CUP STAYS IN AMERICA.

Evening Star, Issue 21835, 26 September 1934, Page 8

CUP STAYS IN AMERICA.

High hopes throughout the Empire have been dashed to-day by the announcement that the Rainbow, the defender, had decided the issue in the race for the America’s Cup. The trophy stays in the United States. British enterprise in this great sporting event leaves Bruce and the spider far behind. No English yacht has ever won the America’s Cup. More than eighty years ago the schooner America sailed over the Atlantic, from west to east, and in a race round the Isle of Wight defeated a large fleet of English yachts. By so doing she won a cup presented by the Royal Yacht Squadron, which she took back with her to the United States. This trophy was renamed the America’s Cup, and was presented to the New York Yacht Club, together with a deed of gift drawn up by an American lawyer legislating for its further competition. The intervening years have witnessed a succession of unsuccessful attempts to wrest the cup from the holders. Much treasure has been spent in these efforts. Sir Thomas Lipton, of Shamrock fame, was a persistent competitor, and he is said to have spent about two million pounds in his ventures. Some of the earlier races caused a considerable amount of ill-feeling. Not only were the rules framed in a way that operated greatly to the disadvantage of the yacht making the voyage across the Atlantic, but unsporting acts in the way of crowding the course with unfriendly craft made the challenger’s success almost impossible. Fortunately a better spirit has prevailed in recent years, and the reports of the present series give no indications of anything of this kind, except one instance of a destroyer hampering Endeavour, which was probably inadvertent. It was recognised that on this occasion the British yacht had a better chance than had ever been the case before, for the reason that since Sir Thomas Lipton made his last attempt in 1930 Great Britain and America have come to an agreement upon the rules and regulations governing the construction of largo racing yachts, and now both countries have exactly the same rules. These alterations have involved changes in rig and design, so that the yacht crossing the Atlantic-is no longer unfairly handicapped. In considering the results of these races without prejudice it would appear that the Endeavour is the better yacht, but that she was outsailed by her rival. This is different from other days, when British seamanship in these contests was demonstrated at its very best. That there should have been a lapse from this record in the present series is due to an unfortunate incident. On the day before the Endeavour left Portsmouth for Rhode Island her crew went on strike for more pay. Fourteen men left the yacht, and they were replaced by volunteers from the Corinthian Yacht Club. The reports of the races have revealed the detrimental effects of this change. It is an illustration of the limitations of the amateur as compared with the technical skill of the professional. From the British point of view the chief point for gratification that emerges is the skill displayed by Air C. E. Nicholson, the designer and builder of the Endeavour, who profited by his experience in constructing Shamrock V. Sympathy will be felt for Mr T. O. M. Sopwith. Having won the first two races of the series the chances of gaining the trophy for Britain seemed excellent. It was not to be, however. For the fifteenth time the Americans have resisted the challenger. Hope will be expressed that Air Sopwith will not be dismayed, and that he or some other enthusiast with the means at Ids command will make another effort to bring the America's Cop back to England.