The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-09-02

King Edwards Interest In the Con-
test.
Just coming from a farewell audi !
enee at Marlborough House previous to
his sailing for these shores Sir Thomas
Upton was seen by representative OF
Golfers Weekly, who obtained from
him the following interview:
"That cup is still in the lap of the
gods. | am often asked whether l
think / shall win it. My only reply is
that | hope TO win It, or 1 should not
enter the contest. l have that hope
and it is part Of my sanguine nature
perhaps that during the recent trials
of the new challenger on the Clyde the
hope grew at moments into an eXpecta-
tion. If there was certainty that |
should win or that | should lose there
would be no sport only one thing is
quite sure-that the best boat will win,
and | am sportsman enough to wish
that it should. If my boat Is the best,
well and good. | shall rejoice to bring
the cup back with me, but the next
best thing To bringing it away Is to
leave &c where &c is.
"Wera this contest not a thoroughly
friendly one, l should not enter upon
if. America knows my mind on this
matter. aud / know Americas. Moth
ing could exceed the Kindness shown
me whom last / challenged from the
time of my arrival In American waters
a 4 d.
sands of people came out TO say good
BY 1 shall never forget the sight or
the sound Crowded steamers came
down the river, and as the st. Louis
passed Sandy Hooks battery fired two
guns I'm farewell sulutation. The Amcrl-
can press was particularly good TO me-
ana the interviewer who is rather
bette uorc iu the Imagination of some
of my travelling countrymcu, ! found
capital and a cousidoratc enough fell
low. And it is my confident opinion
an opinion | expressed on my return
homc-that IA great number of the peo-
pie Of America were rather disap-
pointed because the Shamrock l did
not win. A greater proof than this Of
the hospitality Of any country do not
know and cannot imagine.
Il do not think It necessary to relter.
ate my faith in the absolute fair play
of American SpOrtsmen or to retell here
how congress, quite independently OF
this particular race, has, by a special
amendment of its navigation laws, un-
dcrtakon the task-uo light one-of
keeping the course clear for contest
ants. 1t used 10 be necessary to say
these things here at home. That Is not
an agreeable remark-not more agree
able remark than the lady made to
Dlsraell the younger, I spend my life
I'm defending YOU Without saying
that, / have to admit that when l first
entered my challenge many of my
friends asked me whether l was sure
of fair field and no favor.
"Well, | was sure, and | told them so
with an emphasis that rather startled
some of them. Now nobody even asks
me the foolish question. That Is some
thing gained by the race of two years
ago and by the race which is about to
be run. If do not bring back the cup
10 something much better-aud to the
right understanding and the consequent
good will between the sport loving pub
lie on one side of the Atlantic and theil
colleagues on the other.
Turning TO the future, l have no rea
son to think that the circumstances OF
the second race will be any less con
genial than those Of the first. On th'
contrary, | believe that the American
people and myself were never on kinder
terms than we are now. l speak, a
any rate, for myself.
Sept 2l will see the first of the five
races that are TO decide which Is the
better boat. Why as citizen and {
cosmopolitan l await that decision
with equanmity has been already told
Why as n sportsman | equally avail
with confidence is, of course, a far NOR,
problcmatic affair. Shamrock III is
however, in my opinion, a better boa
than Shamrock |. Mr.. Watson ha
spent more time over her Day ant
night, so TO say, for the last Is months
hc has put his best work into her
aided by Mr.. Fife. They have benefited
by their bygone experiences. The re
suit is that l have now a better boa
lllttAA Nhf.A anu NbhANA AibA lltb Z "a bNe
ter crew.
"When ! said goodby to them befor
they set sail across the Atlantic IN
other day, | told them 20 their face
what thought Of them-that they ar
thc finest set Of men our country ca
produce. | told them, too that If an
favor was shown it would not be Z
their disadvantage. They are full o
hopes for success, ana they have, be
sides, in that event, certain substantial
expectations. Mr.. Watson, too, prom
ised them n reward, and their conf
dence in the winning powers Of III
boat is shown by the request they mad
that the money should be put upon tn
races.
Nobody has ever accused me Of hal
heartedness in any enterprise Of min'
and of all my enterprises this, perhaps
a. tho ono which stands first. | haY