Even more credit must be given to the mariners of days of yore once we realize that these ships were propelled only by the wind, whose direction and force was what controlled the vessels. An example is that sometimes it took between 30 and 45 days between crossing Lat. 50º S in the Atlantic and regaining Lat. 50º S in the Pacific, via Cape Horn. The German frigate PRIWALL Captained by Hauth, holds the record time for this crossing, in 1938 it took him 5 days and 14 hours. This same ship was later sold symbolically to the Chilean Government and incorporated into the Chilean Navy under the name of LAUTARO.

Sailing the tempestuous waters of the dreaded Cape, where the frequent and violent storms were and still are renowned on a global level, was much more difficult then. Charts for navigation, hydrographic and oceanographic knowledge were still at a very basic stage of development. To make things worse, radiotelegraphy was just beginning and practically non-existent, eliminating both communications between vessels and weather reports (which science was in its infancy). Currents offshore were generally known, although the inshore eddies hadn't begun to be studied. The sky was and is almost constantly overcast, which virtually eliminates the use of a sextant to obtain astronomical measurements; and thus a confirmation of geographic position at sea.

Navigational instruments of the day and the inexactness of the measurement of time created even more serious problems when trying to determine Longitude, and therefore increasing the risk of stranding on the fiercely inhospitable coast. This risk, and the search for favorable Easterly winds, obliged the mariners of old sailing ships to set their course well offshore. This increased the sailing distance and therefore time spent in those austral conditions, and heightened the risk of ramming into the icebergs found in higher latitudes.

Statistics show that more than 800 ships have sunk in the vicinity of Cape Horn and no less than 10,000 lives have been lost. The Spirit of Saint Malo led to these Captains creating an organization where they could exchange their experiences. Better interchange of information would enable them to achieve a higher level of safety and reduce the necessary time to navigate this, the most deadly landmark – Cape Horn - where mistakes or bad luck were synonymous with the loss of human lives at sea.

Thus, the brotherhood was born, where French Captains could exchange their experiences. Its main purpose was to promote and strengthen the ties of camaraderie between that special group of men that have had the unique experience and privilege of being in command of a sailing ship that has sailed around Cape Horn. The foundations of the organization were laid down in the Hotel de l'Universe in Saint Malo, France, in July 1936 and the inaugural meeting was held in the Hotel des Ajones d'or in May 1937. Its first President was Captain Louis Charles Allaire. These Captains shared a fighting spirit, strength in confronting difficulties, skills as mariners, the ability to make decisions and a gift for leadership, especially in those situations when they were faced with a crew that wasn't always made up of professionals of the sea.

The Second World War interrupted the activities of this new organization. Once the conflict was over, it flourished again with revived vigor. This renewal of the organization strengthened the spirit of its founders and reawakened the interest of other countries to join the organization, whose objective was to cultivate the virtues of camaraderie and friendship as practiced amongst men of the sea - from wherever in the world.

This is when, in 1950, the organization internationalized itself and began calling itself AMICALE INTERNATIONALE DES CAPTAINES AU LONG-COURS CAP HORNIERS. Eventually countries and areas such as Äland Island, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and United States became members of this global entity. The organization was originally only for Captains, but then it was opened to officers and crew alike that have navigated on a merchant sailing ship around Cape Horn.

The Chilean Brotherhood was founded in 1987, and in 1989 it was accepted into AMICALE. To become a member of the Chilean Institution one must be an honorable person, who, in command of a vessel has crossed the meridian of Cape Horn, South of Isla de Hornos.

AMICALE annually organizes an International World Congress, which is normally attended by an important part of the Brotherhood and its Presidents from the different affiliated Sections. During these meetings, the course of the organization is examined and future activities are planned. This is done in the spirit of friendship and camaraderie, where good will is an important factor in finding mutually amicable solutions to the kind of problems or discussions that tend to arise in all organizations.

This spirit of brotherhood has been named "The Spirit of Saint Malo". The creator of this idea and expression was German Captain Carsten Rosenhagen, who in his speech to the Congress in Le Havre and Rouen, June 1955, thanked the French Cap Horniers for having invited a group of 14 German sailing ship Captains to participate.

The sea unites mariners of every nation in a beautiful way that can only be born out of having mutually experienced the sensations and adventures of the sea, and especially surviving great danger – epitomized by Cape Horn. This common link transforms itself into a friendship that transcends the borders of any country. AMICALE is a Brotherhood, an association of comrades, friends, brothers, united by a fraternal spirit typical of mariners, always ready to help their comrades in peril on the sea; thus contributing to the destruction of the political barriers that may separate their nations.