1907 Harmsworth Trophy
Southampton Water, August 3, 1907
The International Motor Boat Races
British and American motor boats met in friendly rivalry at Southampton, England, on August 2d, for the first time. On that day Commodore Schroeder's Dixie captured the British International Cup. Dixie raced against Lord Howard de Walden's Daimler I and Daimler II. These were the only contestants, although it had been hoped that the fast French boats, Panhard-Tellier and La Rapiere would challenge. It seems that the applications of these two boats were made but the time for receiving them had expired and the Motor Boat Club of America declined to permit an extension, holding that ample time had been allowed the Frenchmen in which to enter their boats.
Dixie made the course of thirty-five miles in one hour fifteen minutes and forty-four seconds making an average speed of 27.6 knots and 31.8 statute miles. At the finish line she led Daimler II a mile. The latter's time for the course was one hour seventeen minutes and twenty-five seconds.
Dixie is 39 feet long and five feet wide and has a 4-cycle eight cylinder engine of 132.72 horsepower.
The British International Cup will now be handed over to the Motor Boat Club of America.
The trophy known as the British International Cup was presented by Alfred Harmsworth, Lord Northcliff, some four years ago. It is a massive, oblong cup mounted on a base of ebony which is overlaid with bronze in the form of waves on which are two motor boats of solid silver. The cup has fancy silver discs on which are to be inscribed the names of the successive winners. The trophy has amply borne out the cosmopolitan purpose of the giver. The first race for which it stood was won by an English boat, the second day by a Frenchman on a technicality and the third by an Englishman. it will be held here by the Motor Boat Club of America, this club being responsible--by an understanding of the representative clubs of Europe--not only for American entries in events for the trophy, but for the safe keeping of the cup should it be won by any American club. it is understood that the course of the next race will held on the Hudson River, not only because of the advantages afforded by the water course to spectators over the "Sound" but of the likelihood that the Federal Government will police the course, this being an international event.
Dixie, having been accorded an ovation in Southampton waters--greater, it is said, than any ever given a successful competitor in that section--was later put on the deck of the Minnetonka of the "Atlantic Transport" line and brought to New York.
(Transcribed from Yachting, Sep. 1907, p. 166.)
[Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page --LF]
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