The Topeka state journal., 1899-09-14
SPORTING NEWS.
Sir Thomas LiptOn's Efforts to
Capture the Cup
VIII Cost Him About One Mill
lion Dollars.
SHAMROCK EXPENSIVE
Value of the Craft Is Known to
Be $35O,OOO.
His Daily Expense In New York
Enormous.
SHAMROCK EXPENSIVE

New York. Sept. 14-If Shamrock
does not win the America cup it will
not be for lack Of money spent on her
or for the size of her sails. Sir Thomas
Upton viii have spent about one mill
ion dollars in his cup hunting effort
when the races shall have been decided
The sails Shamrock has worn during
her practice spins last week are large
enough in all conscience, but they real
ly were knickerbockers compared even
with the suit she dons this week, to say
nothing of the still more extensive can
vas she will use during the real races.
The boom she first had on seemed to
be about 1O5 feet long and the one that
was hoisted from its resting place on
the barge Ulster appears to be about
three feet longer.
1t is doubtful if Sir Thomas Upton
accurately knows the exact cost Of the
Shamrock. He has said that heretofore
the Americans have spent five times as
much as the Britishers who have
brought cup challengers to this coun-
try.
He will not tell how much the Sham
rock cost, but it is certain she is the
most expensive racing machine ever
constructed. It is known that young
Mr.. Fife, who designed her, was given
carte blanche. He had millions to draw
on, and all he was asked to do was to
build the best boat that could be con-
Structed in Great Britain.
The day the Shamrock starts in the
first race it is probable her cost will
be not far from S350,000. 1t should be
remembered that every man who work.
ed on her received a bonus; that every
piece of metal in her was used after
many tests and experiments, and that
there was never a thought of the cost
The best and most expensive cup
challenger before this to come to this
country was the last Valkyrie. 1t was
estimated at the time that she cost
about $50, 900. Accepting this estimate,
it will be seen that the Shamrock has
cost seven times as much as the Dun
raven boat The shellbacks who have
gathered all the available facts that
can be obtained say that the upper
work of Shamrock cost more than the
whole of Valkyrie. The many sets of
sticks and suits of sails, the finest ever
seen on craft, are enormously expen-
Sive.
Sir Thomas bought the steam yacht
Erin because of the cup races. She is
really as large as steamship, being
about 300 feet long, and one of the most
magnificent yachts afiOat. She is a pail
ace. She was built for an Italian count
two or three years ago, and it is said
that Sir Thomas bought her for a mere
song, the same song being about $685.,
600.
were taken from the yacht of the late
Lord RothschiId, and their pay is much
higher than those of any yacht af1Oat.
The steward was trained in the Tuiller-
les under the third Napoleon, and the
famous Joseph, who has enduring fame
as a chief.
It is estimated that it costs about
$2,5O0 a day to run the Erin and this is
probably a moderate estimate. The
bringing of the yacht to this country
and keeping her here for the cup races
alone will cost not far from S150, 900.
Sir Thomas has a fleet of eight steam
craft in the lower bay, tug and tenders,
being under charter at prices averaging
possibly 800 a day. Then there are
the running expenses of the Shamrock
herself to be considered, a very large
sum.
Recapitulation shows that the Erin
and Shamrock represent a first cost of
S725,0OO- The cost of running the Erin
increases the expense to $S75, 900. If
the cost of running the Shamrock, the
charter of craft in these waters and the
incidental expenses fall short of s125-
600 Sir Thomas Upton Will be FORUM
ate.