The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-07-14
SIR THOMAS Upton
AND HIS SHIPS
squarest Spert i'm All the World
Again Here i'm Quest of the
Americas Cup
tAssocia4ed Press1

figure in yachting flannels and cap
Its Sir Thomas Upton and his
E"navy"-six craft strong Invading
1.-THE United States TO capture the
Americas cup in yachtman's bat.
tile off Sandy Hook this month.
/ The man to whom a large patch nj
water il an alien sight thinks OF the
cup races as few impromptu jousts
between a couple of sailing sloops
which cost mite more than the aver.
Iage man can afford. He does not real.
ize that these yachts and their crews
have 10 go through period of train
ling as long as that of any football
team and a thousand times more cost
ly.
BY purchase or charter Sir Thomas
has amassed his feet. In addition t1
the challenger. Shamrock w., and the
trial horse. the 23-meter Shamrock
there is the steam yacht Victoria. the
| flagship of the fleet, on which the vet
eran yachtsman lives, anchored each
might in the Hudson.
Then there is the houseboat Killar-
Iney, tucked snugly away in the shell
| ter of the Hook On the Killarney re-
| side the crews of the two racing carft.
But this does not complete the
fleet. There is the tug Governor
Smith to tow the sloops to the start
ing line and snappy speed boat 70
run errands. Numberless smaller
launches and dingys don't count in
this yachting armada.
The Irish baronet has his daily
schedule enjoyable enough. but just
at present business to which he ad-
heres as closely as the broker daily
watches his ticker.
Each day he steams down to the
Hook from New York to watch the
lcnallenger-his sweetheart. the elder
lly bachelor calls her-match her
lspeed against the trial horse.
Each day, as dusk approaches, he
| holds conference with his band OF
yachting experts. suggesting little
Echanges here. little changes here, lit
tile changes there, smoothing out q
frippla in canh -topsail which to the
fits exactly or clipping q
| few inches from a topmast with
which, to the uninitiated, there seems
nothing wrong.
And each day he continues TO deal
out dollars to the $50 members of his
armada For it is an expensive sport,
this quest of hundred guinea cup
ana victor or loser, Sir Thomas will
have paid out more than a million dol
| lars for this years races alone.
At eight o'clock, excepting in most
distressing weather. raising of Sir
Thomas personal flag green sham
rock on a field of gold-betokens that
the vice-commodore of the Royal Ul-
lster Yacht Club is aboard. awake and
ready to receive guests. These invar-
iably include corps of newspaper
in.en. Most of them come for break.
fast, stay for lunch and linger fol
dinner, and as sea air breeds an ap-
petite, the yachts larder receives Q
blow which would make the ordinary
housewife quiver in these days o1
thigh prices.
Then the Victoria weighs anchor
Recognized by all harbor craft. she
receives salutes from sootiest tug te
most majestic battleship.
Sir Thomas stands on the bridge
the familiar, ue-jacketed, befian
|nelled figure who for years has cross
led the Atlantic to win the trophy OF
which he has set his heart. He stroke!
his gray goatee and his face wrinkle.
Into a roughish grin as he swaps
lyarn for yarn with his innumerablt
lguests.
Il For Sir Thomas must have his joke
One of which he is particular.
fond concerns a visit once paid him 81
ICowles by former Mayor John Fitz
Igerald of Boston.
The baronet was entertaining /
lgreup of Americans when suddenl.
lit was reported TO him that the roya
launch was headed for his craft.
@The king or the queen" cried Si
Thomas and at once began drilling
lhis guests in court etiquette.
| But the royal launch, which rarel.
Icarries any but royalty, arrived wit
La lone Yankee.
| 1t seems that Mr.. Fitzgerald, wish
4HS G0 pay N1S1L W HIS 1TfGHQ III
Irish yachtsman, had been unable +
find craft which he deemed suffic
lieltly natty TO bring him alongside
But finding the royal launch at th
lroyal landing stage, he pronounced
"a decent enough boat" and ordere
lit TO the Upton yacht.
Meanwhile the king and queer
reaching the stage. beheld in amaze
lment their launch dashing away fror
them. And the master of the sma
craft, on his return, had this explar
lation to make-the gentleman ha
introduced himself as "the mayor 9
Boston, United States of America,
which the royal yachtsman, impres.
ed, compressed into "the mayor /
America" And of course a man VIII
would dare march onto the roy,
landing stage must have stepped oni
lit with royal permission.
And so. chatting of kings ar
stowaways, yachts and intrigues.
entertains his guests until the Hoo
is reached. And as Sir Thomas
never 30 well cast as when ne Is pla,
ing the host, il II an enjoyable tri