The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-23
YEAR AFTER NEXT
Sir Thomas Upton Will Again Try
For the Cup.

New York, Oct 2S.-Sir Thomas Lip
ton spent yesterday on board his steam
yacht Erin. During the greater portion
of the morning he was busy with his
secretary, but in the afternoon he took
a rest. He saw a few visitors, although
hundreds of small boats f1oated around
the big yacht. Some of the most ven
turesOme went up to the gang and sent
cards on board. The owner of the I'M
successful CUP hunter talked freely to
a reporter and chatted for more than
an hour about his plans for the future.
I shall not challenge for the cup
next year." he said in reply to a query.
You see, the time is all too short to
design a boat, build her and have her
tuned UP to a concert pitch to race
next fall. I shall, however. issue a
challenge for 1901, and shall complete
the arrangements for it in a day or two
The matter must be discussed fully
with the committee of the New York
Yacht club.
Il have accepted Commodore Nor
gan's invitation to dine tomorrow night
at the Metropolitan club I expect to
meet Mr. Iselin and the members of
the committee there and we shall
doubtless talk the matter over then.
viii Fife design the new boat?'
Most asSuredly he WILL but in his
present state, I do not care to approach
him on the subject There will be plen-
ty of time for that, however, after the
challenge is issued. My new boat must
be between Is and 20 minutes faster
improvement on the Columbia which
means almost a miracle, for she is a
marvellous boat.
IF any other yachtsmen want to
challenge for the cup I shall willingly
step aside, but in any event 1 shall
stand willing to give every assistance
in my power to the man who tries to
lift the cup. The Shamrock and my
crew viii be at his disposal so that
he can have a trial horse whose powers
are known. If my challenge is the one
accepted I shall have the Shamrock in
commission and will use her in tuning
up the new boat"
Sir Thomas commented on the pro-
posed trip of the Columbia abroad saw
ing: If she were my boat I should
take her across at once and Won can
take my word for it she would sweeD
everything before her. I sincerely hope
she will cross the Atlantic if for no
other purpose than to show them over
there what Yankee yacht is like. Be
Heve me, it will teach them something.
I can assure Commodore Morgan
and Mr. Iselin that they will be cordial
ly welcomed, and we shall have plenty
of cups for them to race for. If the
Columbia races in English waters I
shall certainly put the Shamrock
against her.
her small yawl rig at once; in fact, the
work of preparing her for sea will he
gin early tomorrow morning. She viii
be ready by a week from Tuesday
which time have fixed for her and the
Erin to start on the return voyage. I
shall then feel free and shall sail the
next day on the American liner ST
Louis. I want to see the Shamrock sa fe-
ly off before start
I want to say again that have been
treated with the utmost courtesy bv
everyone that I have met. Never for
a moment have the yachtsmen here
made me feel otherwise than perfectly
at home. I have failed to win your Gun
but proved what I said before sail
ed for it, that any yachtsman who
came Tor the cup would have only fair
opportunity to win it
I am deeply touched at the spirit
shown by you Americans in arranging
for that loving cup for me I shall
prize 1t above all things. It shows
that my estimate Of American charac-
ter is not wrong. am at liberty to
say now that the wild guesses as to
what Shamrock cost We're all of them
far out. The cost of the boat alone as