Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-09
TALK ABOUT THE VALKYRIE.
English Yachtsmen Say That We Must
Build New Yacht.

London Special to New York World, April g.
One of the most competent writers on yacht
ing subjects in England, who was sent to New
York for the Thistle-v Volunteer race by syndi-
cate of the leading papers here. has been down
to southampton to see Lord Dunraven's new
yacht, and has had talk with her designer,
Mr.. Watson. He has furnished the World cor
respondent with his impressions on the subject
of the new yacht. They are as follows: IF
American yachtsmen are led into the belief
that the Valkyrie is another Thistle they will
make serious mistake, as will be quickly dis
covered. She will beat the Cotton Yarana in all
sorts OF weather, and the Irex as well. although
in blow she may have to use her centerboard
in turning to windward against the 1OO-tonner
This means that the Valkyrie would gem
orally be able to keep inside her time
allowance from the Thistle on any course
and IN any weather. How it might be
with the Volunteer is another affair. But
if the Volunteer has to give the yalkvrie a time
allowance of about miles round 5O-mle
course it must be quite plain that the Volunteer
will want plenty of wind and sea to do the dis
lance. In any head sea the Thistles beam told
against her. With the Valkyre's narrow build
1t would be quite different. She would not lift
to 1t or knock about as the Volunteer and This
tie did on the last days racing at New York.
That any overhaul which the Volunteer could
have would enable her to take 8 miles out of
the Nalkvrle over a 5O-mile course ON a breezy
day IS unlikely. How such a shallow craft as
the 70-fOot center-boards Katrina, Shamrock or
lltanla could hope to carry canvas alongside the
Nalkyrie. drawing IA feet in breeze of wind
would be racing miracle. That a new Yacht
will have to be built in America to defend the
cup seems very certain. and it is expected here
that 1t will have to be begun at once. There is
considerable feeling among certain yachtsmcn
here that the 70-foot American Shamrock
should engage and try to beat the English rep
resentatlve. Considerable attention has been
drawn to the alleged compliment paid to the
New ork Yacht club by Lord Dunravan in
sending his challenge through the ROYAL Yacht
squadron club, as a represeI tative club of the
United Kingdom. But the Royal Yacht squad
ron does not enjoy this reputation. Its MEM
bers are mainly titled men, and these aristo-
Gratis have the queens cup annually presented
to them for competition, the cost of which is
100 soverelgns, which are paid ont of the ma
tional revenue. But the Royal Yacht squad
ron coPmittee will not permit any yacht to
compeW whose owner Is not member of the
club. Some three or four queens cups are
annually distributed among the other British
and Irish Yacht clubs. for which the members
OF the Royal Yacht squadron regularly COM
pete and occasionally win. The meanness
OF the Royal Yacht squadron has been the occa-
sion OF much comment but no member of par
Lament has been bold enough TO demand that
the queens cup shall be withheld from the
Royal squadron unless that club opens up the
competition for it to members of other clubs"
Mr.. Dixon Kemp, who speaks for the London
yachtsmen, says that to race the Volunteer
against the Valkvrie would be a pug and grey
hound contest, which would bring the America
cup INTO contempt. 'Supposing," he saws
1.-The Nalkyrie did prove the winner in the con-
test with the Volunteer the result would not be
regarded with satisfaction by yachtsmen
Neither would it be so regarded if the larger
yacht won"
lie tbot al r.
to match the yalkyre. She is about the same
weight. but has four feet more BEAM while her
depth of hold is not SO much as that of the VAL
kyrie by two feet.