New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-15
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been tough taskmaster, and the Reso.
Lutte has responded bravely to the most
brutal tests, but it is extremely doubt
full whether Captain Adams or the
members Of his afterguard will have
any puncture- proof confidence in the
defenders staying powers when they
take her out to the line to-day for the
first cup battle.
Their confidence is in their own stay
ing powers, not the Resolute's. They
will stay with her until she "busts,
but there is room for much apprehen-
sive speculation as to how long she
their weather. be damned policy of
racing. Three times the fragile Her
reshoff beauty has cracked under the
strain, and in we'll informed circles it
is known that the grueling business of
winning the defendership from the
fieeter Vanitie all but broke her back.
Defender Driven to- Limit
At New Haven, in her first race Of
the year against the Vanitie, she was
driven until her towering "built-up'
mast went by the board. In the later
trials off Newport she smashed hel
gait in one race. blew out her club
topsail in another and was compelled
to make several trips to the Herreshofi
yards in Bristol for repairs.
The tremendous strain Of winning
her technical victory over the Vanitie
ga victory she achieved principally
through liberal time allowance--did
not leave the Resolute in particularly
good shape. She leaked badly after
every race, and there are those who be-
lieve she was weakened structurally
by the severe driving she received.
II any real weather is encountered in
the races which begin to-day the ques-
ton of victory or defeat for America
will certainly hinge on the Resolute s
ability to stand up. She will receive
nelther quarter nor consideration from
her skipper if relentless driving is nee
eSsary to win. If she comes through
she will receive the plaudits Of CRATE
cately contrived mechanism gives way
and she is compelled to withdraw there
are many students of the wind Jam
ming game who will be sorry, but not
particularly surprised.
The Resolute, ana probably her Brit
ish opponent, will take most kindly to.
day to light airs. If the Shamrock is
a winged-heeled ghost under such con-
ditions, the Resolute is vertable
phantom. Her thoroughly demon
strated ability to "get there" under
zephyrs too weak to even make q
"catspaw" on CLASSY sea. is some
thing that verges on the uncanny. AT
Newport, when the Vanitie was utter
ly becalmed and as stationary as a
painted gull on hooking glass, the
Bristol phantom would draw pro.
polling breath from nowhere and 90
sailing blithly on to victory. In this
phase of the sport she was at her un.
beatable best.
The defenders marvellous ability in
this respect is not due entirely to the
designing hand of Nat Herreshoff. II
can be traced in large measure to the
mastery of the man at her Wheel
Charles Francis Adams. 1t is written
in the history of the Americas CUP
that the late Charley Barr, skipper Of
the famed Columbia and Reliance. once
turned back Liptonian invasion and
saved the trophy for the New York
Yacht Club by finding breeze where
there was none. 1t was said of hir,
that when the breeze did not come to
him he went to the breeze, seeking it
out and literally forcing it into his
sails.
Battle of Shippers
The magic mastery of Adams is ever
greater than that of Captain Barr. fol
ne seems to have the magnetism t
compel the wandering "catspaw" t.
come to him and serve his purpose.
The work of the American and Bril-.
ish shippers in to-day's race will be
watched more critically by yachtine
fans than will be the general foot;nee
ability of the respective yachts. This
is because the cup contenders are fo1
the first time being sailed bv mon
who are amateurs in every sense Of
the word.
ADAMS is Bostonian who has beer
sailing boats ever since his hands were
big enough to grasp tiller. He begar
his wind jamming career off the ouaint
old town of Quincy, Mass, and rot
his early marine schooling from An
Croker, we'll known professional
When still youngster he sailed rae
ing craft in English waters and "
contests over there that brought "a
vorable comment from such able critics
as William Fife and others of the same
school. Mr.. Adams always has been
known as a "sandbagger" and a skip
per who met every crisis with the most
daring move. He is at present treas
urer OF the Harvard Corporation.
William P. Burton is one Of the most
successful of Great Britain's amateur
sklppers and comes to this country
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