The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-18
COLUMBIA AGAIN
WINNER OF RACE
Sir Thomas LiptOn's Challenger
Loses on Forfeit
ACCIDENT TO SHAMROCK
Foretopmast Shroud in the
nip" Parted.
SP0RTSM 50 ARE DISAPPOINTED
80
-
| -
Considef : s fortunate That the Amer.
| lear Should be the Beuef-
of Such an Unto
ward Incident

N6W 1OTkj OClOOeT 1l.--IuG lOpIndSL Ol
the cup challenger Shamrock was carried
away twenty-five minutes after the big sim
gle-sticker had crossed the starting line to-
day, and her enormous club stills, with its
1900 feet of canvass, came rafting down on
the deck leaving her a hopeless cripple. No
amount of pluck or courage could face such
a catastrophe, and Captain Hogarth imme-
diately abandoned the race, towing back to
the anchorage after he had cleared away
the wreckage. The Columbia continued
over the course alone, placing to her credit
the second of the races for the Americas
cup.
The accident to the Shamrock ruined the
race and caused the keenest regret among
the yachtsmen and the thousands of sight
seers who were on hand TO witness what
had promised to be a glorious duel 1t is
unfortunate that the defender should be
the beneficiary of an accident, as there is
little glory in beating a cripple, but the
rule is iron-clad. If crippled before the
start, time for repairs is allowed, but once
over the line If anything carries away the
sufferer must make such repairs as he can,
or if rendered hors du combat as the Sham
rock was today, he must take the conse-
quences. There is good sense and logic be.
hind the rule. The races are test of con-
struction as we'll as design and speed and
seamanship.
Iselin Had No Alternative
Doubtless If Mr. Iselin could have had his
choice in the matter he generously would
have declined to continue in view of the
crippled condition of his rival, but rules
gave him no alternative. He was in duty
bound to go on and he finished we'll
within the time limit, the race was his,
Had the accident not occurred, however, 1t
is believed the Yankee boat would have re,
peated the beating she gave the challenger
yesterday. During the twenty-five minutes
the yachts sailed she had gone through the
Shamrock lead like a streak and had estab7
Hshed a lead of more than three hundred
yards on the weather bow
When the Puritan fouled the Genesta on
the inside course in 1887, carrying the chal-
lenger's bowsprit and topmast, although
the race was at his mercy under the rules,
Lord Richard Sutton magnanimously re-
fused to claim it. To avoid just such con-
tingency in which the beneficiary of an acci-
dent is always reluctant to claim his rights,
a special clause was added to the rules this
year, leaving absolutely no option in the
matter. This clause was signed by Sir
Thomas Upton and Mr. Isein few days
before the date of the first attempt to race.
The accident today shows what a delicate
machine a racing yacht is nowadays, and
how close to the limit of safety 1t Is built.
1t is superlatively light structure,
weighed down by enormous ballast TO carry
the gigantic spread of canvas The most
delicate and scientific adjustment or
weights is required. The simple breaking
of stay today wrecked the Shamrock.
The wire backstay of the top mast which
helps to support the slender spars gave
way and this support removed, her Oregon
pin topmast, as big as telegraph pole, 6V
feet long and IA inches In diameter, snapped
off like match just above the lower mast
cap. This mast which was not only sup
porting the pressure of 15-knot breeze
against her big kite, but was also sustain
ing the crushing weight of the sail itself
and the two club sail yards, each 40 forty
feet long. :.
VIII Have New Topmast
Later in the afternoon the Shamrock was
towed up to Erie basin in the upper bay.
A new topmast will be sent up tomorrow
and she will be remeasured. She will
probably be taken out for a spin tomorrow
to try her new stick and the third race of
the series will be sailed on Thursday. This
race will again be over windward ana
leeward course, and If the Columbia wins
the series will have been completed WITHOUT
giving the Shamrock an opportunity 10 test
her merits in her favorite point OF SAILING,
over triangular course.
Never was there more magnificent starr.
The Shamrock finally got the Columbia un-
der her lee two minutes before the start,
and try as the defender would, she coulQ
not shake off her rival. Both were on the
porttack to the southwark of the lfghtship.
Finally, when but seventy seconds res
ma ined, the Columbia bore around beauu-
fully, while the Shamrock simultaneously
tackled in the other direction, and thus
making two divergent circles they came
around on the starboard tack and headed
for the line A collision was inevitable had
they approached each other at an acute
angle under the lee of the hghtship. But
the Shamrock established an overlap and
the Columbia had to keep off, and almost
together they bounded away in the smoke
of the gun, SO close that a sailor might have
stepped from one boat to the other.
The Shamrock was perhaps half length
ahead and in the wlndward berth. Both
had their sheets trimmed straight aft, and
as she went across the Columbia set her
baby jib topsail. IT was broken out and
sheeted home in eight seconds. But the
smartness of the Yankee boat in setting Its
sail did not compensate the patriots for the
disappointment they suffered on account Of
the Shamrock's superior generalship In get
ting the weather guage. But their dis
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