The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1903-03-13
pardon. is that your shopping bag under
the chair?''
"Oh, thank you! It has everything in
1t, and l never should have thought Of It
until I got home!"

H., VIZ L lever SllOulu lave InO0CNt CT "
until I got home!"
COMING CUP CONTEST.
Particular Interest in This Years Series
of Yacht Races-Preparations
in. Progress.
There are certain facts connected with
the 1903 series of contests for the Amer
lea cup that will render the coming sea-
Son particularly interesting. Hitherto it
has been so much a matter of settled con-
viction with the majority OF the Amer;-
can people that the defending yacht can
not be beaten, that the existence, as in
the present case. Of any conditions favor
able to the English boat. are welcomed
as rendering the contest a closer one md.
therefore, Introducing that element of I'M
certainty as to the result which is the very
soul OF all true sport. Gradually the com
petlng. yachts have been drawing closer
together in speed; and the increase has
English than mi in The IAN Xme aisan y: Yacht int
This is shown by the fact that in 1901
Herreshof failed to produce in Constitu-
ton q faster yacht than the rwo-year-old
Columbia; whereas Shamrock II. pushed
the American boat so closely at: times
that the more the observer knew about
yachting, the more doubtful did he feel
water Herreshoff is engaged in a second
attempt to improve upon Columbia, and
whether he will do so or not, is Just
as much a. matter j of uncertainty
as was the ultimate victory Of
Constitution. There is a popular fumor
abroad, which is shared, by the way. by
many y~achtsmen,. that the latter boat has
never shown her best speed. Why, we
could never understand. She was in
charge of one of our most skilled anna
teur yachtsmen, who had Won golden
opinions in the previous series of con-
tests by the way in which he handled
Defender against Columbia. And as to
all American seamen.. selected in ohedi-
ence to the popular wish that the Ameri-
can-built yacht should have an American
born crew from skipper to cook? Hence,
if Constitution failed Of selection to de-
fend the cup, the fault must surely have
been more in herself than in those who
had charge of her. However, this is a
moot question that will lend special zest
to the trial races of the season, quite
apart: from the fact that the new cutter
! now. in course of construction will come
to the line prepared to show that what
Constitution can do to Columbia she in
turn. can do to Constitution. But what
her brand-new suit of CANVAS. should
steal home. once more a winner. with
the few necessary seconds to spare!
Sonmuch for this side of the water.
/ In: England, we only know that another
, costly cutter is being built, this time from
designs by Fife, the designer Of Sham
rock l. 1t is stated, probably with truth,
that Watson, who designed Shamrock
H., has elaborated with Fife to the ex-
tent of giving him the benefit Of his ex-
perience. The third Shamrock is being
built in the same yard as her predeces-
sor' ;and although there have been ru-
mors of radical changes in material ana
model, We shall be greatly surprised if
the new challenger turns out to vary in
any but a"few minor details of form,
construction and sail plan, from the boat
of 1901. There is zone fact, however,
that should put the challenging boat in a
livery much better. position for a cup con-
test than, any before her, and this is that
shells so: far advanced that probably she
Will be launched some. time in March,
F andt therefore ahead rof the American
kyacht. This has never happened before,
and it means that the English boat, if she
is ;'p!roperly managed and handled, will
receive avery thorough tuning up before
The contests eof August: The pres.
the Clyde in actual races sailed
for prizes against Shamrock l, a vessel Of
pretty.well known*speed. and capabilities.
Sne IS then to be sent lover here and
tested outside Sandy Hook against
Shamrock IL, whose speed will give,
BY way Of Columbia, an excellent line
on the respectiyelmerits Of the challeng-
ing and defending yachts. Except for
purposes OF exhibition. it would seem to
De a*mlstake. however. to try OUT the new
boat in British waters. It would be
better as soon f'as .bhe is launched to
SNIP her spars, sails, etc, to this side,
BRING the 1boat.over,' rig her, anchor her
inside Sandy Hook and try her every day
in every kind, Of weather over the New
York Yacht Clubs course. a single
days sailing under cup conditions out
side b Hook: is worth a whole weeks
drifting on the Clyde or. in the Solent.
The year 1903 gives promise Of being the
most notable yachting season since the
memorable time when Colonia. vigi-
liant, Jubilee and Pilgrim. were launched
for b purpose Of cup .defense.-Scien-
tifc American.