The Washington times., 1903-08-17
YACHTS SIDE BY SIDE
IN ERIE BASIN DOCK
To Be Measured Tomorrow
and Allowance Decided.
RELlANCE'S HULL SCRAPED
Great Preparations Are Being Made to
Accommodate the Thousands Who
Will Watch the Contest.
RELlANCE'S HULL ScRAPED

| NEW YORK, Aug. 17.-Oficial meas
urements OF the Reliance and Shamrock
III will be taken tomorrow afternoon in
stead of Wednesday morning as was first
announced. The task of measuring the
two racers will require about three
hours. Not until these official figures
are taken will it be known which of the
two boats must give the other time al
lowance, and how much time
After the measurements are taken to-
morrow afternoon the two majestic
ninety footers viii don their hutterins
skirts OF white for the international cup
races, which will begin Thursday. Both
boats will probably take 4 spin down the
bay 10 try their racing gear as soon as
their measurements are taken. They
are now propped up in dry dock side by
side at Erie Basin, and were visited yes
terday by thousands OF spectators. Ii is
not improbable that the two contestants
for the Americas Cup will have an in
formal brush in the bay when they go
out TO try their racing sails and tune
up for the big races.
Dates for Races.
According TO Sir Thomas Upton S
challenge. which was accepted by the
New York Yacht Club, the dates for the
races as follows:
First race-Thursday. August 20.
Second race-Saturday, August %.
Third race-Tuesday. August 25
Further races III any to be sailed on
each following Thursday. Saturday. and
Tuesday until finished.
There is great activity among the
New York Yacht Club members and in
yachting circles generally in the prep
aration now making to witness the in
ternational cup races off Sandy Hook
r Nearly every available craft has al
ready been engaged for pleasure parties
and spectators down the bay on the
days fixed for the races, and excursions
by the score will be run. Thousand;
are fooking TO the metropolis from al
parts OF America to witness the races
Every leading yacht club in the Eas
has arranged for its members and theil
guests to see the contest between the
, two fastest yachts that eE er lined up a
the call of signal gun.
Celebrities Here
I Steamers from Europe are bringing
= many enthusiasts from the other side
n and there Will be more dignitaries In
= attendance upon the races this year
than ever before when 4 challenger
/ sought 10 take the Americas Cup from
= these shores. The undercurrent of ad-
D mission that Sir Thomas Upton ha.
. brought the fastest boat he ever had
. built IN his hunt for the cup this year
= and the acknowledged fact that HERE
q shoff's latest wonder is the fastest boa
ever sent out to defend the cup, are the
main forces that are creating extraor-
: binary interest in the races.
Sir Thomas. with indescribable earn
p estness, declal es that he has in Sham
a rock III a boat that will take the
j Americas Cup to England.
. c. Oliver Iselin, managing owner o.
2 Reliance asserts with enthusiasm sell
: dom manifested by this reticent zach
o racer that he has the most maryelou.
b yacht ever built in American waters
6 and that there is no chance IN the work
n for the cup 10 be lost with Reliance il
!. the race.
c Captains Confident.
4 Captain Wringe. of the Shamrock. il
$ as confident OF victory as wise one car
:. be. while Captain Barr, of the Reliance