Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-10-19
VICTORY is FAIR
The Articles Covered the Con-
tingency That Arose.
RACE IS A TEST OF CONSTRUCTION
AS Well as of the Boats Sail
Ing Qualities.



No Complaint.
New York, Oct. 1e. Tho topmast Of
the CUP challenger Shamrock broke 20
minutes after the big single. sticker
had crossed the starting line OF the i'm
ternational race, yesterday, and her
enormous clubtopsail with it's 1900
feet of canvas, came lattling down on
the deck, leaving her q hopeless cripple.
No amount of pluck or courage could
face such catastrophe and Capt.
Hogarth Immediately abandoned the
race, his boat being towed back to the
anchorage after his men had cleared
away the wrecknge
The Columbia continued over the
course alone, putting to her credit the
second of the races for the Americas
CUP.
The accident to the Shamrock caused
tho keenest regret among the yachts
men and the thousands of sightseers
who were on hand 10 witness what had
promised to DO glorious contest. 1t
is unfortunate that the defender should
have been the beneficiary of an acct
dent, as there is little glory in beating
cripple, but the rule is iionclad. If
crippled before the start. time for re-
pairs is allowed, but once over the line,
if anything breaks, the sufferer must
make such repairs rs he can, or, if rem
dered helpless, as the Shamrock was,
he must take the consequences.
1achtsmen say there is good sense
and logic behind the rule. The races
are test Of construction as well as
design and seamanship. Doubtless if
Mr.. q. Oliver Iselin, managing owner
Of the Columbia. could have had his
choice, he would have declined to con.
tinue in view of the crippled condition
of his rival, but the rules gave him no
alternative. He was in duty bound to
go on, and as he finished we'll within
the time limit the lace was his.
Had the accident not occurred it is
believed that the American boat would
have repeated the beating she gave the
challenger Monday. During the 20
minutes the yacht sailed she had gone
through the Shamrock's lead like a
streak and had established lead of
more than 800 yards on weather bow.
When the Puritan fouled the Genesta
on the inside course in 1887, carrying
away the challenger's bowsprit and
topmast, although the race was at his
mercy under the rules, Lord Richard
Sutton, owner Of the Genesta, magnani-
mously refused to claim it. To avoid
just such contingency, in which the
beneficiary of an accident is always
reluctant to claim his rights, special
clause was added to the regular rules
this year, leaving absolutely no option
in the matter. This clause was signed
BY Sir Thomas Upton and Mr.. Iselin a
few days before the date of the first
attempt to race.
The accident to the Shamrock shows
what delicate machine racing yacht
is nowadays and how close to the limit
of safety she is built She is superla-
lively light structure, weighed down by
enormous ballast to carry n gigantic
spread OF canvas. The most delicate
and scientific adjustment of weights is
required.
The simple breaking of a stay wrecked
the Shamrock. The wire backstay Of
the topnast, which helps to support
the slender spars, gave way and, this
support removed, tho Oregon pine top
mast, as big as TELEGRAPH ic POLE, so
feet long and IA inches in diameter,
snapped off like match Just above the
lower mast cap.
LuiS luhbb WAS HOt uDlv supporting
tho pressure of a l5-knot breeze against
its big kite, but was also sustaining
the crushing weight of the sail itself
and the two eiubtoEsail yards, each 40
feet long.
Soon after the accident to the Sham
rock some one suggested TO Sir Thomas
Upton the hope that the wind would
die out, and that tho race might not be
Inst m tho Oh onrnatr altar n II
II wish for nothing OF the kind"
said Sir Thomas, emphatically; under
the conditions governing the contest
We have lost this race rs fairly as if we
had gone over the course without a
mishap and the other boat had finished
first.
II would not under any circum-
stances wish or consent that this race
be sailed again, as | have no doubt the
Columbia will cover the distance within
the time limit. -
Later in the afternoon the Shamrock
was towed to the Erie Basin, in the
uppor bay. A new topmast will be sent
up and the boat will be remeasured.
This race, like the first one, will be
over a windward and leeward course,
and if the Columbia wins, the series
will have been completed without
giving the Shamrock an opportunity to
test her merits in her favorite point of
saiing-over a triangular course.
The Columbia made fine race OF it.
pluokily holding on to her club topsail
throughout and setting her balloon lib
in the final reach for home. Her time
was little short of marvellous. She
covered the course in hours and 81
minutes; the beat 10 miles to wind
ward In l hour, 80 minutes and II
seconds; the reach to the second mark
in So minutes and SO seconds, and the
last leg in l hour minutes and 80
seconds.
As she crossed the finish line she let
go her headsaiis. and one of tie Deer
Isle sailors treated the spectators to an
exhibition Of daring as he climbed out
over the peak halyard so feet in the air
to loose the cubtopsail.
DOPER.