The third race was sailed over a triangular course, from the Nab round a steamer about eight miles off St. Catherine's, thence eastwardly to another steamer and home to the Nab, about sixty miles in all. It was a beat along the island shore to the first mark, and in the short turnings with a light wind the 'Cambria' got rather the better of her rival, but the 'Sappho' by good handling managed to round the steamer a few minutes ahead of her. They then had the wind free, but it died away almost entirely; the 'Sappho,' however, managed to scrape round the second steamer, and completed the race about 9 o'clock in the evening, thus winning all the three races. The 'Cambria,' a long way astern, signalled to the steamer to come and tow her in. The 'Sappho' had been altered in various ways since she sailed the match round the island in 1868, and was obviously a very much improved vessel, the 'Cambria' being no match for her except in short turnings to windward.
On July 4 the 'Cambria' and the 'Dauntless' started for a race across the Atlantic to New York. The 'Cambria' took the northern passage, going as far north as latitude 55°; the 'Dauntless' a more southerly and a straighter course. The 'Cambria' passed the Sandy Hook Lightship a few hours before the 'Dauntless,' and won the race, an account of which, with a chart of the courses sailed, will be found in the 'Field' of August 13 and 27, 1870. The 'Dauntless' unfortunately lost two men, who were swept off the jibboom when endeavouring to take in the flying jib, and this delayed her for some hours. Such a race was obviously but a poor test of the relative speed of the two yachts, as throughout they were sailing under different conditions, and it was curious under these circumstances that they should have reached their destination so nearly together.
[Illustration: Mr. Ashbury's 'Cambria,' 188 tons, beating 'Dauntless,' 321 tons, 1870 race.]
The race for the America Cup, in which the 'Cambria' took part, was sailed on Monday, August 8, in New York harbour. She had seventeen competitors, all the best schooners of the New York Yacht Club, of sizes varying from 262 down to 83 tons, N.Y.Y.C. measurement; the 'Cambria' being rated at 227 tons. The course was through the Narrows, round Sandy Hook Lightship, and return. The race was not a satisfactory one, as in the narrow waters she was much hampered by other vessels, with one of which she came into collision, carrying away a fore-port shroud and fore-topmast backstay, and springing the port arm of her fore-crosstrees. Later on she also carried away her fore-topmast, losing all chance of even a good place. The race was won by the 'Magic,' a small schooner of 93 tons, the 'Cambria' being eighth, and the Cup therefore remained in the possession of the New York Yacht Club. Even if nothing had gone wrong with the 'Cambria,' pitted as she was against seventeen other vessels, her chance of winning the Cup would necessarily have been small.