The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-06-26
SIR THOMAS
COMES AGAIN
Daunt1ess BritiSher VIII Make
an Ambitious Effort for
Coveted Trophy
WILL HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF )

And the most beautiful form of
vessel is a yacht.
Nothing can take away the charm
OF sailing. 1t is born in u.s. The
winds invite it. The movement it,
self is distinctive and most de-
lightful. There is nothing more
prosaic than sitting on steam craft
and knowing that you are moving by
machinery.
Y Even the vast engines of war, the
cruisers and the battleships, are dis.
tressingly like commonplace factories
afloat. They run as regularly as
cars and their life is as humdrum as
that of hotel.
But in sailing we have daring ad-
venture, skill and chance and the feel
ing OF love and of sport between the
sailor and the boat which no mere
hulk OF machinery can ever supply.
Thus it happens that the, interna-
tional yacht race means interest and
thrill in every part of the country.
Because man lives in the interior,
far from the seacoast, is no reason
why he should not be as much con-
cerned in it as his compatriot who is
never mile from salt water.
Indeed, it is curious fact that the
most ardent lovers of the sea are
those from inland places.
But independent of this universal
tendency the contest itself has enough
historic Importance to enlist the at
tention of every good American,
1t was tifty-two years ago. The
first great worlds fair in history was
going on in London. All the yacht
ing worthy of the name was English.
Only two American yachts had ever
crossed the ocean. The British sim.
ply ridiculed the idea of possible com.
petition.
But on August %, 1851, the fatefu1
moment came.
Eighteen vessels, representing the
swiftest sailing craft of the British
! Isles, were there. A schooner-yacht
America, had come across the ocean
They laughed at her. 1t was another
case of Yankee presumption. So lit
tie did they respect her that the in.
vitation for her entrance into the com.
petition had been delayed until com.
mon politeness forced it. And, Of
course, they thought she would end
in mortified lonesomeness.
In one respect, at least, their expec.
tations were realized. She did end
very lonesomely, but she left the NOR
LITIGATION to be divided up among the
Is competitors, who were so far be-
hind that at one time not a single one
of the whole squadron was in sight OF
the American vessel.
After this, Commodore Stevens, who
commanded her. rubbed the mortified.
tion in a bit by offering to race any.
thing the British people had to Offer
for any sum up to 10000 guineas, and
as an answer to the general derision
that passed around the British Isles
one boat did attempt conclusions with
the America, only to be defeated with
great ease and much thoroughnesS
There have been twelve interna
tional races. From 1851 to 1870 none
occurred, but in 1870 the British tried
to lift the cup. In the II contests
the Americans have invariably won
: In two they had a walk-over. One
race was won on foul. The only
single race won by the English in al
i. the sailing was on October 10, 1871
: when the English Livonia was ahead
but the American boats took all thu
other four races of the series.
In many respects the last race wa,
the closest, and this fact gives zes
) to the events of the present summer
Undoubtedly Sir Thomas Liptor
himself adds to the interest of thu
: occasion. He is a self-made man
: and his millions are good monumen
I to the value of advertising. He ha
} built himself on newspaper publicit,
, until his name is as well known a
f that Of royalty itself and until TIN
! King is among his friends and guests
2 He represents opportunity. Thos'
9 people who think that he is throwing
t away a fortune in competing for tn,
f cup make great mistake. All tina
/ he has spent for it is worth premium
t of a hundred per cent. in advertising
9 Sir Thomas Upton has fully real
f lied the value of the thing.
+ What, may be asked, is tn
material return to this country
Why should millions be spent for
E race of sailboats in an age of steam
e The answer is easy. Before we he
; gan to get really interested in zach
: racing, we did not have navy worth,
: of the name. There was no senti
ment for it, and as long as the senti
ment did not exist Congress had nj
] desire to pour out the millions.
! But gradually the change has come
: and to-day such men as Captain Ma
han and other leyel-headed observer
, and historians will tell you that TIN
! development of our navy and the new
stimulus in Americas shipping arr
! very closely connected with the con
, tests that take place between Thu
! yachts Of Great Britain and the Unit
ed States
! So it has come to pass that the sill
yer cup for which Reliance and Sham
rock III, will make the 18th interna
! tional contest is the most famous an(
the most important trophy amid al
! the things that can be won in Thu
! world.
! Other. competitions we have il
, abundance. Our athletes have me
with the English athletes, our sport
have had their international trials
and all Of these have shown climatic