Though a more beamy vessel than the 'Aline,' she had comparatively small displacement, and did not carry her canvas so well. The result of the race did not augur favourably for her success in America, and there was little chance of her winning the America Cup unless she could be given more canvas, with an increased weight of ballast placed lower down to enable her to carry it. Soon after the race for the Prince of Wales Cup, the 'Livonia' went to New York to compete for the cup, and had a very boisterous passage across the Atlantic, but proved a first-rate sea-boat, and arrived safely without material damage. Subsequently to the race by the 'Cambria' in 1870 against seventeen American schooners, the New York Yacht Club, owing to representations made by the surviving donor of the cup, had decided that, in accordance with the intention of the deed of gift, only one vessel should in future matches compete against the challenger; but they reserved the power to select the defender of the cup on the morning of the race, according to the state of the weather, a light-weather vessel for a light day, a more powerful vessel if the wind was strong. This was so manifestly giving an undue advantage to the holders of the cup that it was surprising such good sportsmen as the Americans should not have seen the one-sidedness of the reservation. After some not very satisfactory correspondence with the New York Yacht Club, it was ultimately arranged that there should be five matches, the Club naming four yachts from which to select the defender of the cup in each match; namely, the 'Sappho' and 'Dauntless,' keel boats, and the 'Palmer' and 'Columbia,' centreboard schooners. [Illustration: 'Dauntless,' N.Y.Y.C, 268 tons, 1871] The first match was sailed on Monday, October 16, over what was known as the New York Yacht Club course, from the head of the Narrows round the S.W. Spit Buoy and Sandy Hook Lightship, and return, about 36 miles. The wind being very light from the N.W., the Club selected the 'Columbia,' a light-weather centreboarder, as 'Livonia's' opponent. The tide had just begun to ebb when the yachts were started at 10.40. There were not so many steamers or other vessels out as on the occasion when the 'Cambria' raced. It was a run nearly all the way to the Lightship, and in the light airs the 'Columbia,' drawing little water with her centreboard up, slipped away from the 'Livonia' and rounded the Lightship about 15 mins. ahead of her. There they came on a wind, and it was a beat as far as the Spit Buoy, about 8-1/2 miles. 'Columbia' both weathered and fore-reached 'Livonia,' and at the Spit Buoy led by 29 mins. After rounding the buoy the wind became abeam and freshened for a short time, but died away again in the Narrows. The 'Columbia' completed and won the race about 5 o'clock, beating 'Livonia' by 25 mins.