The Alaska citizen., 1912-11-18
By DUNCAN CURRY.

NEW bIsk. Oct C So far as any disintcrcsted yaohtsmau knows. there Is moi the slightest reason why the New York Yacht club should not change its rules and give Sir Thom- as Lipton another chance to Hft the cup. unless il he that the pow CTS in the club do not wish to race for the cup. or for some reason known only to themselves, object to the challenger.
 It is now nine years since the last race was sailed. and oNiuG to the objections which foreign yachts men make 10 the present rules it is doubtful if another race will he sailed until they are altered.
 These rules could be altered un. der the so-calIed mutual agreement clause" fl the New York Yacht club was willing. but il insists that foreign challeneers must race under the old rules or not at all.
 Under the original rules for in stance. the challengers had to race against a fleet of boats. Also il vas required that all of yachts dimensions should be given ten months in advance ot race. All this has been done away with. Other changes in the interest of sport and fair play could be made if the New York Yacht club Was willing
 PRESENT CUP RULES UNFAIR.
 The present cup rules are briefly length plus the square root of the sail area. divided by two" This en ables Hcrreshof or any other de. sisner who has the genius or skill to build a boat like the Reliance. which measures 9p feet on the water line at anchor. but which when heeled in a breeze increases her Wa ter line length to 125 or l&o feet IL is on this extra Ion@th. which she does not show under the rules that enables her to carry l6nopo square lttl or tdlINd dS.
 Sir Thomas Lipton Hho has raced for the cup three times, would like To challenge again. but says un- der no circumstances will he race for the cup under the old rules He is eager to race under what is known as the universal rule" Thr universal rule is "1S per cent of the product of length, multiplied by the square root of the sail area. divided by the cube root of the dis placement This means that a prem um is put on displacement and a penalty is put on overall length and draft
 This rule has been in use in this country for fire years in all home waters and has developed such good boats as the Elena, Queen En- chantress, Ayenger. Schimm and several others. all fine seaworthy boats and very fast.
 Since the New York Yacht club has held the cup the rule of meas urement has been changed no less than five times. Each time the new rule has been made to apply to the America cup races thereafter. When Lord Dunraven asked the club to make the measurement rule the mean of the English and Amel- ican rules then in force the question was referred to George l.. Schuyler. last surviving donor of the America Cup. He put the responsibility solely up to the New York Yacht club by writing that the rules ot the club holding the cup must gov ern the race.
 TROPHY NOT AN ORNAMENT.
 The cup was presented to be raced for. not to be kept in a glass case. Is it not poor policy to take the dog in the manager attitude of i'm posing rules which prevent it's be ing raced for? Should not Americans feel confident enough to meet q chal lenger on any fair terms and most certainly on terms the New York