The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-11-22
DINRATE7S DEFENSE.
His Lordship Reiterates His Charge
of Unfairness
IN THE AMERICAS CUP CONTESTS

In an Address at Cardiff, wales, the British
Yaohtsman Gives the Reasons for His Re-
cent Publication VIII Come Here to Aid
i'm the Investigation.
CARDIFF, Wales, Nov. ga number
of prominent residents of this city last
night publicly presented to Lord Dunraven
silver model of Valkyrie III ''for his gal
liant efforts in trying to bring home the
America's cup" Lord Dunraven, reply
ing TO the gentlemen who made the pre-
sentation, said that this occasion was one
of the happiest moments of his life, and
added:
81 have passed through a very trying ex-
perience, and l adopted certain course
because it was my plain duty. fully re
allied that this course was likely TO be
widely misunderstood and that it would
entail upon me much annoyance and
anxiety / anticipated that my words
would be twisted, my actions misunder-
stood and all sorts of false motives attri-
| buted to me. My anticipations have been
amply fulfilled.
1.-The Americas cup has been erected as
great international trophy, and the con-
tests for it have gradually acquired in
| America the dimensions of really inn
portant national event. When great
masses of people are so interested all the
responsibility should be assumed by those
in charge 1t is not fair to the public or
any of the parties concerned that there
should be any question as to honor or in
tegrity of one mans accuracy or keenness,
or of another's moral perceptions. Such
contests ought to be conducted with the
closest official scrutiny.
"Some highly imaginative people seem
| bent upon trying to delude themselves
and others into the belief that in taking
the course it was necessary for me TO take
l was actuated by some feeling of animos-
ity against the American people. Others
accuse me of being the victim of pique,
| spite or passion, and the strangest delu-
sion of all is the storm of indignation pass.
ing over the United States at my alleged
/ treachery in formulating n new charge
| from the safe distance of 5000 miles That
astounded me- and l resent it, for 1t would
| have been mean and contemplate. have
done nothing of the kind.
II am unwilling to enter into discus
sion of these subjects, more especially as
everything say or do is by some curious
misadventure misunderstood by the press
of America If out of the respect feel
for the American people, and my natural
repugnance to saying anything which
might hurt the sensibilities of personal
friends, l am reticent and guarded, my
words and actions are misunderstood ana
| If l speak out am accused of the desire
| to insult great nation. To make speech
considered satisfactory by the Armenians,
| Turks English Russian, Chinese and
French, by Exeter Hall and British jim
goes, is an easy matter compared with the
task of talking of the Americas cup.
at is however, due to you who have
paid me the highest possible compliment
that l should say few words on the sub
ject of the complaint l made. l have not
made an accusation against anybody. l
mentioned a fact which l believe TO be
true, and which l still believe to be true,
namely, that Defender sailed the first race
more deeply immersed than when she was
measured the day previously, and gave
my reasons for so thinking. Whether
am right or wrong is a matter of opinion,
and must, l fear, always remain so, seeing
that the only possible opportunity of alb
solutely proving or disproving the justice
of my complaint was not utilized.
1T is absurd to pretend that was ac-
tuated by spite or pique because my vessel
.
fore the first race was started to Mr..
Latham Fish, member of the committee,
who was also Defenders representative on
the VallIyrie 1 gave him my reasons for
my belief in words almost identical with
those l used in the pamphlet. asked that
both vessels be measured Immediately,
marked externally, and that the committee
take charge Of them until they were re-
measured The committee acceded to a
portion of my request, though, most un-
fortunately, not to all of it.
why those interested in Defender did
not insist that immediate steps be taken
to prove the groundlessness of my COM
plant, l do not know. Why the commit
tee did not take the necessary steps, l can
not tell. l could do nothing to Justify my
complaint l could not prove my case 1t
could only be proved by the committee,
and the committee having neglected to
secure proof one way or the other, there
was nothing left for me to do.
1T has been said that l should have re-
fused to start in the first race until the
vessels were remeasured, and have broken
off the contest altogether. was not justi
fed, in my opinion, in taking so serious a
step The race was about to be started,
some $4,000 people were out on some 2OC
steamers, and should have been guilty OF
deliberate rudeness towards u great mul-
titude of people who had paid to sec the
race.
Il greatly deprecate the introduction OF
the personal element into the inquiry.
am afraid that with the best of intentions
the New York Yacht club inquiry, after
the lapse of two months, cannot possibly
arrive at satisfactory results. As l have
) already offered will at any Inconvenience
to myself do the best to assist the club,
even if it involves visiting America. The
club will do its utmost to sift the matter
thoroughly and impartially. That is quite
certain.
81 am accused Of desiring to insult the
American nation. My ideas are not So
lafge or ambitious The contract Is ever
30 much too big for me- Is it not prepos-
terously absurd that, after my long and
close connections with America, and the
kindness and hospitality L have exper-
fenced at their hands, could possibly de-
"a. 60. IN aft IN