THE AMERICA CUP.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1756, 22 May 1913, Page 5

THE AMERICA CUP.

SIR T. LIPTON'S CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright New York, May 20. The New York Yacht Culb has definitely accepted Sir Thomas Lipton's challenge to Tace for the America Cup. EARLY CHALLENGE DECLINED. Sir Thomas Lipton issued his challenge for the America Cup on March C, but the New YoTk Yacht Club, in its-reply, declining, stated that the challenge was declined because of tho imposed condition that the defending vessel should not exceed 75ft. waterhne, thereby depriving tho defending club of their right, given it by Deed of Gift, to select any sizo of vessel from (isft. to 90ft. waterlinc. It was- rumoured that another British yachtsman, known to the New i'ork Club, contemplated issuing a challenge for tho Cup. Tho news that the. New York Yacht Club has declined Sir Thomas Lipton's challenge for the America Cup will ba received with the greatest surprise by all British yachtsmen (said "Tho Times"). Five years ago Sir Thomas challenged with a yacht- to be built under the "Universal Rating Rule—a rule, it must bo borno in mind, which governs tho building of all first-class racing yachts in tho United States. This is purely an American rub, and differs in many respects from the International Rating Rule, which holds good in the waters of Great Britain and those European countries which have taken up the sport. Tho New York Yacht Clubi however, refused to accept tho challenge as not being iiu accordance with the deed of gift. Some two or three years ago all thjp important yacht clubs in the United Kingdom wero appealed to on the subject, and they were unanimously ill favour of the New' York Club's exercising the powers tliev undoubtedly possess and accepting a challenge under tho "Universal RuJe. Again, however, the custodians of tho Cup were not to bo moved from tho position they had taken up. Now Sir Thomas Lipton again challenges, for the fourth time, under the old Died of Gift, which stipulates that the waterlino length of tho vessel must be from 65ft. to 90ft. Sir Thomas, in forwarding his challenge through the Royal Ulster Yacht. Club, asked that, as the challenging yacht would bo of 75ft., tht' defending vessel should be limited to that length. To this it seems the Now York Yacht Club will not agree, evidently _ wishing to reserve to themselves the right, if they so wish, to build a defender up to the extreme waterline length of 90ft. And so for the moment another attempt to win back the Cup has been frustrated. The suggestion that to impose a 75ft. limit would create a bad precedent and belittle the importance of the race is absurd. A 75-fooler would be a larger yacht than either Shamrock or White Heather, the only two big cutters which have been built to tho 23-met.re rule, and no one could wish to see better racing than has been provided by these two craft during the past flow seasons.

Sir Thomas Lipton stated to a press representative in reference to the suggestion that another British yachtsman would submit a challenge, that ho ielt certain there was no other yachtsman in Britain who would challenge with a 75-footer. 110 added, that he had had no time yet to consider whether he would build a bigger yacht in order to malo another attempt to win back the Cup. 1