That Bottomless America's Cup
By Captain
A. J. Kenealy
UK AMERICA'S fTP, nn old tar.
nished. flagon of silver not un
mixed with pewter, If expert are
to be believed, la neither useful
nor ornamental.
In the first place It has no bottom, foiMn
a hollow c Under Incapable of holding
liquid. This Is a disqualifying feature, as
every seaman must ndmlt. The winner of
the Amerk'a'H Cup eannot tiilte a drink out
of It. Fo far as Its beauty la concerned,
why, It has none. In fact It is on lnartlKtlo
Iiorror.
Hut thorn never was nn old metal pot
In the world's history that Iihk excited such
cuger competition or canned the expendi
ture of no many millions an this tarnlshod
fhuron. Incidentally It Is responsible for a
fabric fragile and cranky such as never
entered Into the most fanciful imaginations
of yachtsmen of twenty years ago.
The racing machine of today Is a trifl
light as air, her rig Is gossamer and Hpld
cry. Her htill in a shell so far as thickness
Is concerned, but It I nevertheless strong
enough, to support a solid bulb of lead weigh
lug In the neighborhood of one hundred
tons. No metal Is to expensive to find
Its place In the building of the Cup chal
lengers nnd Cup defenders. If gold were of
Use, there Is no doubt that before this wo
Should have had a golden boat to compete
With us for the old tarnished Jug.
Of nil the yachtsmen who have, chal
lenged for tho Cup, Sir Thomas Upton la
easily the most popular with the masses.
Since self-mado men In their mature yeara
develop pomposity, nnd that of a peculiarly .
objectionable kind. Blr Thomas Is Just aa
Jovial, genial and unassuming as be was on
tho day he lauded in this country with a
light heart and a .thin pair of breeches a
bis role capital.
Ills enterprise la displayed In remarkable;
ways. One day you read nbout him enter
taining royalty aboard Erin, or on one
of his Shamrocks. Another day you are In
formed about his corner In Western pork.
Next, you ore surprised to bear of bis loop
ing tho loop lit Coney Island.
His visitors' book on Krin Is filled
with the Illustrious and distinguished
names of men and women who have en
Joyed Ills hospitality. King lOdward of
lOngland, with , his bold and distinctive
Signature, figures more than once. Fir
Thomas tried his sweetest to persuade bin
royal friend to go a-salllng with him. on
Shamrock III, but the king remember!
an exciting period aboard Shamrock 11,
When It was dismasted und the top ham
per came whizzing deckward In danger
ous proximity to his royal and Imperial
cart. For that reason his majesty found
that affairs of state prevented him from
enjoying a nail In tho new challenger.
Upton went aboard Shamrock II when
It was anchored In Cowe;i Hoads, and
wus greeted at tho gangway by u young
shaver of a boy of 7.
"Do you know who I nmT' asked the
Scotch-Irish knight (the blood-red hand
of baronetage came later).
"Of course I do," was the youngster's
answer. "You're (he man who sails as u
passenger with my father on his yacht."
"Eh, but you're canny, bonny bairn.
Here's sixpence for you," was Upton's re
ply. Tho yotingster was Skipper Sycamore's
little so.i.
Sycamore is no longer on tho I.lpton
payroll. He was at the tiller of the Sham
ruck when It was dlsmusted with tho
king aboard.
The schooner-yacht America, the dav
after it won tho cup In JV51, also bad u
royal visitor In Oie shape of Queen Vic
toria. Tho Brent speed of America surprised
the old seadogs of tlie Isle of Wight,
so much that 11 became a general belief
that the Yankee yacht had a propeller
worked by machinery artfully concealed.
The old marquis of Anglesey, the father
of Knglish ynchtlng, went out for a sail
In his cutter Pearl (which, although built
In 1X20, was one of the fastest English
yachts), anxious to have a speed trial with
America. Mr. Steers, one of the Amer
ica's crew, a brother of Its designer, went
with Mm.
America, with only Ha Jib and mainsail
act, passed I 'earl without difficulty. The
master of I'earl said to the martinis: "Your
lordship knows thut no vessel with sails
alone could do that."
When America went slowly he said, "Now
It Is stopped." When It wont on, "It's
going again."
Steers said nothing; ho was enjoying the
Joke. When the yachts anchored the mar
quis went aboard America und, going i.ft,
leaned so far over the counter that Com
modore Stevens took bold of his wooden
leg (he had lust his leg at the battle of
.Waterloo) to keep Mm from falling over
board. The old gentleman was looking
most eagerly for that propllar.
The Illusion was disponed u few days
later when America was drydovkej at
S'urtsmouth and close Scrutiny failed to
find the propeller.
Commodore John C. Stevens, founder of
the New York Yacht club, and chief owner
and director of the destinies of the tschoouer
America, was partial to a glass of fine old
Madeira. He happened to have in his ccl-
0
B
COZY DINING ROOM OF THE NEW YORK YACHT,
lar a emple of dozen bottles of rare vintage
more than half n century old. These he
stowed away In his own private locker In
Ms stateroom on America.
Ilefore the vessel sailed his wife went
aboard America to straighten out the com
modore's cabin, as won the custom of the
wives and sweethearts of stliormen tho
wide world over In thosa primitive days.
She happened to come across the wine and
Jint for fun ordered the carpenter to nail
the bottles up in a part of the yacht where
they could not be detected easily.
On the day when America won the cup.
Commodore Stevens sang out to tho stew
ard to open a cert tin locler and bring out
a bottle of the priceless Madeira which
hud come to precious maturity In the cel
lars of Mr. Dingham, an oenophillst of
fame and father-lr-l w of Iiord Ashburton,
once Hritlsh minister to the United States.
It was the intention of all hands to drink
tho health of the queen in a glass of tliia
superb vintage.
The steward failed to find the wln!, and
4 he commodore was much perplexed,
Hcfore he returned to America he sold
the schooner to Lord dc nin'pilrc, and It
was not till his return thn ie found out
the trick his wife had play a him. Then
ho wrote to Ijnrd de Bl: e, informing;
him of the secret cranny re the wine
was concealed and making l.im a present
of It. He added that hatJ .e known that
the Madeira was aboard he would have
made the purchaser pay ten thousarxl
pounds for craft and cargo Instead of the
paltry five thousand pounas for which he
sacrificed It. And those who knew the com
modore were convinced that what he wrote
ho meant.
Colonel Hamilton, to whom the commo
dore confided the loss of tne wine In Ms
private diary of the dongn of America
(now, afas! fnacceBslble to the curious and
prying eyes of contemporary yachtsmen)
hints that the commodore suspected some
of the members of the crew of broaching the
cargo nnd "getting away" with this nectar
of which a drop could not have been bought
for a dollar. This, too, when grog was
served out every four hours to each of the
crew of thirteen (the commodore was not
a wee bit superstitious), who liked to take
a nip. or rather a tot, ns It was cal'cd In
those l.r.ive old days.
During the Iauntless-Coronet ocenn rnce
the water tank of Dauntless sprung a-leak
nnd the only mild beverage available for
c'rinklng was an extremely Jtne claret of tho
celebrated Chateau Ma-gaiix brand, the
pride of Commodore Colt's cellars.
He was a mnn who had a proper dis
crimination about wln s. He told the writer
of calling all hands lift and talking to
them like a Dutch tincle somewhat after
this fashion:
"Now mv t-o'-s be nf i-noil cheer.
Kn' the lrlh land Is drawme nr.
A nt In nil bo'ir w'll se Cnne Cleir,
And then for a Jolly flaes of beer!
"Meunwhlin, my hearties, you must drink
this!"
"Rayther wiiugiry, ain't It, commydo-e?"
answered u hairy old sea 'og. "but we
would drink kerosene, plr. If you was so
gootl us to tell us lol"
This story Is authentic Commodore Hen
nett was really angry with his correspond
ent in Ireland who failed to cable over the
fact that Dauntless' sailors nnd been com
pelled to nssauge their thirst on claret
that Mr. Itennett, In spite of his wealth,
couldn't buy for the reason that the vint
age was exhausted.
The famous schooner-yachi America cost
$:0.000. The condition under which she was
contracted for was that unless she proved
"faster than any vessel In the United States
brought to compete with her," she might
be returned on her builders' hands.
The designer of a modern racing machine
binds himself to nothing so far as speed
Is concerned. He promises in a general
wuy to do his best, but guarantees noth
ing. A yachtsman or a syndicate of
yachtsmen is bound to accept a racing
craft even if it should not be fast enough
J
Zf
SIR THOMAS LIPTON ON BOARD KRrN",
WATCHING TRIAL, RACES BETWEEN
HIS YACHTS.
to get out of Its own way.
The first cost of the Amertca was $20,000.
The expense incurred In sailing it across
and racing it was $3,750. It was sold for
$25.0 to lord de Blaqulre. As It won $500
In a match race against the I'tanla, tho
owners of the America actually made a
profit of $1.7C0 In thetr venture.
In contrast with these figures, take the
case of the Boston ninety-foot Independ
ence, built by Thomas W. Iiwson, as a
candidate for cup defense. Mr. Iawson
made public an itemised account of the
cost of the Independence. As it was built
regardless of expense, the cost of other
cup defenders may be estimated from the
figures given.
Stories of the fabulous expense attached
to the building and running of a ninety
foot yacht have been published, and er
roneous conclusions reached as a result.
It la interesting to note that the total
amount Incurred by Mr. Tawson for build
ing and racing the Independence was
$205,034. P8. This includes every Item, even
the expense of breaking up the vessel
after its brief career of three months.
The tost to the syndicate of the New
York Yacht club of Vigilant, Defender and
Constitution has been variously 'estimated
at amounts ranging from $590,000 to $1,000,
000. Judging from the experience of Mr.
I-uwson, who used his money lavishly, ex
travagant Ideas prevail concerning the cost
of defending the America's cup. At any
rate, the syndicate of great capitalists or
ganized to build the Reliance can afford
easily to apportion the cost among them.
Never before were so many opulent men
banded together for a sporting event.
Formerly the yachtsmen of New York
, and Boston bore all the cast of defending
America's cup. In this year the moneyed
interests of the whole country. Including;
.bankers, railway magnates. Standard Oil,
Steel trust and other magnates have en
tered into a powerful combination to pre
vent Sir Thomas from "liTftng" the cup.
But still, in spite of all, they bear so much
good will and regard for the challenger
that they would rather he would win it
than anybody else.
Pointed Paragraphs
The moth exhibits much taste fn dress.
An old soaker is usually a great ajtonge.
Some girls never flirt but perhaps A
Isn't their fault
It Is better to know little than to know
a lot that isn't true.
Promises may get friends, but it requires
performances to keep them.
If fame came only after death.-no man
would kill himself striving for it?
One glance at a political orator proves
that all are not geysers that spout.
It isn't necessary to spend mone'y In ad
vertising your troubles; simply teh then
to a gossip.
Often it happens that a man isn't known
by the company he keeps until after he
mysteriously disappears.
Somehow the sun doesn't seem to shine
half so hot on the base ball grounds as
It does on the harvest field.
Women talk about their clothes being;
uncomfortable, but there are lots of men
who envy them every time they see a peek
a-boo shirt waist. Chicago News.
It Makes a Difference
"Here," Bald the charity official, "la a
poor little girl who has lost both father
and mother, and I am Inking for Borne
one to take charge of her."
"I can't think of adopting her," returned
the influential cltlxen, shortly.
"We thought of having some responsible
person named as her guardian."
"I have no time to act as guardian to
a waif."
"Although she Is alone in the world, she
has had about $f0,000 left Jit, and"-
"Whafa- that? Fifty thousand dollars!
Well, a po6r child ought not to be with
out friends. I think, perhaps, I can M
dertake thla trust "Chicago Post.