New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-02
SIR THOMAS j. Upton
THE IRISH SPORTSMAN WHO WILL RACE
FOR THE AMERICAS CUP
HIS COUNTRY SEAT NEAR LONDON. AND HIS
BACHELOR ILFB-HIs ENTHUSIASM
FOR SPORT.


FOR SPORT.
There are not many men in the yachting com
nunitv who are OF more Importance to the
American yachtsmen at the present time thah
Sir Thomas J. Upton, the challenger Tor the
Americas CUP The man who builds yacht In
English waters for the purpose Of bringing her
to America ION her own bottom" and then to
race her against the best craft that YANKEE
skill and ingenuity can devise. mas sisah'''
task and American sportsmen nave always
taken keen interest in the men VINO mao the
pluck to devote time and money TO an enter
prise which promised little glory for the chai-
lenger The true sportsman spirit has maze the
cup races friendly meetings in most instances
The sentiment May the best boat win mas
been drunk in English and American CLUBS on
the eve of many of the races. and Wheh 'he
news came-as it has for forty years-that
America had won again the Englshmen never
murmured but promised to win next time
The last race. in which the Earl of Dunraven
represented Great Britain with his Deau'lIu'
Valkyrie III. was exception to the rule anu
the victory Of the Defender brought Accusations
and charges from Dunraven which pIaceu 'he
New-York Yacht club in an unenVlaDIe "ehl
and threatened to make an end to lnNrhatioh"'
vacht-racing But Dunravens charges we're III
yestigated by a committee of undoubted aoihY
and fairness. the charges were fouhd 10 pe
groundless and false and Dunravens name Nd
stricken from the list Of life members ana al
though the name of the New-York Yacht CIuD
was cleared and the racing methods VindcaUu
hundreds of yachtsmen believed that decades
would pass before Englishman could De
found to take up the fight for the coveted cup
and some went so far as to say that he woulo
not come in this generation. The action Oh
Dunraven brought rdcule as well as censure
upon him. and for long time the word Dun
raven became synonymous with false and TOOL
ish charges.
When can his folly fade
OH the wild charge he made
Marked him q craven.
File on the charge he made.
Shame the base crusade,
Made by Dunraven.
The fact that the i'll will was felt only toward
the little Earl. and that neither the yacht club
nor the people Of the United States blamed
England for the charges, became evident when
Sir Thomas j. Upton announced that he would
huild Yacht with which he would compete Tor
the Americas cup Sir Thomas was well known
in the United States in business and in sporting
circles and the members of the New-fork
Yacht Club felt that any race in which he would
take part would not result in unpleasant con-
troversy The challenger gained in popularity
when he sent $4,000 10 the United States TO
be applied to the relief Of United States soldiers
in the field and the spirit in which he IS regard
ed by the Americans was shown few weeks
ago when he was the guest Of a number OF
Americans at dinner in London. The invita-
lion cards were ornamented with shamrocks.
and contained in green script these words:
From his American friends sojourning in the
land Of their ancestors to Sir Thomas j. Lip
ton. who this year comes with Shamrock to
dispute the Blue Ribbon Of
The sea the sea the open sea,
The fresh the blue the ever free
MAY the Star Spangled Banner and the Brit
ish Jack entwined float over the greatest race
for the Cup the world has ever seen, and may
the best boat and crew win
Edward A. Sumner who acted as Sir Thomas ;
agent for the distribution OF the Upton fund in
Cuba and Porto Rico. attended the dinner, and
in speaking of it said that there was as much
enthusiasm for America for England. a
similar demonstration took place in New York a
few weeks later when Mr. Sumner delivered a
lecture at the Marble Collegiate Church on
our New Possessions in the West Indies.
When the picture Of Sir Thomas was thrown
upon the screen the large audience appauded
heartily, showing that the Irish merchant chal-
leneer was more popular with the people than
the Irish Earl who preceded him
HOSPITALITY AT OsEDGE.
"Sir Thomas J. LINTON" said Mr. Sumner, lis
nroud OF the fact that he is an Irishman born
and reared in Glasgow. His country seat at