Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-18
LORD DUNRAvEN CONTENT.
This About Settles the Terms Of the
Americas Cup Race.

L
| He II WILLING TO RISK THE vALKYRIr AGAINST
THE BIG VOLUNTEER, But HE n INCLINED TO
INSIST on FIXED HOUR OF STARTING.
From the New York Sun. Nav Il.
There was q full house with standing room
at a premium, last night in the pretty "model
room OF the New York yacht club when Com
modore Eieridge t. Gerry raped for order
| The members listened while ex-Commodore
James d. Smith, chairman of the Americas
| cup committee. announced that having been
unable to get a quorum of the committee to-
| gether for three days. he would now read Lord
| Dunraven's letters, sent to the committee last
| Monday. These letters were then read:
LORD puSRAvES TO COMMODORE SMITH.
| 20 ST. JAMES SouARE.
| LONDON, S. W., May 3, 1889.
DEAR SIR: have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt Of your letter of the 18th instant
and desire TO tender my sincere thanks to the
| committee for their kind offer Of assistance
| and also for their courtesy in acceding. in many
| respects, TO my suggestions as 10 conditions OF
| sailing.
As regards the second paragraph in my for
| mer letter alluded to in yours. l thank the
committee for pointing out that the classifica-
| ton OF yachts under the racing rules of the
New York yacht club does not apply to races
Il
the club. am aware also that while the yari-
| GUS deeds of gift evidently contemplate a con-
| siderable difference in the size of vessels. no
special rule is laid down for classifying them
| L was, however, under no misrepresentation as
| to the question involved. 1 fully recognized
| and recognize the perfect right of the New
| York yacht club TO meet me with any vessel
that comes within the limits laid down in the
deed of gift under which my challenge was
| made and accepted.
My reasons for sending yalkyrie's length on
the l.. W. l.. were: First, a matter of cour-
tesy observed, believe, by all recent chal-
lengers. Secondly, because challenging yachts
of late years have been met by yachts of prac-
ticaly the same length upon the L. W. L., and
thirdly, because / thought it would be a con-
yemence to the New York yacht club TO know
that Nalkyrie came within their third or sew
enty-foot class, should they think fit TO class
the competing vessels, and thus COM
piete the application of the principle
OF sailing international matches under
the rules governing ordinary local races. a
principle In force In all other important points.
such as measurement of hull and sail area time
allowance and method of starting Those are
my reasons, and L trust the committee will
clearly understand that in stating that Valkyrie
was designed to come into your third class.
had no intention of conveying any opinion as
to the length description of vessel against
which should have to sail.
DATE OF RACES.
am quite willing to accede to the request of
the committee that the first race be sailed on
Tuesday, October l. But as for many reasons
it is desirable that the matches should not ex-
tend over long period of time, / suggest for
their consideration that the dates be Tuesday.
October 1; Thursday, October 8, and Monday
October z; or, if Monday is an inconyenient
day, Tuesday, October g.
DIRECTION OF COURSES.
With regard to courses, 1 am glad the COM
xo;t4 Lo,-a Al
sailed outside. On my part, willingly accept
their proposition as to the direction of the
courses, namely:
First race-To windward Cor leeward) and
return. Second race-Equilateral triangle one
side Cthe first if possible) to windward. Third
race-To windward Cor leeward) and return.
Fourth race-Equilateral triangle. in the
case of second race. Fifth race-To windward
Cor leeward) and return.
LENGTH OF COURSES.
have pleasure also in agreeing to the COM
mittee's proposal that the courses be so nauti-
cal miles in length instead of 40, the time
for making the races to be reduced proportion
ately
As the committee do not see their way to
adopt my suggestion as TO time allowance ac-
eept the New York yacht club rule
Having agreed to the committees PROPOSE
| ton as to the direction of courses. nv sugges-
tion in paragraph 8 of my former letter be-
| comes lmpracticable. l am anxious only that
the compass bearing be given as long time as
possible before the start, and that the stake
| boats carry large and easily dstinguishable
flag; but all these details may conveniently be
| left until my arrival in America.
| TIME OF STARTING.
cannot concur with the opinion expressed
by the committee to the time of starting.
Whatever force there may be in the objections
urged to my proposal that the races be started
at the specified time, submit that the same
apply equally to both parties, and cannot be
the cause. and cannot be imagined to be the
cause, OF any unfairness. Under ordinary cir
| cumstances the committee would be perfectly
right but If the time of starting interna-
tional races be left entirely to sailing
committee 1t is obvious that their actions
and motives may be liable to misconcep-
ton on the part Of the public. The desira-
| billty OF as far as possible guarding against
| any such Misunderstanding viii, / am sure.
| commend itself to the committee, and should
be glad if they will reconsider this point As
an alternative to my former request, 1 suggest
| that the question of starting be left in the
hands Of the sailing committee, provided that
| Whatever their opinion may be in that respect
a start shall take place at the specified time,
| should either OF the competing yachts desire it,
| In my former letter | omitted to mention the
question of umpire. No doubt any gentleman
| suggested by the New York yacht club would
| be acceptable to me; but may say that if, as
| reported In the papers, Gen. Paine will not
be himself afoat, should feel not only salts
fled, but complimented, if he would consent to
| act.
thank you for sending me your club book
| for last year, and again wish to express my
| warm appreciation of the most kind and cour-
| teous offer of assistance from yourself and the
| other members of the committee. l have the
| honor to remain, dear sir, yours faithfully,
| DUNRAyEN.
To JAMES D. SMITH, Esq. Chairman of the
Committee, &C., New York.
Another letter of the same date reads as fol-
| lows:
4 Iregret to have kept you SO long without an
answer to your letter of the 18th inst. but have
been away in Ireland during the recess, and
| have only Just returned to town. trust the
delay has caused you no inconvenience.
Yours faithfully, DUSRAvES.
To JAMES d. SMITH, Chairman of the Com
| mittee, &C., New York.
LORD pUNRAvEN TO SECRETARY opprE.
40 ST. JAMES SQUARE,
LONDON, 8. w., May A. 1889.
DEAR SIR: I have the pleasure to acknowl-
edge the receipt of your letter on the 18th inst,
and would ask you to convey my sincere
thanks to the New York yacht club for their
kind offer of hospitality of which 1 hope to
| avail myself