Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1901-10-12
WHAT If COST ! /. Upton i i |
Sir Thomas Bill This Trip Is
l,ss,.... About 100000.
OVER sl,soo,oOo FOR BOTH TRIALS

Fhe Gallant Challenger Has Spent [
Snug Little Fortune In an Unsuc
cessful Attempt to Lift the Amer
ica's Cup, hut He Apparently Does
Not Begrudge It-DetaiIs of His Elk
pense Account.
Sir Thomas Upton estimated the ex
pense of his effort to get the Americas
cup in 1899 at 100000, says the New
York Sun. That, however, included
100000 which he paid to Count Floric
of Italy for the fine yacht which the
count called the Ngusa and which is
now known as the Erin. This would
leave his actual racing expenses in
1899 at 100000. 1t is probable that
the cost Of the present races to him
will be little over that figure, but still
within 100000. In other words, in
GLIDING the sum Of $5OO,00O or there
about for the purchase and reftting of
the Erin, the total cost to the chal-
lenger in the Last two series Of races
will be somewhere in the neighborhood
of 81, 100000.
The cost, however, is something that
the gallant challenger has least con-
sidered in his efforts to get the cup.
He frankly said that he did not know
what it was costing him in money,
and he probably will not know for
some time after he returns to England.
One who is intimately acquainted with
his affairs, however, gave some figures
which justify the above estimates.
To begin with, the, cost Of Shamrock
II. in the water and ready for bust
ness was close to $325,OOO. Her sails,
of which she has five complete sets of
ten sails to suit, cost $4,000. Her
mast, which is one piece of hollow steel
159 feet long, cost about $4,000. But
the bulk Of the expense was in her
very costly hull of immadium, an alloy
of tin and copper, which combines to
the highest degree at present known
the qualities Of strength and lightness
in vessels body. In this enormous
cost Of Shamrock II. there. is very
illustrated the difference in
the cost of racing yachts today as COM
pared with those of even eight years
ago. For instance, the Vigflant, which
defeated Valkyrie IL in 1898, cost $780,
900. The cost of the Defender, which
beat Valkyrie III. two years later, was
$4,000. The cost of the Columbia was
in the neighborhood of
while the CONSTITUTIONS was
in the neighborhood of $780,
)OO
But the cost Of the racing machine
Itself is only a detail in the list of the
'acing expenses the challenger this
year has to meet Including the sixty
men on the Erin, Sir Thomas has with
lin here a crew Of 22O. Eliminating
he Erin's men, there remain $50 men
Who were engaged for six months at |
IN average of $50 a month and their
BOARD. For their board Sir Thomas
makes an allowance of so cents a day |
o each man, the men buying their own !
provisions and arranging their own |
nesses. In addition to their regular
,ay Of $50 month to each of the for |
y-seven men who compose the crew
f the Shamrock there is an allowance
f $75 prize money. The usual rate of
'rize money to a racing yachts crew is
5 man in case of victory and $3.50
man in case Of defeat. This is the
ule that holds on the Columbia. In
he case of the Shamrock's men, how
yer, an extra allowance; win or lose,
Vas made because the men had to
cave in the height of the racing in
England, thereby losing the chance to
lick up more or less money in the
many races in which presumably they
yould have taken part.
Captain Wringe, who sailed the for
Ter Shamrock and is present as advfs-
r in the present contest, and Captain
ycamore, the captain Of Shamrock H.,
ach get $4,000, while the mate gets
1000, for the season. In addition to
1ese there is the designer of the boat,
[r. Watson, and the expert sailmaker,
[r. Ratsey, who are both here on sal
ries that can hardly be less than S.
10 each for the season
Leaving the yacht proper and COM
lg to the collateral exp ,nses, there is
5 the largest item the cost of run
ing the steam yacht Erin for, say, the |
To months she actually is in serv-
e in connection with the races. This :
as estimated by man familiar with
lie subject at $4,000 month. 100000 |
all, Sir Thomas has three other
essels in attendance here, the Porto
leo. the Victor and the tug Lawrence.
he Porto Rico serves as tender, and |
j board her live the crew and other I
Gployees save those regularly attach {
to the Erin. The cost of the Porto 4
leo will be about $4,000 from the {
me she was engaged until released /
ter the races. The Victor is employ !
in carrying Sir Thomas's guests to 1
Id from the Erin. Her cost during t
e racing season is $225 day, or So q
% for fourteen days. The tug Law +
nee is the Shamrock's attendant, tow li
g her to and from the race course, to s
e dock and wherever else necessary. t
be cost Of the Lawrence is $75 day q
say $4,000 for the total time she is in +