New-York tribune., 1900-10-08
DURYEA BLAMES PARKER.
SAYS THE CAPTAIN OF THE RAINBOW.
VIOLATED THE RULE.

URGES THAT TROPHIES REMAIN WITH Mr.
VANDERBILT, AND SAYS HE WON'T
RACE AGAINST PARKER AGAIN
H. B. Duryea, part owner OF the T0-footer
Yankee which raced with Cornelius Wander
bits yacht the Rainbow this year, handed to
Tribune reporter last night letter addressed to
this paper in which he said that Captain Parker
changed the trim of the Rainbow in the mlddle
Of the recent racing season by putting in more
ballast without notice to the officials having
charge of the racing and without any official
remeasurement. in violation of the agreement
between the owners Of the 70-fOoters. He
also says in the letter that neither he nor Harry
Payne Whitney. who is also part owner OF the
Yankee, ever had the slightest idea that Mr.
Vanderbilt knew of the actions of Captain Par
ker until the matter called to his attention.
Mr.. Duryea further says that he will insist
that the cups remain where they are. that Cap
tain Parker knew we'll the character Of his acts
and that neither he nor Harry Payne Whitney
will ever sail in any competition in which Cap
tain Parker is sailing master of competing
boat
The fact that the Rainbow had additional
ballast on board in several competitions this
year was made public by Cornelius Vanderbilt
in a letter printed yesterday, in which he said
he would not accept any prize which his yacht
the yachting rules.
In his letter which Mr. Vanderbilt sent TO
various clubs and associations under which ne
had raced this season. he took upon himself all
the blame for the sailing of the Rainbow In V1o-
lation of the rules. He said that he generally
understood that the agreement entered into by
the owners of the T0-footers gave the right to
any one of the yachts at her own option to add
ballast for the purpose of bringing her water
line length up to that of the largest yacht and
for this purpose" he wrote, Il took in ad-
ditionaI ballast on board the Rainbow at differ
ent times"
After he had handed his letter to the reporter
Mr.. Duryea said he had nothing further to say
about the matter. An effort was made last
night to see Cornelius Vanderbilt, but it was
said at his home No. COS Fifth-ave.. that he
was at Newport.
It was also said that Harry Payne Whitney
was out of town. No officials of the New-York
Yacht Club could he found, it could not be
learned what official action. if any. the club
might take in regard to the letter. An effort
was made last evening to see Captain Parker,
but it was said that he was abroad.
MR.. DURYEA'S LETTER.
Mr. Duryea's letter follows:
New-York October I. 1900.
To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: II. issue of morning paper hnd a
reference to myself In connection with Mr' van
derbilts letter returning his cups. as follows:
What called forth this letter is somewhat a
mystery, but it is rumored that Herman B;
Duryea and Harry Payne Whitney, who owned
and raced the Yankee iI.timated that the Rain
bow had advantage over the other yachts
which she should not have had.
The suggestion, 1 understand it, is that Mr..
Vanderbilt was driven to this recent attitude by
insnuations made by Mr. Whitney and myself
This does him great injustice, well as us.
The facts are that not until the racing season
was over had we any idea that any such thing
could have happened. Immediately upon the
information reaching us sent Mr.. vanderbilt
a letter, of which the following is a copy
My Dear Vanderbilt: 1t has come TO my
knowledge, by such conclusive evidence as to
leave no doubt in my mind, that your skipper
Captain Parker. in the middle of II recent rae
ing season, and after we had all Ueen measured
by the official measurer of the New-York Yacht
Club, changed the trim of the Rainbow by put
ting in more ballast. without notice to the Off
cials having charge of the racing, and without
any official remeasurenent IN violation or the
agreement made with each other. as owners
of the 70-foOter class, and in violation of the
rules of all yacht clubs 1 am sure you will
agree with that you should be put in pos
session of the fact, that you may inaugurate
yourself the measures proper to be taken under
the circumstances. Upon application from you,
WILL if Captain Parker denies it, furnish you
n B. DURYEA"
We never had the slightest idea that Mr.. Van
derbilt was cognizant of the transaction. and
did precisely what would have expected
other gentleman to do to us-we mentioned it to
one but informed him at once.
VANDERBILTS SPoRTSMANLIKE ACTION.
1t is a matter of congratuIation that Mr. Van
derbilt by his sportSmanlike action has cleared
himself of blame he has in every ones mind,
and Mr.. Whitney and 1 will be the first to insist
that the cups remain where they are and
tainly we will never sail for them ourselves; but
neither will sail in any competition in which
Captain Parker is the sailing master of a COM
peting boat
He is the one who has placed Mr. Vanderbilt
and American yachtsmen in this position Cap
tain Parker was to the Rainbow what l was to
the Yankee He managed and sailed her, as 1
rely upon him person experienced in the
rules of racing. He had sailed all his life in
England, and knows that after boat is Off
cially measured q man may not change the
weights and immersion of his boat without a re-
measurement and official certificate showing his
compliance with the conditions of the race
The rule is differently stated in different aSso-
Citations, and in some cases one is permitted to
give notice and be remeasured after race. But
nowhere would it be deemed honorable to change
suits of a competition without an official GER
tihcate of the measurer that your boat COM
piled with the conditions Of the
A fine situation we would have been in as
yaChtSmen If this matter had slept and Captain
Parker would have gone home and reported
he quite likely would have done-that we
were given to such practices. Mr.. Vanderbit's
action has saved from any imputatiOn of in
territorial wrongdoing: but as to Captain Parker.
the case is not the same. The circumstances
showed plainly that Captain Parker knew we'll
the character of his acts.
PUZZLED BY THE RAINBOW'S CHANGE.
Mr. Whitney and l had been a good deal
puzzled in the middle Of the season by the sud
den change that had somehow come about in the
sailing q the different bOatS esDacfaII,-