The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-07-19
SHAMROCK A WINNER
In the Race Against the Prince of
Wales Yacht Britannia.
CHALLENGER WAS NOT PUSHED.

Though Sir Thomas Lipton's Yacht
Came In Thirteen Minutes Ahead of
Britannia It Is Believed That She
Could Easily Have Done Better.
Southampton, July 19.-Sir Thomas
Lipton's yacht Shamrock yesterday de-
feated the Prince of Wales Britannia
in a 40 mile race. The Shamrock COW
cred the distance in 3h., Ann, Sos, and
the Britannia came in 13 minutes later.
The Prince of Wales was on board his
yacht during the race.
As the starting gun doomed the
Britannia Immediately crossed the line,
the Shamrock following in a way to
give the impression that she had no OBJ
lection to giving the Britannia slight
lead. The latter, however, did not long
maintain this advantage. 1t was a dead
beat to windward, and little distance
was covered before the Shamrock, which
started on the short leg to port, over
hauled her, and on the following long
leg to starboard the Shamrock forged
ahead rapidly. 1t was at once noticed
that she was sailing nearly half point
nearer to the wind than the Britannia.
The Shamrock was carrying her main
sail jib headed, topsail jib and foresail.
The Britannia carried the same canvas,
but in addition her club topsail. The
Shamrock was half a mile ahead pass
! ing Warner.
Hogarth was at the helm of the chal-
| lenger. The boat held up admirably,
and there was not a drop of water on
| deck. She proved extremely quick in
putting about, taking only 102 seconds.
/ r. -,
of the Shamrock and Britannia at the
various points and the times at the
finish of the race it does not appear
that the Shamrock has a great chance
of winning the Americas cup. Those
signs, however, may be deceptive. 1t
was the opinion of those who closely
watched the race from the steamer fol-
lowing the yachts that the Shamrock
was never pushed to her utmost in the
trial, and that Mr.. Fife, the designer
of the yacht, who practically engineer
ed the contest on behalf of Sir Thomas
Upton, merely desired to ascertain
whether the Shamrock could show the
Britannia a clean pair of heels. He
had no DESIRE however, to let every
one into the secret of the actual merits
or best speed of the challenger.
Confirmation of the foregoing opin-
ion is found in the fact that while the
Britannia carried every possible stitch
of canvas, the Shamrock was running
before the wind from Nab lightshir
to the Solent bank buoy, and only had
her jib headed with the topsail instead
of the club topsail, like the Britannia
and that on the broad reach home from
the Solent buoy the Shamrock lowered
her jib topsail, which would have been
of material assistance had her shippers
really wished to show her at her best
Mr.. Fife and Mr.. jameson were or
board the Shamrock, but~SSir Thomas
Upton followed on board the Erin
which, with few yachts and one soil
tary, but crowded excursion steamer
escorted the racers around the course
The fresh breeze that was blowing
at the start dropped somewhat, but re-
vived sufficiently to bring the racers
home at a spanking pace and proved
an excellent wind from the racing
point of view, as it enabled the crack
to be tested as to three points, namely
beating to windward, running anC
reaching The Shamrock showed t,
the best advantage beating to wind
ward and gained six minutes on thu
Britannia in the eight miles peat TO tn'
Nab lightship from the start, although
beating is considered one of the Britain
MAS strong points. On the run bacl
to Cowes the Shamrock's gain was les'
perceptible, considering the distance
about Is miles, but the Shamrock diC
not set her club topsail, and so did no
do her best. On the reach home tn,
Shamrock did better, and could evi
IDENTIFY have done the distance in mucl
shorter time if she had been put upOl
her mettle.
The Shamrock is decidedly the fast
est boat ever launched in these waters
No other craft ever gave the Britannia
such beating on a fair sailing trial
,, The opinion was freely expressed tha
the Shamrock did not appear to be 81
) we'll handled as the Britannia, whicl
was in the hands of the veteran Car
ter.