Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-02-28
HIS EXPLANATIONS
Are in Shape OF Resignation and Lots Of
Useless Talk.

New York, Feb. 27.-The following ar.
letters from Lord Dunraven which will be
| considered By the New York Yacht Ciut
at its meeting, this evening:
London, - Norfolk street, Park Lane,
Feb. 10.
j. V. ;. Oddie. Esq, secretary;
Dear Sir-In experimenting my cable
gram and letter Of Feb. II, | wish to
emphasize that my letters to Messrs.
Rives and Phelps were written and dis
patched before had heard of the motion
of Capt Ledyard.
Without commenting upon the grounds
or terms of the motion, as TO the justice
Of which l do not agree, l wish to say in
view of the fact that Il motion of such a
nature has been made and is a matter Of
record, do not desire to remain mem
Der of the club, whatever may bs the re-
suit of the motion.
l therefore beg that you will lay my
resignation before the club,a course which
will probably be approved by majority
of the mem oers.
l remain, yours faithfully,
Signcd) DUNRAVEN.
On Feb. -, Lord Duuraven addressed a
letter to Hon. f. j. Phelps as follows
Dear Mr.. Phelps The attitude of as
ssting the inquiry as witness and not
as . prosecutor, which in the nature OF the
case had to adopt and which have con-
sistently maintained, prevented me from
presuming to accept or reject or to criticise
afiirmatively or negatively, the commit
tees report officially.
But in view OF the many misupder-
standings which have occurred, have felt
myself justified in writing briefly to you,
as should be sorry if you or the commit
tee misunderstood my silence, and in say
ing few words to you which you may
give such publicity as you may think fit
or necessary.
My complaint was made in good faith.
on the direct evidence of the eyesight of
my own and competent men, as to the
effects or causes of which they did not
know or attempt to define.
1t will, in my opinion, he impossib BILE to
find stronger reasons upon which action
could be taken, or as justification for
of like nature to that which l
most reluctantly made, and am unable,
therefore, to agree that the complaint was
originated.
l cannot admit that there was mistake
In the observed facts as suggested by the
OF calculations which were
accepted by the committees as mathe-
proving that we did not see the
actual objects which we did see
The only time for absolute proof or dis
proof of the complaint that the Defender
did not sail the race on Sept Z, under her
load water line length, must
have been on the day of the race, and my
attitude toward the inquiry when offered
to go to New York, all show my belief in
that proposition, proposition which, IN
my opinion, was self-evident, and, I
think, admitted in evidence by mem ers
If the cup committee.
Feeling MS do upon this point, I was
unable to adopt toward the Judgment of
sour committee the attitude which
should unhesitatingly have taken had the
inquiry been conducted at the proper time
~ the authority under which l sailed to
which l made my complaint, and whose
lecision l was bound to accept
] fully realized the difficulty OF the |
situation which had arisen. l think largely |
through mutual misunderstanding, and |
ia the evidence before them, most will |
ngly accept the main conclusions of your |
and am only too glad to con-
ider the dispute closed
l have throughout frequently stated |
hat l had no charge to make against MIR. |
selin or the other owners of the Defender,
md do not agree that he and his friends
nd all connected with the vessel must
lave been aware of it if the Defender
allied her first race deeper than when she
vas measured
As this is matter personal to them, l
AVE written to those gentlemen to make
he point perfectly clear.
There are two less important matters to
which may briefly refer. l believed, and
or the reasons given IN evidence, think
was justified in believing, that the
wners Of the Defender knew OF my COM
laint at the time it was made but. fully
ccept Mr.. Iselin's statement that he,only
'ecame cognizaDt Of 1t, Oct "a.
l have also written to Messrs Garfield
Continued on page 3.