Defender Picked

On board Vincent Astor's big Nourmahal, the America's Cup Committee ate and drank a good dinner, then sat down to decide the business once and for all. They picked Enterprise, skippered by Harold Stirling Vanderbilt, to defend the cup against Shamrock V. It was the decision everyone had expected, but they had not expected it so soon. After beating Weetamoe in light airs, Enterprise established herself by beating her again next day in the second of the final official trials, in a high sea and a racing wind. Yankee, racing Whirlwind, made better time than Enterprise that day, and was matched with Enterprise to see how the two would come out in moderate conditions. But bad weather--this time a calm--spoiled the race as it had spoiled five out of seven attempted tests. Enterprise was ahead when this last test was called off. "We feel," said Secretary Cormack of the Cup committee, "that she is the most dependable boat in all kinds of weather." Next day Enterprise flew all her flags in celebration. Skipper Vanderbilt went ashore, played a few sets of tennis but came back in time to take her out for a sail after lunch. Down came the sails of the three beaten sloops, their tenders pulled close to tow them away. Polite in defeat, the crews, skippers, and syndicates of Weetamoe and Yankee felt that if Shamrock V had stayed in New London instead of coming to Newport the trials might have gone on. Shamrock had scared the committee by showing what she could do in light winds. One day, out to stretch her rig, she whisked under her own power through the entire U. S. defense fleet which lay so becalmed that they had to have launches tow them into port. Meanwhile, Sir Thomas Lipton continued to live quietly on his yacht Erin, going ashore seldom, once to motor around Ocean Drive with Mayor Sullivan of Newport. Captain Ben Pine, owner of the fishing schooner Gertrude L. Thebaud, came to see him and Sir Thomas said he would put up a cup for the Gloucester fishing sloop races on Oct. 9.

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