The record-union., 1899-10-21
THE CUP REMAINS.

back at the beginning of the half CEN
tury, and never recovered from US.
Clearly we have outsailed the cousin
across the water in every instance.
There has never been any question but
that each race was won by merit of the
nicality, nor any manner of sharp prac-
tice have ever been seriously charged
against US, or for that matter against
our opponents The Columbia out
footed the Shamrock, out pointed her,
was better handled and all around
proved herself the better boat, ergo we
have the better designers, builders and
sailors of yachts.
1t has been said by some who have
small conception of the correct rules of
clean sport, that one of the three heats
just won by the cup defender ought to
be cancelled and the Upton boat be
given another chance. Why? Because
he was SO unlucky as to have the club
topmast of the Shamrock blown out,
which lost him the second heat We
are told that it would be magnanimous
for the New York Yacht Club to make
this concession in the interest of fair
play and clean sport.
That would be sheer idiocy. Upton
understands that better than do those
who make SO absurd a suggestion. He
said that the rules prohibited recogni-
ton of accidents, and he added that he
helped make the rules and he would
not be a party to any exception to
them; that the Shamrock was fairly
beaten on that heat, and must take
things as they come. That sounds like
the true sportsman.
For it will be readily understood that
if an exception is placed in the code
of rules to the effect that accident shall
insure to the beaten boat another op-
portunity, door would be opened to
unclean sport, to trickery and deceit,
and that no manner Of caution could
guard against it. The owner and skip
per might be ever SO honest and fair,
but any one of a number of partisan
men on board, carried away by the de-
sire to win regardless of the means en-
ployed, could sever stay or clip off a
rope, when seeming defeat stared at
his boat and thus bring about disaster
and save the craft from being beaten.
But who shall say that the Shamrock
suffered by accident? Possibly had she
not carried too much sail that back
stay would not have broken and the
topmast would not have been carried
away. Possibly that It's feet of tower
ing mast was a fault of design. Be-
sides the Columbia had the same
breeze but her topmast was either bet
ter stayed-it is not so lofty-or she
carried less canvas upon it, or she
was handled better so as to relieve
pressure. while possibly. the Shamrock
was given more than she could answer
to. So after all it may be that it was
not so much accident as it was want OF
skill in sailing or in rigging the yacht.
Once admit accident into the realm OF
yachting as a reason for calling heat
off, and you introduce an element of
discord No matter how genuine an ac-
cident might be and how little pro-
voked, there would be those to charge
it as purposeful, and so contention
would arise and the sport be tarnished
If yacht races are to be run and decided
he inn .
possible to determine just when a race
is to conclude. In racing horses, for
instance, if a group starts and gets the
word there must be finish, though
half the horses fall and break their
necks. 1t is not the fault Of the win
ner. He has done his best and taken
chances of accident also, He is enu-
tied to the reward of his skill and
ability just the same.
There are very few sports in which
an accident win call off the trial and
deprive the winner of his victory. Pos
sibly in some classes there must be ex-
ceptions to the general rule, but those
possibilities are very small Let us
hear no more therefore about magma
nimity and trying again, because of the
topmast accident. The accident and
magnanimity proposition makes sports
men laugh, and no wonder.
The news published this morning in
dicates that the Samoan chiefs are
again stirring up trouble; that there
has already arisen trio Of chiefs who
claim that they constitute the Govern
ment, and they have notified the tri-
partite representatives of the claim. II
Is feared that another insurrection is
about TO break out. Clearly the Sa-
means are incapable Of self govern
ment The United States, England and
Germany have attempted for seventeen
years to govern them jointly, under q
recognized throne, but with no meas
ureable success. The right thing tc
do 5c cauopaG onaE