled onshore.

Hamburg’s syndicate head, Adolf Tietjens had refused to speak to the press while in New York, which fueled even greater curiosity when a mysterious guest identified as “Sigmund Picconnelli, an Italian merchant” was welcomed aboard like royalty. The public was fascinated with this enigmatic personage; some thought that he was actually Prince Adalbert. Picconnelli was listed on the vessel’s manifest as an owner’s guest for the race, but the day before the start he was seen boarding a German ocean liner where he registered under the name Oberleutnant Gliser of the German Imperial Army.

Further stoking speculation about Picconnelli’s shrouded presence and hasty exit from New York tied him to more than one unsolved dockyard fire in the 3 months preceding the race. The first in Hoboken Basin where 2 auxiliary steamers burned to the waterline —both were owned by NYYC Commodore Frederick G. Bourne. Weeks later a massive explosion aboard Grisle, a gasoline powered yacht caused the damage and destruction of 4 more NYYC yachts including– Kanawha and Tarantula owned by oil magnate H.H. Rogers and Cornelius Vanderbilt respectively. Two mysterious, multiple ship disasters, at 2 locations, both involving NYYC vessels, so shortly before the race raised suspicion… meanwhile Hamburg was under tight surveillance and was never troubled by mishap.

Sunbeam’s owner, a prolific ocean voyaging yachtsman, peer and officer of the Royal British Navy, Lord Brassy was not shy about letting his politics be known. During a pre-race event held in his honor, he was quoted:

Meanwhile, the German press openly maligned the U.S. and U.K. competitors—naming them cowards and dilettantes content to have hirelings sail their boats.

Notice of Race

The Start: May 16, Hurry Up & Wait

Race Postponed, NY Harbor & Sandy Hook enveloped in dense fog.

The excitement surrounding the race was widespread and palpable. Mirroring the racing fleet itself, disparate vessels ranging from workboats to luxury liners—were hired and packed with spectators to crowd the foggy starting area. Clubs hired all available tug boats and the NYYC needed a second vessel to accommodate the 400-passenger overflow from Cygnus, the 1600-passenger liner booked for their guests. Day charters were an option for anyone who could pay the fare and were sold out. But no matter the craft or class, everyone had to wait for the fog to lift before the main event could commence.

During the foggy 22 hours while the race was postponed there were multiple incidents. One involved Cunard’s newest luxury liner, the 674ft., 3300- passenger state-of-the-art Caronia went aground at Flynn’s Knoll where she remained stranded like a beached whale for the duration. Meanwhile, little Fleur de Lys was struck alongside by a mud scow in tow. Although there was significant damage that left her viability in doubt, Cpt. Tommie Bohlin and crew didn’t miss a beat. They made major repairs overnight (during the race delay) and the boat appeared at the starting line on time the next day showing 40’ of new unpainted planking.

Finally, on May 17 at 12:15pm at Sandy Hook Lightship, the race committee fired a gun to signal the start of the Great Ocean Race of 1905.

Ailsa won the start with Hildegarde in her lee, but was soon passed by Atlantic; Hamburg caught up quickly and proved her speed when she took the lead by early evening. The first night out was “nasty and foggy”— but to the German’s chagrin, by sunrise Atlantic had regained the lead and Fleur de Lys was close astern. For various reasons, the larger vessels were late to start and two fouled requiring them to restart.

Log Book Observations:

12 Days at Sea; Two Routes

The yachts that sailed the shorter route across the Grand Banks reported sighting icebergs close aboard. These included Atlantic, Thistle, Hildegarde, Apache and Fluer de Lys. The larger yachts avoided ice by sailing the longer route keeping south of the Banks before turning north. Competitors on both courses diverging toward the finish recorded a very violent gale about ten days out. Some hove to—but winning captain, Charlie Barr famously refused to shorten sail despite the entreaties of owner Wilson Marshall insisting: “You hired me sir to win this race, and by God, that’s what I am going to do.” Barr’s sheer determination likely clinched the race then and there; he continued to push Atlantic toward finish line and crossed it nearly a day ahead of his closest competitor.

Like the man himself Barr’s log entries were succinct. On May 24: “Set jib topsail; strong breeze; made record for day’s run for a yacht in North Atlantic passage; fresh breeze; overcast breeze increasing…”

And after finishing in first place with no competitors in sight, he simply wrote: 9:16:19 pm GMT, crossed finish line and received winning guns; headed up channel E 1/4 S, light wind.

Conversely Hamburg’s Log was effusive, written in a self-congratulatory tone by a Captain eager to impress the Kaiser: “We left Endymion in grand style… a fine race so far…. We gained the weather side of Atlantic and slowly drew ahead, leaving Ailsa, Hildegarde, Endymion and the other yachts way behind us.” (In fact, Endymion was making numerous repairs including a broken spar when Hamburg “left them in grand style.”) In the published log of the Sunbeam, Lord Brassy was always appreciative of his crew: “There has been no delay in setting any sails that could do any good; the crew are always eager for cracking on.”

The Finale & Curtain Call:

The “Gilded” Cup

As reported in Rudder (Vol 16, 1905): The first three yachts to finish were of 3 different rigs and represent the 3 nations of the competitors. They were: Atlantic (12 days, 4 hrs, 1 min), Hamburg (13 days, 2 hrs, 6 min) and Valhalla (14 days, 2 hrs, 53 min).

Between 2000hrs GMT on May 31 and 1100hrs on June 1, eight of the eleven yachts finished the 3000nm race within a window of just 15 hours. The Kaiser’s “Golden” Cup was awarded to Atlantic owner Wilson Marshall at a prize-giving during Keil Week. In 1934, Marshall’s NY Times obituary reported:

After the death of his son who was killed in World War I, he donated the Emperor’s Cup, to the Red Cross; it was subsequently auctioned several times and returned by the winning bidders netting the charity $125,000. Finally, at an event with President Wilson and a paying audience at the new Metropolitan Opera House, Marshall was to demolish the solid gold cup with a sledge hammer and the gold would be melted and sold for the benefit of the Red Cross. When he struck and shattered the cup, it proved to be merely pewter with a thin gold plating, worth about thirty-five dollars.”

And so concluded the “final privileged tournament of the gilded age.” I hope that you have enjoyed reading about Great Ocean Race of 1905 in Navigating the Stacks #9, #10 & #11 as much as I have enjoyed researching and writing about it.– SallyAnne Santos

The Great Ocean Race of 1905 provided a wonderful opportunity to cross-reference eleven yachts, sailors and events through the IYRS Maritime Library Collection. The Lloyd’s Register pages shown below identify many of the competitor’s private signals.

Additional resources included:

• Yachting’s Golden Age 1880- 1905 by Ed Holm
• The Ocean Yacht Race, May 1905; H.I.M. The German Emperor’s Prize Cup; Details from the Log of the Schooner Yacht Atlantic
• The Cruise of the Fleur de Lys in the Ocean Race by Lewis A. Stimpson
• The Race for the Emperor’s Cup by Paul Eve Stevenson
• Lloyd’s Registers of American Yachts
• Yachting Monthly May-1906; The Log of Sunbeam by Lord Brassey K.C.B.