The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-21
DEFENCE OF THE SPARROW.
MeaSurer OF RlVertOn \. 4. Denies That
Rasi NInfnr mat "a n Rnle Cheater.

Fast Motor Boat Is a Rule Cheater.
That the measurement rules OF the Ameri-
can Power Boat Association need some re-
Vision seems to have been shown by the
trouble that was caused by the contests this
year for the ass0ciation's challenge cup. This
trophy was raced for on the st. Lawrence
and the Chip ii. finished first. with the Spar
row second. The Chip ii. was protested
because her motor had an extra attachment
which was not taken into consideration When
the boat was measured. The re-
Ierred the matter TO the association but aiter
the association had decided that the Chip H.
was all right the committee went over the
ruling power and disqualified that boat
This disqualification has been overruied Dy
the executive committee OF the assoclatioh.
In the meantime the Sparrow baS tSat
she, too. Is a rule cheater. JOhn n. Reese.
the measurer of the Riverton club. has taken
10 Boa IN .Sc S@S hss answered them. This letter
In view Of the general feeling WHICH seems
70 be prevalent with the public and seVersi
yelled illusions in different parts that the
Riyerton Y. c. entered a freak and a RUE
cheater' in the recent goLu cnn,enS \ hIinGitv vnu
can give 10 the following; ,,.d
sparrow, our challenger. has been called
such a freak and rule cheater, nave Sc
cured from her designers and builders Lne
enclosed general drawings. which VIII, j pc.
lleye. shoT you 9i hsT TecG Ii,dls e3 bost hI and not
a freak She in 30 feet u inches by Z feet .
inches. and weighs nearly 5000 pounds; ms
does not Indicate freakishness. She has run
nearly 1000 miles since being launched on
August ?. and 4G0 miles of this distance mas
been run in races IN all kinds OF weather' Al
without mishap: this does not sound Ike the
performances of many well known racers,
which are Called freaks. She VIII seat SIX
people comfortably. and handles easily IN =
often possessed by any boat oil her ulnien-
sions u,z.
was, az always, open to the public and any
one could see the boat from the iaElnS OF htI
keel TO her launching. sparrow lsit haveILon
under her own power. upon ARRIVING tneIe
she was hauled out for cleaning and painting,
No attempt was made at secrecy ana many
of those Interested came to see her. When she
was measured the Chippewa, ! G.. orlclais
we're given the WOODEN mldsnip Demp'aUe
To assure himself OF its accuracy aIter
fitting 1t TO the hull one OF the race committee
Owed overheard TO investigate. but found the
At perfect. Sparrow's rating under Their
measurement was a fraction lower than that
l handed in, sparrow was open to Inspection
at any time when she was not actually racing.
| Her engine is a standard article on the open
l. market, does not deafen the occupants OF the
boat and all those near by, The tuel con-
SUMPTION is particularly low. sparrow was
awarded nearly a perfect score on mat polht
in the reliability trials on the hudsoh WINCH
she won, scoring 500 points out OF a posslDie
3i5J. | do not believe a freak boat is capable
OF this record.
In contrast, emp ii. was a secret uutl auu
even during the races; In fact, but niue Is
known of her to-day. About ten minutes
before the starting gun on race Gays she
would appear at the line some quarter OF a
mile of shore. Immediately after the race
she would vanish behind the closed doors Of a
boathouse. She has seating capacity Tor Two
people. Her engine, owing TO the scaNenglng
/ property Of the third cylinder. should De
wasteful Of fuel and from what | have read
and heard the noise of her exhaust must ne
terrific. From the very violence OF this morse
and the owners failure to use one. IL would
appear that a mufiler would considerably I'M
pair the efficiency OF an engine oil TINS type
and dimensions.
| the A. I. b. A., that Chip ii + engine develops
power In excess of the horsepower rating
1873 given her by, the ChiRpews I. Z.
measurer. Any one who has followed power
boat racing at all can readily see that It would
require in the neighborhood OF ~ horse
power to drive a hull Of Chip IL. Is dimensions
at the speed she made In the second day s
race, namely 2O.6s miles an hour tenglne
running about 700 revolutions per minute. ac-
cording to BUILDER.
Assume for the sake Of argument that she
had been rated with 80 horsepower In the
first place by the Chippewa Y. { meaSurer,
who officially admitted that, he did not know
how to rate the engine, and furthermore loI
had a midship section OF 20 square feec tttf
same as Tornado, one OF the other contest
ants for the cup, a boat somewhat hghtei
than Sparrow and of the same length. thus
increasing her rating. These wo assulnp
tions make sparrow win by 10 minutes and 81
seconds the first day and o minutes ana OIL
seconds the second day and get second plac'
The third day. thus winning the series.
The RivPrton Y. C.. believes that the A.. y
b. A. does not intend to have its challenge
cup won through technicalties: Inc %rtei
above the public must believe with MIN
that Sparrow il not a freak, and, as the race
committee has decided, that she fairly woI