New-York tribune., 1901-09-06
COLUMBIA WILL DEFEND.
CONQUEROR OF SHAMROCK I,
COMlIITT'EE' S CHOICE.
FINE WORK OF BARR AND HIS CREW
A FACTOR-CONSTITUT MEN
ACCEPT GRACEFULLY.
GBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l

TBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE.l
Newport, R. l.. Sept. 5.-The Columbia has
been chosen TO defend the Americas Cup.
Tribune reporter was the first TO see Mr.. Oddie
as he came ashore from the meeting that was
held on board Commodore Ledyard's flagship
the schooner Corona. this morning to decide
the matter. Mr.. Oddie who is secretary of the
New-York Yacht Club. and a member Of the
challenge committee simply said, Columbia"
Then It was known that $250000 had been
spent in vain for the designing, building, fitting
out and sailing of the yacht Constitution. The
great army Of sailors. steamboat men and hope
full amateurs will be disbanded. and, in the
words of the ancient generals message, "Ac-
turn est de escercitu" cit is all over with the
armyO.
The challenge committee was in session TIL
nearly - o'clock last night but adjourned With
out taking action. This morning the adjourned
meeting began again early. Mr.. Oddie said that
absolutely nothing could be decided last night
and that final decision could be reached till
half an hour before the news thus given
out as above He further said that never in
the history of the Cup had discussion been so
prolonged and hotly contested.
REGRET FOR DUNCAN's SAKE.
It is admitted by the yachtsmen here that it
will be a sore blow 10 Butler Duncan, and there
are few in Newport tonight do not regret
for Mr.. Duncan's sake that the craft he worked
so hard for is not chosen. Mr.. Duncan has been
a great favorite with all, and he has been self
contained and hopeful in the presence of almost
continuous disappointment, brought about bv
the battling character of the CONSTITUTIONS per-
formances.
The decision OF the committee is well received
here and it is said that it will be backed by the
feeling of the whole country. Yet up TO the last
moment this morning people We're in doubt as
TO whether the great claims Of the Constitution
10 consideration would not eventually be found
paramount. The satisfaction here is largely ow-
ing TO the fact that the decision will bring Cap
tain Barr to the front again and put him at the
helm of the Cup defender. It is thought that
his alertness may mean whole minutes in the
Cup contests. and perhaps save the Cup
THE MEETING ON THE CORONA
All the committee were present at this morn
ing's meeting. Commodore Lewis Cass Ledyard
presided. Rear-Commodore Robinson, former
Commodore E. NJ Brown, c. Oliver Iselin, Arch
ibald Rogers. Secretary J. V. S. Oddie and ].
Malcolm Forbes were the other members pres
ent. The discussion was exhaustive. The per-
formances of the two boats were gone over sys-
tematically and critically compared The con-
clusion that the behavior of the Columbia
was far more consistent than that. OF the Con-
stitution and that under the circumstances
there was no other alternative than to name her
as the defender of the Cup. 1t was held that,
while the decision might be disappointing to the
syndicate headed by August Belmont, which
owns the Constitution, the committee with all
conditions in mind, expressed the feeling that
il was compelled to choose the Columbia.
whose races have shown of the erratic
form manifested by her rival The formal notice
announcing the selection OF the Columbia was
posted at the yacht club station shortly after
IL o'clock. It read as follows:
At a meeting Of the committee on challenge
Of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club. held on the flag
ship at IL 80 a. m. the Columbia was selected
to represent the New-York Yacht Club.
J. V. S. ODDIE, Secretary