The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-15

$780, 900 to lift that cup. But money is
not the only consideration, as brains
are needed, and there will be more
! brains put into this boat than some
people are aware of. Everything that
money and brains can devise will be
done to make her the most perfect
yacht that ever sailed. l know the diff
ficulties in front of us, and by no
means underestimate the task, but lift
that cup we WILL if skillful designing,
good workmanship and seamanship on
| our side can do il"
Sir Thomas says one of the rules of
his business life is never to deal with
an unsuccessful man. George L. Wat
son and Beaver Webb. the famous
British yacht-designers, have had
their boats repeatedly beaten in the
American cup contests. and so Upton
would not consider them for moment
when looking about for an architect
for the Shamrock. He took up a young
er and less famous man in William
Fife. jr., aged 49, who belongs to a race
winning family. commonly known
about Scotland as the Flies o. Fair
lie" Three generations of Flies have
built yachts for near a century at the
little town of Fairlie, on. the Ayrshire
coast, and the grandson, in the pres
ent manager of the yards, has turned
out number of winners. The Minerva
and the Canada are among his canvas
creations which have swept in to vic
tory in the American regattas, and Mr..
Fife cannot only built a yacht but
can handle her in service to the best
advantage.
1T was only after careful consider
alton that we decided to give the de-
signing order to Mr.. Fife. whom we
have every confidence in, and he thinks
he can justify it. Fife believes that
hithereto the best boat has won in the
cup contests said Mr.. Upton.
AN FRESHMAN FOR CAPTAIN.
The same rule of success has held in
naming Captain William O'Neiu to
skipper the new boat. He comes of
seafaring family and is counted the
samrteSt sailing master along <ne Irish
coasts, although his initial races on
the Thames in 1874 went against him.
and he wanted to leave his command
after the first defeat. Then his luck
changed, and for half dozen years he
kept his boat, the MyOsOtis, at the
head of the winninw list. Since then he
has almost steadily kept first place
with whatever boat he has been en-
gagged to captain, winning thirty prizes
in a single season with the Annasona,
a Fife cutter.
Il have laid down no new conditions
engagements to the holders of the cup"
continued Mr.. Upton. II know the
states well, and a fairer or more sports
manlike body of men never lived than
American yachtsmen. I am sure 1 shall
get fair play from them, as l know of
no place where a Britisher can go
where he will receive more true kind
ness or be better treated than at the
hands of our American cousins
SHAMROCK WILL BE LIGHT.
Information as to details of the
Shamrock will be closely guarded until
the new cutter is launched. The use of
aluminium in the hull of the Defender
saved the American yacht tons in
weight over the Vallkyrie III in 1895.
and probably gave Lord Dunraven his
defeat. Designer Fife has made a
study for years of the use of metal in
racers, and it is whispered about that
he will entirely match the Herreshoffs
of Rhode sland when it comes to saw
ing in weight. AS the Irish boat must
cross the Atlantic on It's own bottom
by the international rules, it must be
made several tons heavier than the
American vessel need be. The sham
rocks keel will be laid shortly now in
the Harland & Wolff yards at Belfast.
where the White Star liners have had
their building. She will be about ninety
feet in length, having a beam of near
twenty-five feet. will carry a canvas
spread approximating 1900 feet. and
every possible Improvement will be in
Guided in her makeup and equipment.
II necessary a balloon topsail will be
put on of the best Belfast bleached
linen, woven from the beautiful blue
fax grown on the hills of Antrim and
Down, in the native district of the Lip
ton family. The Shamrock stands to
cost 100000. twise as much more being
ready for those who make and operate
her, and for the incidental expenses of
The enterprise. Launching will be made
in June, according to present plans
The Valkyrie III is now lying in Gou-
rock bay, and it is likely the old and
the new contestants for the American
cup will spin about bit together.
SIR THOMAS WORTH 500, 900, GOO.
Twenty millions of dollars is what