Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-02
LORD DUNRAVEN'S LETTER.
Why He Built the Valkyrie and Gave
the Challenge.

From the New York Herald.
In view of the rumor that Lord Dunraven
is dissatisfied with the action of the New
York yacht club with regard to the Valkyrie and
the challenge for the Americas cup. it may be
of interest to reprint letter from the earl to
the London Field, published i'll its issue of
April 20:
SIR: In Topics of the Week" under the
heading Yachting" in YOUR issue OF the 18th
inst. you comment upon certain reported
opinions of Mr.. Fish and Mr. Malcolm Forbes,
given. as you say, lin reference to Lord Dun
ravens desire to have q 70-footer matched
against Nalkyrie." Permit me to say that |
have expressed no such desire. In addition TO
the dime nsions required under the deed of gift
| gave the New York Yacht club Valkvrics
length on the load-water line and stated. for
their information. that she would come within
their 7O-foOt class. but L made no comment
whatever upon the fact.
Whatever his private views on the sportsman
ike aspect OF the case may be. it would, |
think. be most unbecOming on the part of
challenger to express any wish as TO the class
OF vessel to he selected to meet him. | have
not done So and am quite ready to sail against
anything that me be brought out against me.
As to what class of vessels shOuld cOmpete
for the cup. there is. no doubt, much to be said
on both sides of the question. The conditions
OF the deed of gift requiring that a challenging
yacht shall exceed thirty tons custom-hOuse
measurement. and shall cross the ocean on her
own bottom. are sufficient security for the quail
itv OF the vessel. Considering the importance
of length an element of speed. the argument
that the cup should be held by the fastest Yacht
afioat might tend. as IT appears TO me. to result
III the supremacy of the longest purse or in the
suppression OF international racing. The mer-
its. therefore. of the argument against yachts
of comparatively small size sailing for the
America cup are not very clear. A seventy
footer under ordinary circumstances stands q
poor chance against Il vessel of Sc feet length
like the Volunteer. and no one will DENY that a
match between vessels of the same class is more
interesting as q race than enc in which any
great disparity of size on the part of the com
petltOrs exists. But defending an international
cup Is an exceptional case. and no reasonable
objection can be taken to Volunteer if they
choose to bring her out. The other day one of
your correspondents expressed an opinion with
which am inclined to agree, namely, that in
order to win back the America cup we ought to
build for that express purpose. If | fail. |
trust that British yachtsmCn viii develop that
idea. My ship Is compromise. | cannot
afford the luxury of vessel built mainly for
the purpose of crossing the ocean and cOmpet-
ing for the cup. Nalkyrie designed for
racing here III the slXty-rating class. but as
there appeared to be no other prospect of a
challenge I departed from my original in;en-
ton as little as possible, but to the extent of
constructing her TO sail Ill the 10-foot Amcri-
can class.
What she may have TO sail against remains
| to be seen. The challenged enjoy certain ad-
| vantages. and very properly so. They know
| their opponents dimensions for six months
| before the race they can build for the special
purpose of beating that particular vessel If they
think fit, and they can try their whole fleet
| and select the best-Sreat advantages no
| doubt. But the challenged. if always conceded
| an advantage over a challenger. will make use
of it. and it would be ridiculous to complain of
| their doing so.
ADARE, ireland. April II. DUSEAvES.
The Yacht Valkyrie Launched.
1 Lord Dunraven's yacht Valkyrie was launched
yesterday. The frames are of steel. the top
| Sides deck and fittings are of teak. and the
bottom plankings are of hard wood. The
length is IS feet, beam 1879 feet, depth II. 6
| feet and tonnage 5G7G. The length ON the
| load water line is just under 20 feet