Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-24
'CHALLENGERS FAR
! FROM CONFIDENT
Situation Most Acute In History
Of AMERICAS Yachting
4 $685.. Races
BOTH SET FOR RUBBER
BY LAWRENCE PERRY

nlgnlands, N. D.. July 24.-Wind
holding from the southwest at the rate
OF twenty five miles an hour, caused
the regatta committee Of the New York
Yacht Club to postpone until Monday
the fifth and deciding race for the
America $ Cup, which was to have been
sailed today.
William Il. Burton, skipper of Sham
rock ~, and his assistant. had been
whistling for wind since the series
began and today they got what they
have been wishing for in good measure,
pressed down and running over.
The yachts had put out to the start
ing line under shortened sail and after
dartiug about the ocean for an hour Or
so while the committee in charge of the
race decided what to do they were event
ually told to sail back to the Hook and
wait until Monday.
While the conditions were boisterous
there have been Americas Cup races
sailed under conditions as heavy as
this, notably the last race Of the Co
lumbia Shamrock series and the Puri-
tan -Gencsta race with topmasts hoistcd.
Evidently it was decided that the i'm
portance of the struggle set for today
warranted the running of no risk of
breakage aboard either Of the racers.
Never in all the history Of the Ameri-
so acute. Uncle Sam and John Bull,
ancient maritime rivals, are surely at
grips. Shamrock tried hard yesterday
to win the race and make certain that
the cup would go to England's shores,
but a wtndward leg served to upset the
hopes of the challenger, and for the
next race facing long thresh to weather
Of fifteen miles, the Shamrock crowd Is
not nearly so cheerful or hopeful rs
they were yesterday morning when the
challenger had it two to one and a
triangular course lying ahead.
Praises Resolute
"Resolute, said Sir Thomas this
morning, has made a gallant showing
but | am not downhearted. What I
should like to see, though, would be
some heavy breezes which would give
both yachts an adequate test under
wholesome conditions. l don't think
yet that the Shamrock has had a chance
to show what she can do
William 2. Burton was about deck
at an early hour experimenting the
hosting Of the sails. He had nothing
to say, neither had any member of the
challenger aftcrguard. skipper Ad-
ans and his confcrees Of the Rcsolute,
smiled as they remarked that they had
nothing at all to say, as, indeed, what
could they say?
Their charge in the last few days has
been speaking for herself and there was
no tendency to question its eloQuency.
May Hibernate
II Resolute wins Mondays race she
. will take tow in the evening and 60 mp
to City Island. there to have the remain
ing months of the year alone in her
glory. while the challenger probably will
eventually go to the Erie basin to re-
main under cover until such time as
she may serve as a trial horse for some
other challenger.
Whichever wins this great rubber
event. the most momentous yacht race
ever sailed. the losing boat will not be
without honor, for seldom have two
rival windjammers been so closely
matched. In one race they finished the
thirty miles in precisely the same time
while in other races they have sailed
for miles virtually as one yacht. That
interest in the fifth and final event OF
the series had aroused the public was
evidenced by the increased number OF
excursion craft which put forth from
New York to follow the racers today
In addition TO the old standbys such as
the Plymouth, Highlander. Atlantic and
other craft that have been following the
racers throughout the series. there wer,
many craft which came out the first day
besides others that had not come dowr
to the Hook before.
There is not the slightest doubt tha
in light airs Resolute is superior
boat of the two on every point of sail
ing but reaching Here she must yielc
superiority to the challenger. Bu
otherwise, in pointing and in runnini
free, Resolute is the master. Wha
would be shown in winds ranging from
fifteen to twenty odd knots is anothe
story, or rather might prove TO be. Die
in the wool enthusiasts who are quit
willing to have Resolute sail in the sor
of airs that seem best suited to her will
be content Monday to see conditions
such as have obtained to date, bu
broadminded sporting men would wei
come able winds that would test the tw,
boats to the limit.