194 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Sept. 29, 1887. 



as the reforms so long advocated by the Forest and Stream are 

 being accomplished. The pictures of the two yachts under sail 

 show that both are essentially the same in rig, and consequently 

 are cutters in the original sense of the word. In saving that Vol- 

 unteer is a cutter in rig we do not mean that she is rigged precisely 

 as the old revenue cutters or even the yachts of half a century 

 since, but simply that she has in all the leading features the rig of 

 the modern cutter yacht- differing in some details, but still the 

 cutter rig and in no way allied to the national rig of America, the 

 sloop. Thistle too is cutter rigged, though the fact that her main- 

 sail is partly fast on the foot has been used to establish her rela- 

 tionship to the sloop. Laced vs. loose-footed mainsail has long 

 been one of the many points of difference between the two rigs, 

 but of itself it cannot make the difference, otherwise the mere 

 cutting of the boom lacing on an old sloop would convert her into 

 the cutter. The results of several seasons of close competition are 

 seen in the minor changes and improvements in the rigs of both 

 boats, but still the distinguishirg features of the cutter prevail, 

 and even the most enthusiastic friends of Volunteer would not 

 care to claim for her any relationship to the true sloop rig that, 

 failed so signally at Larchmont lately on the Anaconda. 



While strictly applicable only to the rig, the terms cutter and 

 sloop have by common usage of late years been associated also 

 with certain features of design, ballast and build, and in this con- 

 nection the hulls as well as the rigs above them demand consider- 

 ation. It has been claimed that Thistle is a sloop because she is 

 wider than some cutters, and also that Volunteer is a sloop because 

 in addition to beam she has a centerboard. The difference 

 between Thistle and Galatea is certainly very great, a proportion 

 of beam of i l A in the one compared to 5M in the other. The work- 

 ing of the old Y. R. A. rule has been such that for some years the 

 beamy boat has been prohibited from racing under it, and the ex- 

 treme narrow cutter has taken such a prominent part in all rac- 

 ing that the existence of a wider class of cutter has been entirely 

 ignored by Americans. There are to-day, however, hundreds of 

 yachts of as much or more beam than Thistle that are in every 

 respect cutters, as much so as the narrow racing class. These 

 boats include a number of modern yachts built solely for cruisers, 

 a very large number of yachts once the pick of the racing fleet, 

 and many small cutters that race under other rules than the Y. 

 R. A. Independent of beam all these yachts possess other 

 features thoroughly identified with the cutter; the depth of hull 

 is great compared with the beam, each has a clearly defined keel 

 In which is all or a large portion of the ballast, each above water 

 shows a long overhang and an amount of freeboard far in excess 

 of any American yachts until a recent date. The question of the 

 relative excellence of narrow and moderate beam is one thing; 

 that of the existence of many wide as well as narrow cutters is 

 another. We do not propose to dodge the old issue of wide or nar- 

 rew beam by any claim that the narrow boats, Galatea. Miranda, 

 and the rest, down to Shona, do not fully represent the modern 

 British racing fleet, for they have done so since sloops and cutters 

 first came together; but we claim that Thistle is in every way a 

 cutter and in no respect a sloop, in spite of beam. The outlines 

 show the difference between her and the older boats to be only in 

 degree and not in kind. 



So with Volunteer. Beam and centerboard, the attributes of the 

 sloop, she has; but the great difference between" her and the sloop 

 is shown in the drawing. The largest sloops built for many years 

 have been in second class, so there is no individual boat with which 

 to compare Volunteer of 86ft. l.w.1. direct. The dotted lines show, 

 however, the general proportions of the leading second class 

 sloops before the day of the cutter, enlarged to the scale of Volun- 

 teer. The sloop on Volunteer's length would have had about 28ft. 

 beam, or 5ft. more than Vr lunteer; the draft would have been 

 about 6ft. 6in. or 7ft., against 10ft. 6in.; theballast would have been 

 stowed as shown, high up inside the planking and on each side of 

 the trunk, instead of being entirely of one piece at the lowest point 

 of the hull. The presence of a clearly defined keel, forming a sub- 

 stantial addition to the lateral plane, the features of long over- 

 hang, raking post, greater freeboard and less sheer, all goto make 

 up the sum of cutter as distinguished from sloop details, and to 

 throw the boat into the category of cutters in spite of her center- 

 board. 



However, all this is of secondary importance. The question is, 

 Will Thistle win? If not, what will be the form of the challenger 

 which is sure to come next year? If so, what boat will Boston 

 build to retake the Cup next year? Should Volunteer prove victori- 

 ous, it will be consoling to national pride to dub her an American 

 sloop; but those who do so must at tne same time stand father to 

 the escapade of the other American sloop, Gracie, at Larchmont 

 last week. There is no holding to the one and disowning the 

 other. 



The fact that Thistle has proved to be considerably over 85ft. has 

 been used by a daily paper to work up a sensational report that 

 she would not be permitted to race, but the matter has been 

 amicably disposed of. A meeting was held on Friday to deter- 

 mine the final arrangements, at which Messrs. Paine, Bell and 

 Watson were present, with the Commodore and America Cup 

 Committee. After the meeting Com. Gerry made the following 

 statement for publication: 



"The Cup Committee had its attention drawn to the fact of a 

 reported discrepancy between the waterline of the Thistle as 

 stated bv the challenger in his original communication to the 

 club, and the actual measurement reported by the club measurer 

 on the 22d inst. It was contended by the challenger that in his 

 view of the construction of the deed of gift, the waterline was not 

 a necessary dimension that he was compelled to furnish with ac- 

 curacy. 



"The committee is of the opinion that it is a dimension under the 

 deed of gift, and in view of the precedent that would be established 

 by accepting either view of the case at this time.both parties desired 

 to submit the question to the umpire, which was done this evening 

 in writing. At the same time the Cup Committee stated that in 

 the event of the decision of the umpire being that there was an 

 irregularity in the entry of the Thistle which might preclude her 

 from competing under her challenge, a new challenge could be 

 immediately presented based on her present measurement, which 

 would be accepted bv them with like effect as if the accurate 

 waterline had been stated in the original communication from the 

 challenger. The umpire now has the matter under advisement, 

 and will render a decision some time to-morrow. In either event 

 it will not affect the present race." 



Ex-Com. Smith, of the Cup committee, who was also present, 

 spoke of the matter as follows: 



"There never has been any question about the race between 

 the Volunteer and Thistle coming off at the time appointed. The 

 only question that has been raised which has been most pleasantly 

 discussed on both sides is whether the dimensions named in the 

 deed of gift included length on the waterline. 



"The reason why it was discussed was that it was the intention 

 of this committee'to settle the question that the waterline length 

 was important , and that the precedent should not be established 

 that it was not necessary. 



"At the meeting of the committee to-night a letter was sub- 

 mitted from Mr. Bell to the chairman of the committee, and the 

 chairman of the committee, on behalf of the Cup committee, 

 made a presentation of the case in writing at the request of George 

 L. Schuvler, umpire of the facts in the case. 



"Mr. Bell also, by the request of the umpire, presented the case 

 from his standpoint, and all the papers were taken by the umpire, 

 who will make his decision to-morrow noon, when it will be 

 delivered to the chairman of the committee, who will authorize, 

 full publication of it in the daily press. The whole subject has 

 been discussed in the spirit of the utmost fairness and courtesy, 

 and it is believed that the decision which will be rendered by the 

 umpire will be satisfactory to all parties." 



The following letter was sent to Mr. Geo. L. Schuyler, the sole 

 survivor of the donors of the cup, and the umpire in the present 

 races: 



New York, Sept. 24, 1887. 



Mr. George L. Schuyler, Umpire: 



The following questions and facts are submitted to you by 

 the America's Cup Committee and Mr. James Bell for your 

 decision: , ' „ . , 



Does the Thistle, as now measured and offered to sail, corres- 

 pond with the particulars of dimensions furnished by the chal- 

 lenger within the requirements of the deed of gift? 



The deed of gift requires, "Accompanying the six months' 

 notice there must be a Custom House certificate of the measure- 

 ment and the statement of the dimensions, rig, and name of the 

 vbssgI. 11 



A letter from the challenger, dated March 16, 1887, inclosed a 

 Custom House certificate of the measurement and the certificate 

 ot Mr. G. L. Watson, dated March 14, 1887, as follows: "Length of 

 load waterline, 85ft.; breadth, extreme, 20 3-10ft.; depth of hold, 

 14 I-10ft. The two last measurements are from actual measure- 

 ments, but as the vessel is not yet afloat it is impossible to give 

 exactly the waterline length. This, however, is the designed 

 length, and when she is afloat and in racing trim I have no reason 

 to expect it will be more than an inch or two out either way." 

 Signed George L. Watson. 



» i A letter from William York, Secretary of the Royal Clyde 

 Yacht Club, dated March 16, 1887, states: "Length per register, 

 98ft.: breadth, 20 3-10f t.; depth, 14 l-10ft. I send also a statement 

 of the dimensions by Mr. G. L. Watson, her designer, giving, 

 although not required by the f ormalities of the deed of gift, the 



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length of the load waterline, which is as before stated in Mr. G. L. 

 Watson's certificate." 



Actual measurement of the Thistle by the club measurer, Mr. 

 Hyslop, on Sept. 22, 1887, shows the actual waterline to be 

 86 46-100ft, instead of 85ft.. as stated in the letter of March 16, 1887, 

 from Mr. William York, Secretary. 



Question— Is the variation sufficient to prevent the challenger 

 being entitled to a race for the Cup with the boat named? 



Is there a remedy? 



By order of the America's Cup Committee, 



James D. Smith, Chairman. 



Mr. Bell also submitted the following statement: In the letter 

 of challenge, dated March 16, 1887. it was stated that the Thistle 

 was in course of construction on the Clyde. She was sufficiently 

 advanced to be measured by the Custom House authorities, and 

 an official certified transcript from the Custom House register 

 was sent with a letter of challenge. This certificate gives the 

 length, breadth and depth of the vessel, and includes, as a matter 

 of course, the name and rig. Conditions of the deed of gift re- 

 quire the Custom House certificate of the measurement and a 

 statement of the dimensions, rig and name/of the vessel. Chal- 

 lenger considered the statement of dimensions given in his letter 

 of challenge and the production of the Custom House certificate 

 was full compliance with the terms of the deed of gift; but the 

 challenger supplemented this statement by one from the designers, 

 Messrs. G. L. Watson & Co., giving, to quote from the letter, 

 "although not. required by the formalities of the deed of gift, 

 length on the load waterline." 



The designer's statement of dimensions is qualified by the obser- 

 vation "as the vessel is not yet afloat, it is impossible to give ex- 

 actly the waterline length. This, however, is the designed length 

 and when she is afloat and in racing trim I have no reason to ex- 

 pect that it will be more than an inch or two out either way." 

 When launched, however, and with her equipment on board, her 

 waterline length was found to be 86.40ft. As the challenger ac- 

 cepted the measurement and time allowance of the New York Y. 

 C, which adjusts all differences of tonnage, and as the vessel had 

 to be measured in New York, exact waterline length did not seem 

 of any importance. 



Under the New York Yacht Club rules, which were mutually 

 accepted, competitors are at liberty to shift ballast up to 9 P. M. 

 of the day prior to the race, subject of course to after measure- 

 ment, which precludes the idea that in giving an approximate 

 waterline measurement the Thistle was tied down to a fixed load- 

 line length. Were the Thistle claiming to race at a waterline 

 length of 85ft., having 86 4G-100ft., there would be grave reason 

 for complaint, but the Thistle is tendered for measurement of 

 length and sail area as per New York Yacht Club rules, under 

 challenger's arrangement with your America's Cup Committee to 

 adjust the time allowance she was to receive or give. 



Sept. 24, 1887. 



Mr. Schuyler's reply reads as follows: 



New York, Sept. 34,1887. 

 James D. Smith, Chairman America Cup Committee: 



My reply to the questions submitted to me by your committee 

 and "Mr. Bell is as follows: 



The clause in the deed of gift, which requires besides Custom 

 House measurement, a statement of the dimensions of the vessel, 

 is intended to convey a just idea of the capacity of the same, with- 



out reference to any rule for racing tonnage which may be in 

 force at the time that the challenge was given. The length of 

 load waterline is an essential element. It was furnished by botn 

 the Genesta and the Galatea, and, had it not been given by the 

 Thistle, the committee should have demanded it before closing 

 the terms of the match. Mr. Bell did, however, furnish the load- 

 waterline of the Thistle, notwithstanding his misapprehension 

 of the necessity of doing so, for the reason, as stated by himself, 

 that if the information was withheld it would be impossible to 

 determine with any approach to accuracy the power of the boat, 

 the reason which proves the necessity of load water-line being a 

 factor in giving the dimension of the vessel as well as the desire 

 of Mr. Bell to do everything in his power to make a fair trial be- 

 tween the contestants for the cup. 



Your second question refers to the discrepancy between the load 

 waterline of the Thistle, as furnished by letter, March 16, 1887— 

 about 85ft.— and the actual measurement made in New York, 

 86.46ft. The length of load waterline of a vessel in commission is 

 accurately obtained, but before launching, as the case with the 

 Thistle, there was no course left to the owner but to apply to his 

 designer for the necessary information. This was done, and a cer- 

 tificate of the designer was forwarded, stating that "It was im- 

 possible, to give exactly the waterline length. This is, however, 

 her designed length, and when she is afloat and in racing trim I 

 have no reason to expect that it will be more than an inch or two 

 out either way." 



The importance of accuracy in giving the dimensions of a yacht 

 challenging for the Cup is so great that any decision reached in 

 any one case cannot be used as a precedent in any other which 

 may arise. A great error in any of the dimensions, whether 

 through mistake or design, would vitiate the agreement. A small 

 one should be governed by circumstances attending it and always 

 on the liberal side. Although the variation between the stated and 

 actual load waterline is so large as to be of great disadvantage to 

 the defender of the Cup, still, as Mr. Bell could only rely upon the 

 statement of his designer, he cannot in this particular case be held 

 accountable for the remarkably inaccurate information received 

 from him, and I therefore decide that the variation is not suffi- 

 cient to disqualify him from starting the Thistle in the race agreed 

 upon. Respectfully yours, George L. Schuyler. 



On reading the above Mr. Watson wrote the following for pub- 

 lication: 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



As Mr. Schuyler's reply to the Chairman of the America's Cup 

 Committee has been made public, and as that reply will doubtless 

 be printed by you, I would venture in my own defense to say a 

 word or two regarding the final paragraph, which reflects, in some 

 degree at least, on myself. 



Mr. Schuyler very properly exonerates Mr. Bell from all blame 

 in the matter, placing it, with perfect justice, on "his designer," 

 but as he previously implies that an error has been made, "through 

 mistake or design," it becomes necessary for me to protest against 

 at least half of this insinuation. 



While, then, the Thistle has been sailed in Britain, as she will 

 be here, at a line lower than her designed draft, and is conse- 

 quently, from her great overhang forward and aft, 1ft. 5^in. longer 

 than I intended or supposed she would be, I most emphatically 

 deny that I had any intention that she should bo longer or shorter 

 than the 85ft. she was designed for. She is a new type of boat, 



