Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-11-30
Upton FINDS
COAST WATERS
YACHTING IDEAL
By ERNEST N. SMITH

Il
distinguished visitors. com" 10 the
Coast on business COnneCtrG with The
Exposition. 1t has gotten 50 that the
citys leading men have to be assign
ed to take turns meeting the rank OF
other cities and countries. but there
has never yet been visitor who Gre
ated such a genuine stir of enthuSi
&sm and all-arOund excitement as Sir
Thomas Upton, who has been enjoy
Ing the hospitality Of the city 10 such
an extent that no man, however. we'll
trained. can keep up with him. Sir
Thomas, sailing master and best
sportsman in the world, millionaire
businessman and all around good fell
low has won the heart Of San Fran.
ciscans.
He came out to the Coast in res
ponse TO an invitation from the EX-
position officials to confer with them
as to the ACCESSIBILITY Of Holding in
ternatiOnal yacht races in 1915. That
they will be held is almost fOregOne
I conclusion. Sir Thomas says they
| will be-and he above all other men
! ought TO know.
/ He hadn't been here two days, and
of conditions before he told the
yachtsmen of the bay cities who were
! banqueting him this important piece
4 of news. Il have made up my mind
to bring a Shamrock here | will
bring a % meter cutter to race at
your great Exposition regatta in 1915.
and | will hoist my fighting flag and
| challenge all the world to a race for
! the championship OF the sea. May
! the best boat win. No one will be
more enthusiastic than myself IN
| cheering the winner of the blue rio
| bon of the sea if | am not the win
! ner."
AS | heard that announcement that
! brought every diner to his feet cheer.
ing ! couldn't help wondering whe-
Their there was a millionaire in the
Hawaiian islands who was a big
enough sportsman to answer the Chal-
lenge Sir Thomas threw out, and give
the Islands a great burst OF publicity.
and draw attention to the fact that
the waters about the Islands were a
veritable paradise for the yachtsman.
But no answer Came-from Homo
lulu-but it is not too late yet.
The very next day at luncheon a
challenge was read from Thos. l..
Miller of San Francisco, who stated
that he would form a company to
build a worthy rival of the Sham
rock and race under the international
rules, with a, crew of San Francis
cans.
Where, oh where is that Honolulu
boat?
Sir Thomas was given the surprise
of his life-he confessed it-at the
quickness with which his challenge
was answered. He said that he did
not expect to hear anything for sew,
eral months, but he liked the spirit
of the challenge flung back.
1t wasn't AL beer and skittles. or
perhaps | should say tea and tea for
Upton, but he got right down to
business with the Exposition officials !
and the yachtsmen, and underneath !
his banter and light-heartedHess and |
charm and easy going manner, was |
the determination to do things. which |
raised him from a poor devil Of an |
cTrand boy, TO 4 merchant prince and |
world famous sportsman.
Just as soon as LiptOn's visit to |
San Francisco was assured word was |
sent out of a meeting of representa- |
tives Of yacht clubs all over the cOun- |
try. Most of the big Pacific Coast |
yacht clubs were represented at the |
meeting, and a great many Eastern |
clubs expressed their interest and en- !
thusiasm Via the telegraph. Scarce |
~ had the meeting come to order. |
when Upton announced that he would |
hn
sitiOn. and he also made this an
nCuncement.
Il will give trophy-a valuable |
trOphy--tO the San Francisco Yacht |
Club. to be held originally by the city, !
competed for by all the word every
year, and to be defended by boats
built in San Francisco. | will also
give a valuable trophy for sailors in
ereasy-pOle competition. 1t takes !
a good man to get to the top. and it {
is worth something valuable" /
| wasn't at that meeting, but | |
heard the news and nv mind again
flew back to Honolulu. What worlds
advertisement if that cup of Lipton's !
were carried back to Honolulu some .
year, preferably in 1915, on an Ha-
waiian yacht which could lead a feet !
of ocean going yachts in one of the
greatest small boat cruises evet TAX ,
en-
What a pleasure to let the imagina-
ton play with shch an idea. 1t is too !.
bad that Upton couldn't visit Homo !
lulu and see what an ideal yachting
world he has missed,
The newt best things would be fox 4,
Honolulu yacht to win the bino rib
bon Of the Western seas. and put tn"
islands before the world as Il sport
Ing paradise.
Since the above WAS written II San
Francisco. SpOrtsmoH OF the islands
have launched the movement TO en-:
ter yacht in the big Exposition re-
2Htta.