THE AMERICA CUP

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 108, 9 May 1930, Page 6

THE AMERICA CUP

SIR T. UPTON'S QUEST

FIFTH YACHT LAUNCHED

REMARKABLE STORY

Sixty-add years ago a ragged little boy used to sit on the docks of Glasgow and watch the yachts skimming liko great white swallows over the broad waters of the Clyde. "When I grow up to be.a rich man," he said to himself, "I will have a yacht of my own. And it will bo the fastest that ever was built." "Well, Tommy Lipton became a very rich man,' rich enough to buy hosts of yachts, but one-half of his boyhood dream has not come true. Spend as he might, ho has never owned the fastest yacht in the world. Last month the fifth of his Shamrocks was launched, to attempt to win the America Cup. The story of Sir Thomas Lipton 'a rise is fascinating. As a lad he emigrated to 'the United States with 2s in his pocket. A year later he returned, with little more in his pocket, but with a big store- of Experience in his head. Using his father's savings, ho started a provision store in Glasgow, and after years of Jiard work and careful scheming was able to get a footing in the tea business. Pie bought direct and sold direct, am) by skilful blending and straightforward dealing built up a big reputation for Lipton's teas. His business expanded so a-apidly that, by the time he reached the forties he owned hundreds of shops in Great Britain, and employed about 10,000 hands. MAMMOTH INTERESTS. Among these were 200 printers, who prepared his pamphlets and other advertising matter, printed his packages, and made the myriad account and ledger books his firm used. His fortune then was said to bo £10,000,000. Not only did he grow tea and sell it throughout the world. He killed liogs in Chicago,

made ginger ale in Dublin, grew rubber iii Ceylon, and matio confectionery in London. At last he was able to retire, and think about buying a yacht. But when he came to buy the fastest in the world ho found the boat, the Defender, American-owned, was not for sale. Tho Defender held the America's Cup for which English and American yachts had competed off and on since 1851. 9 Tho English yachtsmen had never been able to take tho cup back from America. ' Sir Thomas Lipton set to work to do what others bad failed to accomplish. THE FIRST CHALLENGE. In IS9B, he sent his first challenge across the Atlantic, aud his yacht Shamrock I. followed it next year. Columbia, the American defender, won each of the three races. In tho second Shamrock carried away' her topmast. Two years later, .the tea king tried again, this time with Shamrock 11., which carried more sail than her predecessor. The racing was much closer, although Columbia won all three races. In the last race Shamrock 11. crossed the finishing line 2sec -ahead of Columbia, but on corrected time lost by 41sec. Two years wore, and a third Shamrock crossed tho ocean, bearing a sail area of about 14,100 sq. feet. But she was met by the Eeliarice, with a sail area of just over/16,000 sq. feet, and was again thrice beaten. Ten years elapsed, busy years for Sir Thomas Lipton, who divided his time between business, yachting, and philanthropy. Then, in 1914, Shamrock IV. appeared. NECK-AND-NECK KACE. Because of the war, tho raco for the America's Cup was postponed, and it was not until 1920 that the English yacht crossed the Atlantic. The New York Yac'it Club had evolved _ a strange method of measurement, which meant that Shamrock IV. had to allow Eesoluto, the American yacht, no less than 7min lsee over a 30-milo course— ( by far tho gieatcst amount in the history of the races. Five races were sailed. In the first, Kesolute had to withdraw. Tho second Shamrock IV. won by 2inin 26sec. With two wins to her credit, and only only one moro to win in tho next three races to give her the coveted cup, the challenger's hopes ran high. But on the third meeting tho American yacht made no mistake about it. The pair had a wonderful race, over a windward and return course, and cross-

Ed tho finishing lino exactly together. Resolute, therefore, won on handicap. Iv tho two remaining races Shamrock IV. was badly boatcn. "IT WILL BE A SQUARE FIGHT." Sir Thomas Liptou is most optimistic. "My now challenger," he said recently, "has a much bettor chance than any of tho other Shamrocks. It is not like the previous freaks, but has been built under Lloyd's survey. America lias built four or five defenders and they will compete against each other next season to detcrmiiio which is the most suitable for tho race for the America Cup. "Whatever happens, I know that it will be a square fight. I have always been licked fairly and squarely, and any mistake wnieh has been made has been in my favour. That is candidly my experience, and I say it with all sincerity. '' In tho nine years between Sir Thomas Lipton, who is now 79, has given much thought to the construction of his fifth yacht, knowing that tho next race will probably be his last chance to win the cup,