Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-27
Gossip in Regard to the Coming In
ternational Yacht Race.
ENGLA ND AND AMERIC A.
The Only Two Nations That Have Yet En-
tered Into Com petition, but Other Nations
Are Interested-Lord Dunraven's Sugges-
ton for the Formulation OF New Set Of
Rules.

designers Of both countries have labored night
and day to outline craft which would uphold
the supremacy of their flags. The international
contests have always been events which have
created the greatest interest and enthusiasm on
both sides Of the water. and before the posses
sion Of the Americas cup is decided this year
all the ability Of yachtsmen will have been
utilized.
This season the sport will probably excel
anything that has preceded it. On this side OF
the water four boats have been designed. from
which one will be chosen to continue the SUI
periority Of the stars and stripes. The swiftest
OF these yachts will go over on the other side
and compete for the Royal Victoria and the
Cape May and Brenton Reef cups. In Great
Britain all the science has been lavished on
three boats which will be depended upon to
reclaim the supremacy Of the British Isle. One
OF these-the Valkyrie-will come to this coun-
try and make an effort to carry back the Amer
ica's cup. The interest in these contests is so
great this year that the Prince of Wales has
built one Of the yachts and an English peer
owns the Valkyrie.
OTHER NATIONS INTERESTED.
Thus far England and America are the only
nations which have taken pal in these interna-
tional contests, but they have had their effect
on other nations who have become interested
in the sport and are paying more attention to
yachting every year. The German emperor
has offered a prize for competition, and the
fact that he is the owner OF the Thistle, which
was defeated in race for the America cup. has
not in the least lessened his ardor. In Austria
and France yachting ia being placed on a much
more substantial basis. International yacht
racing began as far back as 1862, when the
Britons and the Dutch were the rivals for su
premacy. At that time King Charles II sailed
his yacht, jamie, against the boat Of his
brother, the Duke of York The duke and the
kinc managed their own craft, and the king
was the victor, but Hollands position as a mar
thine power was not OF long duration. France
made but a feeble effort to equal Britains
pleasure boats, and since 1851 America has
been the only rival which England has. Since
that date England has tried by every means to
equal In heetness the American built yachts,
but thus far their efforts have been futile.
Even with the downfall OF America as q naval
and merchant marine power she has never lost
her skill in building the feetest yachts.
AMERICA HAS WON EIGHT CONTESTS
In all there have been eight international
ried off the prize. The Minerva was probably
the swiftest vessel that England ever sent to
this country and her victories resulted in re-
newed energy by American yachtsmen to in
crease the ability to build swift boats. One Of
the difficulties Of an international contest has
been to adopt rules which would be agreeable
to both nations. Every contest has been pre-
coded by an extensive correspondence and it
was only after considerable patience and long
delay that races were arranged. The difficulty
has been to arrange u satisfactory measurement
Tor time allowance and a satisfactory code Of
international racing rules. In order that the
contest may be perfectly fair this year and that
fhot farV 30.
ton Of the rules may be avoided it has been de-
cided that this year an American boat will sail
for the Royal Victoria cup on the other side of
the ocean and an English yacht will race on this
side for the America's cup.
In a recent article in the North American Re-
view Lord Dunraven suggested that in order to
settle these controversies that three wcll-in
formed yachtsmcn be selected in England and
the same number in this country, who should
meet IN Paris to formulate a new set Of rules
1t is his belief that, rs America and England
are acknowledged to be the supreme powers in
yachting, the other nations would accept the
rules which might be the result of that confer
ence While such a plan might be successful,
an authority on Yachting thinks that it would
be very doubtful that solution of the diff
hculties could be reached. On this subject he
SAYS: The rules formulated in Paris could
never be applied 10 the Americas cup owing to
the fixed conditions under which it must be
raced for. The cup is trus: property held by
the New York Yacht Club for certain specific
purposes and must be governed by the deed of
gift, even IL the cup is won by foreign
yacht club in which case the trust passes to
that club, with all its limitations II is true
that the mutual agreement clause Of the deed
of gift has been found to be of such elasticity
that almost any arrangement satisfactory to
both parties can be made for a race for the Gun.
and that under that mutual agreement clause
race might be sailed according to the rules OF
the faris conference, yet no nation would have
.ro'.h ~. aan Du 30 70 s.ii lor .ne
organic law regarding il
THE .Nrn1cA,s GRIP
..~o
0 Ao" Nup 'ou'o '"he TUG piace vi tne
America $ cup. For forty-two years 1t has been
the great yachting trophy of the world and its
history is SO interviewer with the history ,f
international Yachting that thew are almost one
and the same Lord Dunrayen himself annro-
ciates this. for he saws of the cup. III has MT.
tanned position and a notorietv that mako il
sinpulary the tropby To he held nv nresuw,bly
the fastest vessel in the world That II has not
produced more FREQUENT and keener contests ia
much to be regretted. and no one conld reio;ce
more than il it could be placed in "a nosition
so satisfactory as TO stimnlate the activity 81
yachtsmen on both sides of the ocean and
should come to be recognized for ali time ma
the blue ribbon of the sea.
THAT the Gun will be for all time the b,ne
ribbon of the sea there cnn he jit,Ia donh,
Lord Dunraven himself has lust experienceJ
how easy it is to get a race for the tronbv an
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