The Republican journal., 1898-08-25
The Americas Cup Again Next Year.

We are to have another boom in yacht
ing next year and that with another series
of challenge races for the Americas S cup.
There is no doubt about it this time. and
the fact that the challenge comes from an
altogether new source of a ction makes it
all the more welcome. This time it is an
Irish challenger-Sir Thomas Ii ipton, a
man who has made fame and fortune in
the tea business, and who of cou rse ex-
poets some inevitable return through
advertising of the great expense he is
under, but none the less appears to be
sportsman OF proper caliber and equal in
every respect to the task of trial. The
challenge has been sent through the Royal
Ulster Yacht Club and the challenging
yacht is to be built in Ireland and named
the Shamrock.
1t had been currently reported short
time ago that the new English schooner
yacht Rainbow would be the next contest
ant for the famous trophy, but it seems
that that idea has been waived in favor of
the 1rish and Upton will take first in
ming. The new yacht will be 90 foot
cutter, it is stated She is being design
ed by VIM. Fife, whose results as com
criticised, and will be constructed by Har-
land Il Wolff of Belfast, who, although
they are now building the most massive
steamship that ever tloated, have never
before tried for fame in fast sailing
yachts Captain William O Neill is to be
the Salllngmaster of the Shamrock al
though the owner will be with him, and
it is announced that Secretary Kelly of
the Ulster Yacht Club will come to New
York to help arrange prelimnaries
Doesn't that sound genuinely Irish
throughout?
Well, it may be that Mr. Fife can design
a smart yacht. He has considerable fame
as designer and has lots of historical
record to calculate his plans from. But
on the other hand ''Nat'' Helreshoff is
quoted as saying that. judging by the
attainments of the Defender, he can build
a yacht that should make ten OF fifteen
seconds better time to the mile. There
is no question that New York yachtsmen
are fully equal in purse and spirit to
providing the means for him to do it and
will welcome the chance. SO that all
together the prospects of the Shamrock
do not look very brilliant for success,
except what success is to be attained by
the improvement of acquaintance and
good fellowship, and that no doubt counts
for great deal. After our waI year the
yachting diversion will be a grand relief
from the strain OF watching for news of
our army and navy, and the sport will be
entered into with all the zest that has ever
characterized it n the past
And even if the Shamrock is defeated.
tile chances for further challenges from
abroad are not all killed by any means
There remains the Rainbow, OF other
schooners, and although England, Scot
land, Ireland and Canada have all had
their rulns, it has been hnted that the
present German Emperor would not be
averse to taking a try for the trophy, ard
perhaps terms might be arranged to suit
him. The statement made bv some how
ever, that no yacht which is obliged to
cross the ocean under her own power can
ever sail to win this match is taken by
many to have not a little weight and
there remains only one choice-to have
craft built in Canada that will do to chal-
lenge with. 1t is true that the only
challenger which ever came from Canada
WASH much of a sailer, but she was built
on the Lakes and that was twenty years
or more ago. Nor have the Canadians
now the wealth or spirit to enter the
contest alone. But it is conceivable that
some wealthy English, Scotch or Irish
yachtsman might have yacht built at one
OF the Canadian ports on the Atlantic and
thence easily fetch her here in racing trim
for a regular good match. That is a
possibility of sport that cannot be over
looked for the future. Or perhaps some
Of the British West Indies might develop
A yachting spirit Of International caliber.
Marine Journal.