Evening star., 1937-07-31
SOPW|TH'S YACHT
RESUMES BATTLE
FOR HISTORIC CUP
Endeavour II and Wander
bits Ranger Meet in First
of Series Today.
FLUKEY WINDS PERIL
CRAFT ON TIME LIMIT
Americans sloop Favored to Re.
tain Trophy-Briton, How
ever, Is Confident.
BULLETIN.

ABOARD COAST GUARD CUT
TER ARHO, off Newport, R. l.,
July 81 (P).-Harold S. Vanderbilt's
Americas Cup defender Ranger
and T. O. M. SopWith's challenger,
Endeavour II. crossed the starting
line today at 1928 pm. (E. S. T)
in the first race Of their series for
the international yachting trophy.
Ranger was in the favored weather
berth. but they were virtually on
even terms as they hit the line
after a long delay caused by the
unusually large spectator fleet
BY he Associated Press.
NEWPORT, R. l., July 31-Britain
took up again today It's s6-year r-old
quest for the Americas Cup with the
sloop Endeavour II, T. O. M Sopwiths
second challenger. opposed to Ranger,
Harold S. Vanderbilt's third defender
of the supreme trophy of yachting
At 10 am, Eastern standard time,
there was no sign of rain, but winds
were so flukey as to threaten post
ponement Of the first race or at
least jeopardize the chances of either
Ranger or Endeavour II finishing in
side the 5i2-hour time limit set for
the 30-mile windward- -leeward test
which was to open the four r-out-of-
seven series. The race was scheduled
to start at 40 am, Eastern standard
time
Ranger ruled prime favorite on
the strength of her record in prelim-
mary races. She ran up a string of
l3 straight victories before tasting her
initial defeat two days ago. when En-
deavour I, Sopwith's vanuuished 1894
challenger. and Gerard B. Lam pert's
Yankee, unsuccessful defense aspirant,
led her home in that order in a 37-mile
race from Vineyard Haven, Mass.
Sopwith Reported Confident.
Sopwith, however, did not attempt
to conceal his confidence in his new
blue challenger, declaring tests had
proved she is considerably faster than
the old Endeavour.
Newport waters were crowded with a
spectator feet Of private yachts which
David Young, superintendent OF the
local station Of the New York Yacht
Club. custodian Of the famous trophy,
said was much larger than that which
followed the 1884 contest.
Several Canadian yachts were
among the late arrivals, adding their
blue and white busters to the British
colors already flying from the sopwith
notllla. A large fleet of Coast Guard
craft were assigned to patrol the
course and keep members Of the float
ing gallery from laundering across
prescribed but invisible boundaries on
the blue water. 1t appeared a task
far more difficult than escorting troop
ships in time of war.
Excursion Vessels Present.
Numerous excursion vessels added
to the congestion on waters ordinarily
occupied by score or two fishermen,
small yachts and perhaps a freighter.
1t was exactly 86 years ago today
that the basis for the present contest
was laid. On that date the schooner
yacht America left Havre, France,
where she was refitted after her At
lantic passage, and entered English
waters. Her future history is we'll
knoWn-how she led a feet of English
yachts around the Isle of Wight and
brought home bottomless trophy
through which many millions of
dollars and pounds have been poured
in defense and challenge.
Originally the cup cost about $500.
It's intrinsic value in silver has fluc-
tuated widely, once exceeding 81 900
due to the wartime boom, and it has
fallen at times to we'll below $40. At
present 1t Is below $50.