The Washington herald., 1907-09-17

lacnt CluD on Dendu or Or AhOi4as
Upton, is a simple one, and is not hedged
about by all sorts Of conditions. which
might make it hard for the New York
Yacht Club TO accept
It simply asks for a series OF races
under terms similar 10 those in which Sir
Thomas has already participated; asks
that the yachts be measured according
to the rule Of the New York Club. and
names a yacht, the Shamrock ~, in the
sixty-eight-foot rating class, or about sew
enty-seven feet on the water line. as the
challenger.
This is stated on the authority OF some
yachtsmen, who are in the confidence Of
Sir Thomas Upton, and who are now in
this city. They understand that the chal-
Ienge itself is a short and simple docu-
ment. and they deny the stories that so
many changes in the conditions Of former
races are asked for that there may be
trouble in having the club accept it
The Boyal Irish Yacht Club has named
the rules under which the races are 10 be
sailed and which are 20 govern the mod
els Of the yachts as those adopted by the
New York Yacht Club three years ago,
and which have been tried and proved TO
be good
That club thinks that the New York
Yacht Club will accept. and believes that
all precedents show that It must accept.
EverE race that has been called for the
cup since It was a challenge trophy has
been governed by the rules OF the New
York Yacht Club. First the old tonnage
rule was in force; later. there was a rule
which multiplied length by square foot
Of sail area and divided the result by
three.
This rule was changed later and the
div.sor was made two, and under each
Of these rules there have been races for
the cup. Now the club has another rule
and few yachtsmen can understand why
it should not apply TO cup races as well
as to club regattas.
The Deed OF Gift.
When Lord Dunraven was trying 70 ar
range a race some years ago the club
was asked if il would agree that the
yachts be measured under the rules OF
the New York Yacht Club and the Royal
Yacht squadron, and the mean OF the
two ratings be used in calculating time
allowance. This was referred 10 George
L. Schuyler. the then surviving donor,
and he ruled that the deed Of gift ex-
pressly stipulated that the cup must be
raced for under the rules Of the club
holding the trophy
Il was thought that Sir Thomas was 20
build two yachts. one by designs by VII
liam Fife and another designed by Mylne
He did at one time have plans Of doing
this. but the success Of the White Heather
II, The crack Fife boat of this year.
caused him 10 stick to Fife alone. and so
there viii be only one challenger. which
Will necessarily be an improved White
Heather. and that yacht is very nearly
the size Of the proposed challenger.
A yacht for the 6S-f00t class viii be
similar in size u the Effort. The Effort
rates so, SO that the challenger can be
much larger than that yacht and still be
IN the class, and it is understood that
Fife has elected 10 go 20 the top Of the
class and build a yacht IS feet or, per-
/ haps, a little more on the water line This
means a big boat under the rule. and one
with a moderate sail area. say about 65G1
square feet of canvas Such a boat will
cost about $4,000 10 build and rig This
is an extreme price 10 quote. and will give
those who wish TO have an elaborately
constructed boat plenty of leeway, and it
viii cost about $500 more TO run for
the season, unless many suits of sails are
used. in any event, SG0,0oo viii build and
run one Of these cup yachts. if the chal-
lenge is accepted.
Yachtsinen Favorable.
The racing yachtsmen in the New York
Yacht Club are heartily in favor Of the
challenge being accepted. Such men as
H. F. Lippitt, owner Of the Winsome; G.
n Pinchon, owner Of the IstaIena; ].
Rogers Maxwell, owner Of the Queen;
Robert w. Emmons, owner of the Aven-
ger; E. W. Clark. owner of the Irolita; J.
A. Blair, jr., owner of the Nicola: A. G.
Hanan, and many others think that a 6S-
footer is plenty large enough TO race, and
that as the rule calls for a wholesome
type Of yacht, many would be built 10 de-
fend the cup. They do not agree with the
argument made by some of the members
that the cup stands for speed on a given
water-line length only. and argue that
even if it did the yachts build under the
new rule are fast, and point out that the
Queen, a boat built under the rule. and
one about the limit allowed for a cur
race, made the fastest time ever made
over the cup race course.
Faster Than Reliance.
She sailed the thirty-mile triangle of
Sandy Hook faster than the Reliance
ever sailed it, and if she were sailing
against the Reliance, under either rule
she would have received so much time
allowance that she would have won under
almost any condition.
The challenge viii. in all probability. be
submitted to the club at the meeting OF
October 3. It may be acted on at that
meeting. and the owners Of racing Graf;
hope that it will. If. however. it is re-
ferred to a committee. these members
think that the racing men should be ir
the majority on that committee.
Such men as those already mentioned
and a few others, one yachtsman said
yesterday, would make an ideal COMMIT
tee to handle the racing business
There viii be at least six 6S-footers
built, and all designers Of prominence viii
Continued on page 3, column 4.