Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-09-13
COST OF THE YACHTS.
DEFENDER "CAME HIGH" BUT WE
HAD TO HAVE HER.

Inc Expense OF Valkyrie III Was About
100000, but Defender Cost More Than
$176,OOO-A Million Spent In Kee ping
the Challenge Cup.
When Lord Dunraven expressed himself
not long ago as in favor of reducing the
load water line of future cup contestants
from 90 to 70 feet he doubtless had in
mind the enormous sum of money which
it cost to build and maintain 90 foot rae
ing slCop. Few persons have any idea of
the amount it now requires to conduct an
international race, and it would doubtless
surprise many to know that the cost of tho
present series is not far from $780, 900.
But the figures given below will show that
such Is the fact.
To begin with the Dofendor The cost
of her shapcly hull is said by those who
should know to be about SS5, 600. Her
four suits of sails, including the ramiG
cloth suit cost approximately $40, 900, and
the value placed on her spars is also So.
OOO Thus the actual cost of merely build
ing the cup defender was $1O5OO But
that is not all by any means. As soon as
the weather permitted the syndicate hired
the Colonia and fitted her up as a training
ship for the Deer Island crew That item
cost the members of the syndicate $40, 900
at tho very least. Then, as soon as the De-
fender was launched, q tender was hired
for her, and the expense Of this will be
found to be about ST, 300. Next to be con-
sidored are the wages, clothing and feed.
ing of her crew. Seven thousand five hun.
dred dollars is a moderate estimate for
those items per month, and as the crew
Will have been at work four months that
item will amount to good $50 600. MOI
does even this include all. In every race
there is a bonus given to each sailor-S5
for race won and $3.50 for race lost
The total amount distributed in bonuses
may be approximately figured at So, 600
Whenever the Defender has gone from one
point to another it has been the custom to
have tug on hand for towing purposes
The bill for the tugs employed will foot up
fully $4,000, and 80, 900 more will have
been laid out in docking the Defender To
these amounts must be added So, 900, the
approximate amount expended in convey.
ing the Defenders fittings by express in.
stead Of freight and as a final item may
well be added $40, 700 expended for repairs
and odds and ends, making tho total cost
of building and sailing the Defender Sl76,.
900.
Tho Valkyrie of course is not such an
expensive boat. No exact figures are OBJ.
tainable in regard to the cost Of building
and maintaining her, but competent ex.
perts figure that the total amount expend-
ed in connection with her will not exceed
800, 600.
They figure the cost of her hull at not
more than $50, 600, and the cost of her
sails at about $1,000, because she has fewer
sails and the cloth is less expensive in
England than it is here. The expense of
her crew is estimated at $50, 900, and the
total amount of bonuses they will receive
mt $1,000 the Vaikyrio having sailed in
only three races thus far. The value
placed on her spars is Sl1, 900, and her ten
der and towing expenses will foot up to
about 5000. Allowing So, 600 for the ex-
ira fittings for her ocean trip and the cx-
pense Of the voyage itself and $40, 600 for
general incidentals, the total amount
comes to 800, 900. Thus it is seen that the
two boats themselves, their construction
and equipment make u total expenditure
of S2G6, OOO To this must be added the
$50, 600 or more which Commodore George
Gould laid out in tuning the Vigilant up
to be trial horse for the Defender, and
taking SlS5, 900 as tho total sum laid out
in connection with the challenge, trial
races, entertainment and similar items
the cost of the international races of 1895
will be seen to amount to fully $500, 900.
And now for a glance backward The
America S cup is worth now not moro than
$3.50, but fully 81, 900, 900 has been expend-
cd in keeping it on this side of the water
since the America won it in 1851. The
Boston syndicate, headed by General Paine,
which built tho Puritan, laid out fully
$25, 900, and the Priscilla which was
built in the same year for the purpose of
contesting the trial races with tho Puritan,
cost not q cent less than $50, 900. In 1886
not cent less than 500, 600 was laid out
in defending the cup against the Gaatca.
The Mayllower, which was eventually Sc
lected by the committee, cost about $780,
600, while 500, 900 is none too high for the |
expenses incurred on all sides in preparing
for the trial races. Then in 1887 about |
SIS, 900 was laid out in building and main
tanning the Volunteer, while $40, 900 moro |
was expended in tuning up the Mayllower |
to compete with her in the trial races
not penny less than 1925, 900 could have |
been expended in sending Valkyrie II |
back defeated boat The Vigilant her
self cost the syndicate which built and ran
her $685. 600. The Jubilee cost about $780, |
0OO the Colonia about $40, 900 and the |
Pilgrim fully $685.
From 1880 to the present time, there
fore, the cost of building and equipping !
the yachts which intended to compete for |
the cup amounts to fully $685. 600, and |
with the cost of the yachts which defended |
the cup before that date, together with the |
general expenses incurred, the total OK
penditure, exclusive of this year, laid out |
on keeping the cup has, if anything, been |
more than 81 ,OOO OOO.-New York Sun.
When Nancy Led the Way.
She has frightened her cinch by another inch, |
she has shortened her stirrup strap,