The New York herald., 1922-10-01
HOW ESPERANTO
WON THE CUP
Capt. Marty Welch Sailed the Four
teen -Year-Old Gloucester Fishing
Schooner to Two Straig ght Victories,
Taking the Wheel Throughout Each
Days Racing
By JAMES B. CONNOLLY.

1.-TWO years ago the city of Hall
fax. seeking big feature for
- their carnival week, invited
the fishing vessels of Nova Scotia to
hold race off her harbor.
The Delawanna of Lunenberg won the
race, and she made such an impression
on Halifax that a committee Of Hall;
fax citizens challenged the port OF
Gloucester to send down a schooner
to outsail her. Gloucester was TO say
yes or no to the challenge within one
week, then name her vessel, and have
her in Halifax ready to race within
another ten days.
Now Gloucester had not in port at
that time what she rated her fastest
vessel; nor her second, or third. or
fourth, or fifth fastest vessel. Her
best sailing vessels were out to sea,
and no telling when they would be
home; or, if one should happen in
put in her best trim for racing.
Caught at such disadvantage and
also disliking the arbitrary conditions
of the challenge, many Gloucester citi-
zens were for telling Halifax to go to
the devil or elsewhere; but there were
others who asked if Gloucester could
afford to decline the challenge. The
fame of Gloucester's fleet. the deeds of
her vessels and crews had become an
American glory, and now to refuse to
race, no matter what the conditions
or what the wording of a challenge,
would be to dim the luster Of that
glory.
Gloucester decided to race, and then
came the job Of finding a vessel. The
hest OF the all sail vessels were out to
sea. There were three or four fine
lined auxiliaries in port, but to re-
move the engines, shift the ballast
and cut a full size mainsail for any OF
such before the day of the race-there
wasn't time for that. They would
have to take what they could find
among the all sail vessels.
Esperanto Arrives
In Time to Reft
They were still debating and search
ing when sailing into port came a
fourteen-year-o fishing schooner
the Esperanto. Charles Harty, re-
tired captain and sailing expert or
the Gloucester committee. squinted his
eyes at her and shouted: There's
our vessel" When the Esperanto was
new he had had her for maclere
cruise, and he had not forgotten that
she could sail when right. A sensi-
tive old girl! inches down by
the head or four inches down by the
stern and she was an old plug; but
get her right. and she could sail.
AS it happened Ben Smith was a
part owner of the Esperanto. you
put her In trim, Charlie. and I'll see
to the rest" said Ben, and Charlie
engaged to put her in trim.
How Charlie Harty In what time
was left took the old Esperanto, vino
months Of salt fishing on the Grand
Banks, and put her in trim; how Ber
Smith gave Harty all the material aid
necessary; how Capt. Martin Welct
was picked to sail her. and how he
sailed her to two straight wins ano
victory Is an epic in Gloucester's an
nails now.
On both race days Marty Welch
held the Esperanto's wheel from the
time she left her dock in the morn
ing until he brought her back again
in the evening: besides doing that ne
gave every order and saw that every
order was carried out; he watched the
compass and all race marks, doing all
this each race day without ever once
letting go the wheel, not even to get
a cup Of coffee. And that Is the
Gloucester and Bostons fishermen's
notion of how a vessel should be
sailed-the skipper at the wheel and
in full command. with knowledge OF
every ballard and every sail In every
slant of wind while the race is on.
All Americans. and
All Served Without Pay
Every one of that Esperanto fishing
crew was an American citizen and
every one of them served without pny.
From the time they signed up In
Gloucester to race until the Esperanto
was back home again was month.
which meant that they gave UP a
month of their working year for the
honor OF sailing In that international
race. The owners from out OF the
prize money bought souvenir watches
for the crew, and they were pleased
with the watches because inside each
watch cover was an inscription testi-
flying that the bearer had been a mem
ber of the Esperanto's crew In the in
ternational race.
But It was not for prizes or rewards
that those men served in that race.
An immense big cup set mp on a high
ebony pedestal was to go (and did go)
to the winning vessel All the time
the Esperanto was in Halifax that
a. hfc. ahop