The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-09
Says It Was Due to Unfairness
on the Part of the Cup
Committee.
JUGGLING WITH MEASUREMENT
The Defender, IT Is Alleged, Did Not
Sail on the Stipulated Load
Water Line.

LONDON, ENG, Nov. 8.-The Field will
tomorrow publish four-column state
ment from Lord Dunraven relative to the
contest for the America cup. Lord Dun
raven opens by saying that so much has
been written and said loosely concerning
the races. and as he has received so many
requests for fuller information he thinks it
due to the yachting and general public
and himself that he make statement.
He would, he adds. confne himself to
the cause of his withdrawal of the Valky-
rie from the races-namely, overcrowding;
but that other matters had been mention ID
in the cup committees report to the New
York Yacht Club. He relates what oc-
CURED at the meeting of the committee
held for setting the conditions of the con-
test, and says he disapproved of the
method of making the load water line
with copper tacks on deck instead of the
yacht-racing associations methods of visi-
bic marks on stem and stern but he made
no protest.
A few days later he wrote to Mr.. Can
field in regard to this matter, and received
a verbal answer that the committee did
not see the object of reconsidering the
illdttcI- 1Olo ~ uIQ llOL press IDo
matter, but signed the agreement. The
following day the race was sailed. Con-
tnuing he says:
~ am of the opinion that the Defender
did not sail on her measured load water
line length in the race"
He remarked that nobody interested in
the Defender lived on her or her tender.
the Hattie Palmer, but much material the
crews, ETC., was transferred backward and
forward from the Defender to the Hattie
Palmer and vice versa. Those on board
the Valkyrie were well able to observe the
Defender when they were alongside of her
in the Erie basin.
After her first trial with the Vigilant.
when the Defender went to the Erie
basin to be measured on September 6, it
was obvious to everybody on board the
City of Bridgeport, the Valkyrie's tender,
that she was floating materially higher
than on former occasion. This, of
course, was unobjectionabe. The Hattie
Palmer was alongside the Defender all
night. Her crew was at work from dark
until 1 o'clock in the morning. Early
Saturday those aboard the City of Bridge
port noticed that the Defender was visibly
deeper in the water than when she was
measured.
When he put Mr.. Henderson aboard at
o'clock Lord Dunraven was perfectly
certain that she was four inches deeper
than she was when she was measured. He
was reluctant to formally complain, as it
was impossible for him TO verify his be-
lief. Anyhow nothing could have been
done before the race, but when Mr.. Fish
went on board the Valkyrie Lord Dun
raven told him the whole case and as
serted his belief that the Defender was
sailing fully foot beyond her proper
length. He asked Mr.. Fish to induce
the committee to send member aboard
of each boat Immediately after the race
and have both measured forthwith, but if
that was impossible to have the member
stay IN charge until the yachts were
measured.
He also asked that the load water
line be marked visibly externally. No
action was taken that evening beyond
ordering that the boats be remeasured
and marked on the following day. No.
body was placed in charge. The Defender
lay all night with the Hattie Palmer