The New York herald., 1922-10-23
COMMITTEE REFUSES
TO RESCIND Ruling
Chairman Lufkin Declares the
Henry Ford Carried Excess
of Sail Spread.
MAKE SECOND REDUCTION
Protest Would Have Been in
Order Had Henry Ford Been
Declared Winner.

ciated Press) 1T was still an open
question tonight whether there would
be any further racing between the
fishing schooners Bluenose of Iunen-
burg, N. s.. and Henry Ford. crack
Cloucesterman. A host of fisher folk
and sports enthusiasts, continuing the
heated review of yesterdays race,
which ran through the night and car
ried its currents even to church vesti-
bules to-day, hoped with some support
ing Indications that the big schooners
would head out to sea tomorrow
morning to race it out.
With the international committee
standing by its race committees ruling
that there was no official sanction for
the contest in which the Gloucesterman
beat his Canadian rival, defender of
the championship of the international
fisheries, Capt. Clayton Morrissey and
the men of the Henry Ford continued
an aggreved discussion of the question
to race or not to race.
Dories were ready to be swung on
deck to go fishing. as the skipper and
his men declared last night. but at
the same time the mainsail of the
Henry Ford was at sail loft. under
going still another slashing to bring 1t
under the official stipulations of spread
This fact. to those who learned of it,
indicated probability that Capt. Nor
rlssey would see things through and
race.
The skipper himself. however said
the conclusion was premature. He still
felt he had been robbed of victory
rightly ha said nIai inc
that he was only preparing to meet the
committees demand for further reduc-
tion of his sail area so that he could
be ready to go ahead II the commit
tee did the right thing. The fact tha,
Capt. Angus Walters and the men Of
the Bluenose said they considered yes
terday's race a victory for the Henry
Ford to his mind was warrant enough
for disregarding the technical consid-
erations that the race did not have
an official start.
First Mat, withdraw.
Should Capt. Morrssey decide to race
after all there was no assurance that he
would have a full crew. When word
came to-day that the international COM
Inittee would not consider an appeal
from the ruling Of its race committee
Capt. John j. Matheson, first mate of
the Henry Ford. went down to the wharf
and took his dunnage off. He was
through with racing in which there was
no winner, he said. Capt. Matheson only
q day or two ago, In order to sail on the
Henry Ford and help Capt. Morrissey,
who is sick man, resigned from the
race committee against whose ruling he
now protests.
There. were Indications, too, of a full
fillmentso of the belief expressed by Sec
retary of the Navy Edwin DENLY when
he came ashore from the Henry Ford
last night that half the schooner's crew
would not race again IL the Henry Ford
was denied victory. THE fo'castle of the
Henry Ford. into which swarmed hun
dreds of curious persons all day, was the
scene of many assertions to this effect
by the thirty Gloucester men who sail
her. Mickey Hall, the nervy little mast
head man, was only one of a score who
broke into renewed remonstrance when
the order to recut the mainsail came.
AS an offset to the ruling that took
victory from the Henry Ford. after it
vas thought she was crippled beyond
hope OF success by sail reduction to meet
official specifications. was the fact
learned to-day that she sailed yesterday
with canvas 1876 square feet more than
the official Interpretation of her sail plan
would allow her. She went out to the
start, it was learned, with the statement
from II. r. Silver, chairman of the
trustees Of the Halifax Herald cup, thai
carries with it the championship, that
she was subject to confirmation of the
measurements. The excess. it was ex-
planned to-day, was due to a misunder-
standing OF the application of certain
rules on the part of the official meas
Urer.
Sai1 Protest in order.
w. w. Lufkin, Collector OF the port
pf Boston, who is chairman Of the inter-
national committee, In announcing to-
day that II must support the stand of it's
race committee that the contest was un-
eanctioned, added that with the develop
ment that the Henry F'ords sail had not
been reduced enough a protest from the
Bluenose would have been in order had
the Henry Ford been declared the win
ner.
The international committee held no
meeting on the matter. Capt Charles III.
Hardy one member, was outspokcn In
his belief that the ruling of the race
committee should be reversed but the
other members apparently were not of
that mind.
Gloucester, recovering somewhat from
fhe excitement caused by the decision
last night learned for the first time Of
several things tnat had happened yester-
day Tho Fords sailing with too much
canvas was one. The fact that Secre-
tsry OF the Navy DENLY. who had sailed
with the Giouccsterman all day. held the
wheel over the last part of tho race was
another. Tho development that Capt.
Angus Walters of the BlIenose did what
Capt. Clayton Morrissey is now doing.
refused 20 sail. was third. With Wal
ters Il was a matter OF having his say
in the naming of the observer to repre-
sent Canada on the deck of the Henry
Ford. lie wanted man of his own
choice 10 represent him. he said. and
would not race unless he did. In the
end Walters had his way. and Capt.
Akiah Conrad OF Lunenburg, y. s.. re-
placed Capt. Hugh Knickel of Lunenburg
for yesterdays race.
There was some discussion over the
unexpected sailing qualities OF the Henry
Ford as compared with the Bluenose,
but to the American boast OF the beating
administered all the way on forty mile
course Canadian adhercnts pointed 20
tho fact that there was no real wind
ward work yesterday and that The Blue
nose was stil their even money favorite
against the Henry Ford for race with
normal conditions OF wind