Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-13

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Then came Sir Thomas challenge with
q 75-footrr 70 race In 1914 ard tho
Shamrock ~, was ON her way TO Amer
ica when the Worlo War started. The
challenger was near Bermuda when tLis
InomentOus event occurred and arrives
here, conveyed, soon after, but all
thought Of International cup rsoes was
banishcd while Europe was engaged in
war and the challenger wss housed in
a yacht yard in South Brooklyn "
await resumption of peace.
WAR CAUSES LONG DELAY.
Then this country entered the conflict
and the delay was prolonged. However,
after the signing Of the arnistice Sir
Thomas renewed his attempt to lift the
cup, but it was decided that further de-
lay for at least another year was avi.able
and in consequence there was an arrange
ment for the races which are to start
during the coming week.
Last winter Shamrock Nv WAS. taken
to Jacobs yard Mt City Island, where
yanlte was laid up. Resolute was at
the Heueshon yards at Bristol, X. +.
Work Of putting the craft in commission
started early this spring after both the
challenger and Vanite had narrowly
escaped destruction by fire at the City
Island yard. Sir Thomas had his old
23-metre Shamrock Gent to this country
10 act as trial horse" for the chaf-
ienger and after much preparation, both
challenger and defender are ready for
the big contests.
In only three races has yacht failed
To finish. In the last race Of the con-
test Of 1895, Vslkyrie III withdrew
Immediately after crossing the starting
line. On Oct. IL, 1899, in the second
race Of that year, Shamrock lost her
topmast and withdrew, and on Sept. 3,
1903, the last race Of that year, Sham
rock III did not fnsih. because she
was already beaten, the hour was late
and there was nothing TO be gained by
continuing
In only one race has a yacht com
peting for the Americas Cup been dis
qualified. That was in 1895, when VAL
kyrie was disqualified for having fouled
Defender. On only two occasions has
there been any exhibition Of ill-fseling
between challenging and defending forces.
These were in 1871, when Mr.. Asbbury
showed a disposition 10 stand on tech
nicalities Of his own creation and not a.
all warranted, and in 1895, when the
Earl If Dunraven exhibited a very nasty
temper after the disqualification Of
Valkyrie III, and her withdrawal from
the contest. On all other occasions
the best Of feeling has prevailed between
the two parties TO the contest
COLUMBIA MADE rAsrxsT TIVE.
The fastest time ever made in a race
for the Americas Cup was nade by the
old schooner Columbia. on Oct I8, 1871
the day before she was defeated by Ii
vonia. She sailed twenty miles leeward
and windward, forty miles in all, in
8 hours, l minute and 80 seconds. IL is
not 20 be inferred from this that Column
bia was the fastest yacht that ever
sailed for the cGp- There is no method
of determining the rets,ive speeds Of
two or more boats other than by the
results Of a race IN which they sail to-
gether. The fast time Columbia made
on the date referred 70 was due undoubt-
edly to particularly favorable conditions
OF wind, weather and sea.
The fastest time ever made in a ff-
teen-rnile course, straiQhtauay and re-
turn, thirty miles IN all. was made by
Yigilant on October I3, 1893. She covered
the course Of fifteen miles leevard and
windward. thirty miles in al, in hours,
- minutes and 20 seconds. This was
the distance was fixed at thirty miles |
n all. The fastest time ever made in |
. triangular race was made by Columbia |
IN October 3, 1901. The distance 1
vas thirty miles and the course was /
covered iD 3 hours, so minutes and IS /
econds.
However, in the matter OF speed, both 1
Resolute and Fanitle have covered thirty /
nile courses IN better time than Was 4
'ver shown in the actual cup races and !
|anitle IN particular has proved a marvel |
N occasions, but, ID yachting, only l
when two or more yachts are competing |
{ the same time IS IL possible TO draw |
my accurate comparisons between them, |
IS wind and the tide conditions may be |
:ntirely different.
EARLY YACHTS Two-srtcKERs.
In the first three contests for the Cup
he challenging yachts were schooners,
,hird were also two-stickers. In aH
,ther contests the yachts have been
iloops or cutters; and n these days
vessels with double head
'igs.
The smallest challenger in the history
If cup racing was ATLANTA, in 1881,
built at Belleville, Ontario, and repre-
'enting the Bay of Quinto Yacht Club.
She measured sixty-four feet on the
va terhne. She was also the first sloop
TO appear IN contest All other chaI-
engers have been much larger than the
newest Shamrock.
The first yacht ever built especially
to defepd the trophy was Pccahontas,
IN 1881 Previous 70 that wear the New
York Yacht Club had selected, from
It's fleet, the yacht considered 10 be
best suited TO the work. But Poca-
hon tas did not come up TO expectations,
and was rejected IN favor of Mischief,
one of the crack sloops of the feet
Since 1881, new defenders have been
built for every contest. There were
two candidates in 1885, two In 1886, and
four in 1898; and in every contest ex-
eepting one since that OF Atalanta and
the cup has been defended
oy a yacht built for thet particular
affair. The one exception was in 1901,
when Cons titution, built for the race Of
that year, was discarded in favor of
Columbia, the defender OF 1899. Be
ginning with Yigilant in 1898, the name
of every defender has been q word of
eight letters; and possibly Constitutions
hard luck was due TO her christening.
Resolute has eight letters and so has
so on the matter of eightS,
both are equal. This will be the thirteenth
contest for the cup, but it Will be the
thirteenth for both so in thst they have
things equal.