The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-08-18

10 AAA0 ySMA y AAANS
refer to this important point and at
the same time to place the public in
possession Of a few facts that will give
them a good idea of the amounts OF
money that are expended In trying to
capture the old yachting trophy IN
| in the efforts made by the New York
Yacht club to defend 1t.
The planning and building Of a cup
challenger or defender involve much
time and labor and necessarily the out
\ lay Of large sums Of money. The de-
signer and his corps of assistants are
the first that must be met. Mr.. Fife,
for the challenging parties, and Cap
tain Nat Herreshoff, for the defend
ants, for instance, are men who place
a high value upon their services, and,
as the owners of the yachts are liberal
to a marked degree, opening negotia-
lions with q view to the building of q
cup yacht means a fee that in some
other profession would be looked upon
as staggering in it's proportions.
With the designer at work the build
.ers in time are consulted, and with ar
engagements satisfactory In this wise
materials must be considered, then the
! ripgers kept in mind, as well as the
sail makers, while finally the skip
! pers and crew are secured. Money is
required by all these, and much OF 1t.
Even after a vessel Is completed ana
placed in commission alterations n
repairs are required frequently at
times, while docking the craft for
cleaning and smoothing purposes
means large additional sums.
The rather startling statement was
made by Sir Thomas Upton four years
ago that the mere cost Of the Sham
rock |. was between 100000 and $780,
600. while me expense Of bringing the
vessel across the ocean and that of her
officers and crew were extra. That
seems 4 big lot to pay for the vessel,
h,t sir Thomas should be the best
dlltaority on the subject Of the cost of
Z TIE yacht.
If he expended a sum approaching
half a million dollars four years ago
/ for his challenging yacht the money
the present trip is costing him must be
far in excess of the figures named. The
Upton aeet now here is proof of that.
1t is easy to believe that the Shamrock
III. cost quite as much to build as the
Shamrock L., and it is quite sure the
bringing over Of three crews, those of
the Shamrocks and of the tender
Cruizer. must stand hin in a bigger
amount than the single crew of four
years ago and the additional assistance
he obtained in the United States.
So, if $55O.OO0 or more represented
the challenger's outlay the first attempt
he made upon the Americas cup, 1t
can safely be estimated that something
in the neighborhood of 100000 will be
required to foot the bills at home and
here incidental to- his third trial to
win the old trophy.
With the amount that it costs the de-
Tending side, however, the interest Is
more widespread. BY the time the
yachts are called to sail the first race
for the cup the Reliance, selected to
defend it, will have cost, m way and
another, $435, 900 or more. That is a
staggering amount to contemplate, but
when everything is cleared up at the
end of the season it may be $450,OOO.
In addition to this sum-, there must
be considered that in placing in com
mission the Constitution her running
expenses reached from $65 900 to $780,
900, while the Columbia has cost Mr. j.
Pierpont Morgan $4,000 or possibly
$55 5000. These figures will therefore
show that the defense of the cup this
year will approach the very respectable
amount of $4,000 or $6OO,OOO
The building and rigging of the Re-
lance cost a fortune. The yachts con-
struction required the best Of work
men, while all the standing and run
ming rigging was expressly made, and
her any occupied the attention Of q
large body Of sail makers for months,
The Reliance has possibly a hundred
represent the cost of a suit. In this
particular the Constitution and the Co.
lumbia have not been so expensive.
The tenders Park City and Satellite
are said to have been purchased by
MI. E. D. Morgan and Mr.. August Bel
mont respectively, but they are valu-
able assets and need not be seriously
considered in this financial summary.
The tender Sunbeam is chartered, and
there can be no return from her, but
Sir Thomas tender Cruizer will be
valuable after the match.
With a Crew OF about ffty-ive on the
Reliance and a crew on the tender Sun
beam there are many men to be looked
after daily. The yachts sailors are
paid big wages-$35 a month or more
and there is a scale of prize money or.
ranged by Mr.. Iselin SO liberal that q
Reliance man, II he is saving, will end
y season with q tidy amount to his
/ s2Iit.