Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30
C0ME0N, THOMAS,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
State the Exact Length Of
Your Challenger and We Will
Get Busy Putting De-
fender Together. !

NEW YORK. August 24-one little sem
tence laid down as a condition in chal-
lenge and acceptance in the deed of gift OF
the Americas cup To the New York Yacht
Club is all that stands in the way OF
a race next summer for the famous Old
cup. but the acceptance of this condition
seems TO be causing Sir Thomas Upton
great uneasiness And yet to get a race
all that Sir Thomas las TO do is TO state
what will be- the length on the load
water line of his boat.
There is SO much to Ice learned in read
ing the deed of gift. printed i'm the year
book of the New York Yacht Club, which
Is I'm Itself such plainly written docu-
ment. that one wonders how so much
nautical jargon has ever found its way
into print In discussing the recent chal-
lenge of Sir Thomas. Here, for example.
is the express stipulation that single
masted boats must be between To and 10
feet load water line. and schoonerS from
so to 10 feet. This would enable Sir
Thomas 10 challenge with boat the very
counterpart of the 23-meter rater (equiva-
lent to our I5-footers) Shamrock. which
has made the unprecedented record OF
twentyfour out of twenty-seven races
sailed on the other side this year.
Might Demand Forfeit.
According TO the best information. the
challenge from Sir Thomas last fall was
for a race with class j boat OF about
6S feet water line. And here is point
which seems TO have been completely
overlooked in that IL Sir Thomas had
definitely stated the length on the load
water line of his boat he could have de-
manded and secured either "A race or "A
forfeiture of the cup.
The deed of gift expressly states that
having duly ISSUED a challenge and gwen
his load water length. if the parties can
not mutually agree upon the terms OF the
match. then the series of races must be
sailed, and without any time allowance
whatever, this latter beng d very lmpoi-
tant clause i'll the deed.
Acceptance of a challenge indefinitely
fixing the water line at about slXty-elSht
feet would place the designer of a defend
ing yacht at a serious disadvantage Tor
the. reason that the designer of the chal-
lenger might juggle the length. sail area
and displacement so as To get the best
speed results and without any regard
for the load water line length. Coming
over with a boat of good length for the
class and capable of carrying an immense
spread of canvas the Americans might
be able TO fairly meet such craft IN
competition. Then. under the rules of the
deed of gift. the challenging owner could
demand a race or the cup. A mere class
rating gives no line on the load water line
length.
Smaller Boats Cost Less.
There would be no serious objection for
a race of yachts under seventy feet. for
the cost of building would be less than
half that for a ninety-footer like the Re-
lance and her cost and expenses were
fully $2JO.COO In years like the present
the smaller sum would be more easily
raised. In 1901 all the money necessary
to build boat was raised in one night.
and the order to build was wired TO
Herreshoff.
If Sir Thomas is really DESTROYS OF
race there is only one course for him to
follow. This has been plainly outlined
as above There are absolutely no re-
strictions as to the model. sail area or
displacement other than stated, and he
has until December ] to issue his chal-
lenge. Ten months notice is required
and no races can be sailed between Mo-
vember / and May l. the time being gen.
orally figured from December L.
The New York Yacht Club, unlike any
similar organization. Was Incorporated
under a special charter. Others. like the
Larchmont. Atlantic. Brooklyn and New
Rochelle. have a board OF trustees that
has practical control of all racing matters.
In the New York Yacht Club all yacht
owners are entitled to a vote. and the
matter of getting 1000 men together I'D
vote on a question-which in this case Is
largely hypothetical-is serious matter.
Sir Thomas has no occasion at this time
to ask that the club should vote on
whether his challenge would be accepted.
If he sends over def couched in proper
terms IL must be accepted. for otherwise
he could bring over dis boat and lift the
cup anyway should there be no boat Id
meet him.