1907 Harmsworth Trophy
Southampton Water, August 3, 1907

Dixie Goes to Win International Cup Marine Motoring Dixie in Race for International Cup British International Motor-Boat Club Fast Dixie Lifts International Trophy The International Motor Boat Races Dixie Wins British International Trophy Details of Dixie's Remarkable Victory Motorboat Club Fight

Details of the race for the British International Trophy on Southampton Water, England, August 2, only add to the completeness of Dixie's victory. The start was made at 5 p.m., from the Enchantress, the club boat of the Motor Yacht Club, and there were three starters: the American challenger Dixie (steered by Captain Pearce), Daimler II (steered by A. G. Fentiman), and Daimler I (steered by Lord Howard de Walden). Dixie lay about 80 yards off the line, with her engine running, but with the clutch out, awaiting the starting gun, Daimler II being quite 200 yards off the line, and Daimler I even further when the gun was fired. The start from such positions was a self-imposed handicap upon the British defenders, for Dixie jumped away with a good lead. As the racers receded from the Enchantress on their course of 35 nautical miles--five times around a 7-mile lap of marks to be taken on the starboard--it was not possible to judge of the respective performances of Dixie and Daimler II, but Daimler I was obviously being run in the true sporting spirit by Lord Howard de Walden, as she was hopelessly outclassed. The first run at the Calshot end showed that Dixie was increasing her lead, and at the completion of one lap she was 24 seconds ahead of Daimler II, and the certain winner, barring accident, for it was a clearly impossible for Daimler II to pick up 6 seconds on Dixie on each of the following rounds.

The American boat gradually increased her lead, and, running with perfect regularity, ultimately finished 1 min. 41 secs. ahead of Daimler II and 13 mins. 48 secs. ahead of Daimler I. During the race the water was practically calm, no boat shipping any water, and the light breeze was abeam except when turning at the extremities of the course. Dixie carried one mechanic, Daimler II three, and Daimler I two. The summary is shown above.

The speed accredited to Dixie in this race, 31.8 miles, is much higher than she has ever made in this country, her best average speed in the races on the hudson River last September being 26.57 miles. The Yachtsman, London, comments upon this feature of the race as follows:

"The speeds with which the boats are credited are much in excess of those actually attained, for the reason that they are beyond their capacity. It has been stated that nothing was known in this country of Dixie's capabilities, which may be so, speaking generally. However, we have some little knowledge of her, having raced against her, and we unhesitatingly say (the American club will correct us if we are in error) that Dixie has never done a mean of 26 knots, and if she cannot do that in the States she is scarcely likely to do over a knot and a half more in Southampton Water. But to make this "official" speed, Dixie's actual speed must have been 30 knots per hour, assuming the buoys to be accurately positioned on the 35-knot course, by reason of the greater circle the boats are obliged to take. Whatever hull alterations Dixie may have undergone since we were afloat against her, they cannot have added nearly four knots an hour around curves to her previous best speed on the straight. We are sorry that the club's officials gave their authority to these speeds without consideration of the obvious "big speed" danger, with the lesson of Monaco inaccuracies before them; but they were, perhaps rushed into it by their enthusiasm and the press reporters who dogged their every movement. In our opinion both Daimlers were good 26-knot boats, and although the correctness of the course is outside our province and knowledge, Dixie certainly is not, and our sole reason for raising a point of this nature is that we consider it our duty to make clear to any prospective challenger for the recovery of the Cup that he need not be frightened by any 27.6 or nearly 30-knot bogey, as not even Challenger has ever made that speed, nor is it likely to be made by any boat flying the Stars and Stripes in 1908."

(Transcribed from The Motor Boat, Aug. 25, 1907, p. 25. )

[Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page. —LF]

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