Evening star., 1903-08-03
WHY NOT AN OCEAN RACEp
Build Yachts to Cross Atlantic-Test
of Ship and Sailors.

of Ship and Sailors.
From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
"A correspondent asserts that the races
lot the Americas cup are without value
to shipbuilding or practical seamanship be-
cause the type Of vessel developed by them
Is useless for anything save to get over
known course in the shortest possible
time. He suggests that yachtsmen agree
upon different type of vessel for the next
contest-one whose building and sailing will
be Of some practical value to commerce
and navigation.
Inc assertion of the correspondent is
undoubtedly correct. But his remedy
would not meet the difficulty AS long
as the conditions of the race are what
they are. the temptation will be ire
slstlble to build vessels to meet those con-
dltions. The only way In which Yacht
racing can be made not only amuse-
ment but also of practical benefit ts to
esta bl1sh conditions that will compel the
building of vessels adapted to meet wide
variety Of water and wind
me opportunity to do this Is right before
the great seafaring nations and it ia really
surprising that their adventurous yachts
men have not seen and grasped it. A
race across the Atlantic would REQUIRE the
building of yachts of such size and equip
ment, and would call for the disnlay of
such all-round skill In seamansh;p, that
the performance and results would afford
lessons of the highest value to the ship
right and the sailor
Such race should be sailed, of course
at season when reasonably fair winds
might be expected, that it might not be
prolonged to the weariness of participants
and the public. Its goals should be the es-
tablished commercial anchoraRes of the
ports Of arrival and departure, that it
might approximate as much as possible
the actual experience of those who 20
down to the sea In ships. With yachts OF
the average size OF ocean sailing vessels
such race would not be rashly dangerous
but 1t would still be perilous enough ia
appeal TO the spirit Of adventure.
seamanship cannot be said to have been
improved or to have made any new dis
coVef1es in Its art in nearly one hundred
years. Stewards feat Of backing the Con
stitution down as to bring both the
Cyane and the Levant under her guns
performed ninety years ago. still remains
the monumental achievement of battle sea
| manship. Nor can the United States navy
show any victory over tempest superior To
that Won with the Idaho in the China seas
| In 1862, nor the merchant marine of any
country feats greater than those performed
by Yankee clipper ships and their sailors OF
| h1ty and sixty years ago.
An ocean race, say from New York to
Milford Haven. or from Boston to Kiel.
without any assistance from steam tugs
save when in danger of wreck or from,
Baltimore to Brest, would be perform
ance Interesting to seafarers OF all ma
tons. and by its varied experiences would
afford lessons profitable to the arts of the
designer. builder and navigator All that
| Is required to establish such a race ia for
somebody to make a start
Let Sir Thomas Upton or some Ameri-
can yachtsman, able and willing to spend
the money. build suitable vessel and
| issue a challenge to all nations to match
her with one Of equal size and crew in a
| race across the Atlantic, for a trophy. to
be held under fair conditions Such a
| challenge would assuredly find acceptance
and then We would have a series Of races
that would not only be interesting but
profitable to all seafarers.