New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-16
Agrees to Accept Victory
Only After Persuasion;
Says Race of Yesterday
Unfair to Both Boats
Similar Accident
Occurred in 1899
Resolute To Be Repaired
i'm Time for I'd Contest
Tomorrow Afternoon

Yesterdays international yacht race
victory will 60 officially to Shamrock's
credit. 1t was said last night that
even though Sir Thomas Upton showed
sportsmanlike disposition to have the
contest sailed over again the America
Cup Committee would not permit it.
1t was pointed out that when the
first Shamrock was competing against
Columbia on October IT, 1899, and was
forced to withdraw as a result of a
broken topmast the victory was award
ed to the American boat. Following
this precedent the cup committee will
award yesterdays victory to Sham
rock ".
The work of refitting a new gaff on
the defender was begun last night as
soon as she had been towed to her
anchorage in Sandy Hook Bay and the
Race Committee of the New York
Yacht Club announced that Saturday s
triangular contest of thirty miles would
be held as scheduled.
Resolute was towed into Sandy Hook
Bay long after shutdown and when she
was safely anchored an explanation of
her accident was given out by Charles
Francis Adams I'd, her amateur skipper.
Adams Explains Mishap
"The trouble was caused" said Mr.
Adams, when the throat halyard
Parted at the winch. This caused the
gaff to collapse. An investigation con-
WINGED us that the break could not be
repaired and we were forced to with
draw at a time when we believed we
mad the race won. The damage will
be repaired tomorrow and we shall
be ready to race again Saturday."
The winch referred to by the Reso-
lute's skipper is below decks and is
used to hoist the mainsail. Practically
all the halyards on both sloops are
handled in this way in order to keep
the decks clear.
appointed at the result of the race.
On board the steam yacht Victoria he
said:
Il want to win fair and square. It's
no pleasure to me to win on a fluke.
l am exceedingly sorry at what hap
pened to-day and l would prefer not
to call it race"
Not Fair Race He Says
For fully two hours the famous baro-
net persisted in his decision to refuse
the victory that Fate in dramatic
moment had presented to him for the
first time in more than two decades
He insisted that it was not fair race
and that the defending yacht should
be give another chance.
1t was only after the repeated argu-
ments of his American guests aboard
that he retreated from the position he
had assumed, and then finally decided
that he would be governed by the de-
cision Of the race committee.
AS his green hulled yacht was cross
ing the winning line Sir Thomas said
"Resolute did exceedingly we'll to-
day, but on account of the fuky
| nature of the weather any boat might
have won Resolute was making better
way up to the time of the accident.
To-day was very unfortunate with
it's storms, sunshine and then heavy
rains. | want to assure you again that
am very sorry, very sorry indeed, at
what happened, and | hope the Reso-
lut t, Will be ready again by Saturday.
"Personally, it never appeals to me
to win through an accident, although l
have lost international races here be-
fore through an accident. can't really
express how sorry | am. might have
had similar accident myself, and am
positive that in that case the American
people would have been sorry for me.
know that we are both anxious to test
the real quality Of the boats and are
anxious for the best boat to win.
If the sQually weather continues in
the next races the same result NAV oc-
cur again, but | prefer an even, steady
breeze, SO that both boats may have a
fair and square chance"
At this moment Commodore Aemilius
Jarvis, the famous Canadian Corin-
THAN who had been acting as official
observer for Sir Thomas. said: "~he
race to-day did not really prove any
thing. l think, however, that if Sir
Thomas was to refuse the win it would
not be in the best interests of yacht
ing, as it would put premium on light
,rr ~