The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-09-30
Electric Burnlshsrs Discarded and Polishing
Is Being Done by Hand.
SHAMROCK AGAIN PAINTED GREEN.
Mar Undsrto1y Has Been Polished and Shs is
About Rssdy to Take The Wafer Again Yach.s
Will 60 Msasusi Monday.

X.
a particularly busy day for the crews
of both the American cup defender
Columbia. and the Irish challenger
Shamrock. From early morning, the
larger portion of the men on Colum-
bia were busy scraping and polishing
her metal underbody with sand paper
and oil. The electric burtnishers were
discarded after several trials, for the
men found that they could do the work
faster and better by hand. The bur-
nlsher did not leave the surface nearly
as smooth as when the work was done
by hand. either
Shamrocks underbody lis practically
finished, - far as polishing is con-
cerned. When Shamrock was first eX-
posed TO view. every one was of the
opinion chat her lead keel was not COW
cred with metal similar 10 the Column
bias. but when the underbody WAS
polished off. IL was seen that the lead
was protected by sheet copper, over
which n coating OF red anti-corrosive
paint had been put. Yesterday the
copper was polished up well. and the
bottom sheets were given a coat OF
dark red paint.
POLISHING COLUMBIA'S HULL.
The work OF polishing up Columblas
hull will take at least another day. as
at O'Clock yesterday afternoon, when
the men quit work. there was still con-
siderable surface about the bilges that
had not been touched. and as the men
do not work nights. as they do on |
Shamrock. IL will be well on to |
o'clock today before the underbody is /
given its final touches. The yacht Will |
not be fioated out Of the dock until /
Monday morning.
The new bobstay for Columbia has
arrived from the Bristol works and
Bigger Billman and his men went TO
work putting IL in place. The new
piece OF wire rope is about IL inches
in diameter. slightly larger than the
one which broke last week, and. as II
has been given 200-toD test before IL
was sent here from Bristol, N should
carry the boat through the races.
When the bobstay was secured at each
end the slack was taken up by turning
the bowsprlt outboard.- There is still
a chance to work the bowsprft six or
seven inches. and when the wire stay
stretches more. the slack will be taken
Nd.
THE TELESCOPE TOPMAST.
1t has been learned that Columbia's
relescopic topmast has more advan-
tages than being easy to house. The |
spar can be lowered clear TO the bot
tom of the hollow mast by means of |
wire gear running from inside the heel |
OF the mainmast TO the masthead. This |
wire rope is attached TO the foot of the |
1opmast, and by means OF a small |
windlass below decks the spar can be |
easily run up or lowered. The fact that
the topmast can be lowered clear to the
bottom of the mast does away with
fhe theory that the steel spar is brace
inside. In case of a blow, the weight OF
the pine topmast below decks will give
ahe yacht greater stability than IL IL
was housed in the old style One OF the
men stated that there was a saving in
weight of 200 pounds by having the top
mast come clear down inside the mast
In gale of wind, the telescope ar
rangement viii be far superior to the |
plan of housing the topmast outside the |
mainmast. as II is necessary to lash |
the spar when II is down. and that is |
not always easy.
WHITE PAINT FOR COLUMBIA.
The port side OF Columbia was given |
coat OF fresh white paint and the |
starboard side will be repainted today. |
The top sides of Shamrock were paint
ed a delicate shade of green also. so
that both craft will go into the races
as they were originally painted not
wpthstanding the theory that there was
q loss OF speed by so doing.
Capts. Archie" Hogarth and Bob"
Wringe We're among the most interest
ed specta tors who viewed Columbia i'm
dock at the navy yard During the af-
ternoon they examined the lines Of the
representative American yacht criti-
cally. accompanied by Capt. Charlie
Barr. Capt Hogarh said afterward
that the Columbia was the most slip
perry looking boat thai he had ever
seen. but still believed that Shamrock
was goof enough To beat her.
II know that her designer has turned
out the fastest boat than he can in CO.
luwbsa.' b. said land she certainly is
beauty. Whether or not she can de-
ftat Shamrock ! will not say as yet.
You must remember that We have the
fastest boat that has ever been sent
over for the cup and she has never vet
been tested. Personally, I believe she
Will carry the cup back although 7 can
understand why YOU Americans place
your money on Columbia she is a
magnificent boat. and it will require
our best efforts 10 defeat her. a feat
which we intend 20 perform"
sHAMRoCR's NEW BoBsTAY.
Besides repaintlng the topsldes and !,
occurring the hui of Shamrock there |
was considerable other work done abopt
The boat. Most important OF an was the
putting In Of 2 new bobstay made dou-
- Die an wound for over half its length
with marin. 10 prevent channg.
The cable was not as large In diam
eter as the new one put on Columbia
put ought 10 stand any strain that can
be put upon g.
There was slme talk about tho Erie
Basin that Shamrock would bo foated
out of the dock this afternoon. ana as
the craft is about ready 20 leave ,haro
may b some truth In the rumor bt4
John NJ. Hvsiop official ueasurar al /
the New York Yacht club. sad no /
would put the tape on the two boat.
next Monday morning.