Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-05-02
ON HAMPTON ROADS.
Great International Regatta 70 be
Held of jamestown Exposition
Grounds.

When President Tucker of the
jamestown Exposition was in Europe,
the German emperor expressed u great
| intert st in the naval and marine fea
lures of the exposition, and suggested
| that an addition te made TO the water
program, including a monster iuterna-
tional regatta. in which representative
boat clubs Of all the world can com
pete. He said that he personally pledg-
ed the active cooperation of the Ger
man yacht clubs, and felt sure that the
associations of the racing and pleasure
boats throughout Europe would all
take am interest. The English water
sportsmen eagerly seconded This idea,
and wherever Mr.. Tucker went in Eu-
rope he found ready listeners when he
dilated upon this subject.
William Fenton Day. the editor of
The Ruddef. one Of the leading auth
critics on aquatics in this country, be-
lieves that an international regatta on
Hampton Roads and out on the Allan
tic ocean in the near vicinity, IL con-
dueted under scme set of rules reguat.
| ing the size of vessels, so that IL would
not require possible competitor to be
n millionaire. might be held in connec-
tion with the jamestown exposition,
which world be the greatest success
| Of its kind ever known,
His notion Of size was that boats in
the international competition should
be limited to forty feet in length. A
boat of this dimension could be
placed on the deck Of a merchant
vessel and brought to this country
without subjecting the craft TO the
dangers of a transatlantic voyage,
This mode of transportation would
enable foreign yachts to compete with
our American boats without the dis
advantages which the monster sloops
Of larger competitions have had to
labor under. The ninety -footers
which have challenged at various
times for the Americas cup have ne
cessitated extra bracings and strength
ening devices Besides, they have re-
quired large and trained crews TO
handle them when coming to this
country under their own sail.
In order to make this international
race truly international, each country
will be permitted to make az many
entries in the prelminaries as II de-
sires, but in the final event a nation
may be represented by only single
champion Consequently, the winner
in the final will stand as international
champion.
The class of yacht for this competi'
tion IL is proposed TO make a com
Portable. yet speedy, sailing boat, and
not a mere racing machine built for
a single event and then useless. And
it is believed by boat architects that
it is possible 20 obtain practical re
suits from these races, suggestive OF
a type of boat which will combine the
exciting qualities Of a racer with the
comfort of a pleasure boat
Recently, az the Sportsmen's show
In New York, where motor boats
formed one Of the principal features
il was determined that the Ameriear
Motor Boat association should hold
ia annual regatta in 1907, at tbs
jamestown exposition. And as still
further evidence Of the desire Of the
association 70 make the regatta 3
memorable one, the American dele
gate 20 the international convention
Of motor boat associations, which
will be held in Paris in December OF
tho current year, was instructed Il
use his best efforts to bring the inter
national regatta 20 Hampton Roads
, also.
I With the best samples Of naval ar
chitecturc lying at anchor in the bar
Dor of Hampton Roads during 1907
With the giant merchantmen which
will serve as exhibits or be used a.
coating hotels, with every variety OF
water craft plying tho harbor, and
superadded 10 thee, contests between
yachts OF all descriptions, the James
town exposition will rank as the mos
, finished eombiner Of aquatic display
In the history Of the world.