1911 Harmsworth Trophy

Huntington Bay, Long Island, New York, September 4, 5, 1911

The British International Cup [1]

The necessity for altering the conditions and rules of the British International Cup has been apparent for some time and the matter was discussed after the last race for the cup in August, 1910, at Larchmont, U.S.A. Since that time negotiations have been carried on by the Motor Boat Club of America and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, and the following conditions have now been agreed upon by the Motor Boat Club of America (the holders), the donor, and the Royal Motor Yacht Club as trustees:

  1. The trophy shall be for International competition, and the trustees of the trophy shall be the Royal Motor Yacht Club of Great Britain.
  2. The trophy shall be competed for in every year, and at such time and place as hereinafter appears.
  3. There shall not be more than three boats representing each country.
  4. Boats representing a country shall be selected by the recognized club of that country. The recognized club of Great Britain and Ireland shall be the Royal Motor Yacht Club; the recognized club of France shall be the Automobile Club de France; the recognized club of Germany shall be the Kaiserlichter Yacht Club; the recognized club for the United States shall be the Motor Boat Club of America. If there shall be any dispute as to what is the recognized club of any country other than those named above for the purposes of this race, the trustees shall decide, and their decision shall be absolutely final.
  5. Each competing boat shall be constructed wholly in every respect in the country it represents.
  6. No limitation shall be placed on the form or description of the motive power employed, provided that the motive power is wholly mechanical, and also provided that its propelling mechanism acts only in or against the water.
  7. Each Boat shall carry not fewer than two hands, of whom the helmsman shall be a member of the competing club, and all hands shall be natives or naturalized subjects of the country which they represent.
  8. The recognized club of the country holding the trophy for the time being shall make all the necessary arrangements for the holding of the race, and shall bear the cost relating to such arrangements.
  9. The race shall be run under the Racing Rules of the Association Internationale de Yachting Automobile, except that where the said racing rules conflict with these conditions, or with the rules hereinafter set out, or with any modification of such rules made hereafter, the latter shall prevail.
  10. Rules affecting the conduct of the race and restricting the length and nature of the course, the measurements and equipments of the boats, size or horsepower of the engines, and all such rules and regulations as are necessary for the proper conduct of the race shall be settled by a committee composed of one representative of the Royal Motor Yacht Club, one representative of the donor, and one representative of each of the recognized clubs of the countries which competed in the last previous race for the trophy. In the event of any alteration in the rules being required or necessary, such alteration shall be made within three months of the last race, or before a challenge has been received by the country holding the trophy, whichever period shall be longer. No alteration shall be valid unless agreed upon unanimously by the members of the committee, except where the only objector is the representative of the country holding the cup, in which case the question shall be referred to the donor or his representative for the time being present at the meeting of the committee, whose decision shall be final.
  11. All questions and protests arising out of the running of the races shall be dealt with by an International Commission composed of one representative of the recognized club of each country competing in the race, and one representative of the donor. In the case of an equal division of votes the representative of the donor shall have a casting vote. The proceedings of the International Commission shall be conducted in the English language.

[Transcribed from the Times of London, Jan. 24, 1911, p.16.]

(Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page — LF)