The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-27
SHAMROCK is LAUNCHED
Collided With Barge in Mid
Stream.
THE DAMAGE WAS SLIGHT
Englishmen Are CONFIDENT That She
Is a Cup Winner The Hull Is
Remarkable Triumph
of Construction.

toms cup challenger, Shamrock. was
launched this afternoon at Millwall.
AS the Shamrock reached midstream
from the slips a barge collided with her,
striking the yachts bow above the
water line and making a big dent.
| Crowds of people, who had no chance
of seeing anything out of the ordinary,
assembled during the morning in the
vicinity of the yard and attachments
of police appeared to preserve order.
From the river little could be seen ex-
cept the stern of the yacht, where, in
bright golden letters, shone the name
Shamrock"
Previous to the launch Sir Thomas
Upton gave a lunch at the Savoy hotel
to the guests invited to the ceremony.
Ihey included Admiral Lord Charles
Beresford, the Marquis of Dufferin, the
Earl Es,raa and Countess of clanwillian, Lady
russell of Killowmen, the Hon.
Schomberg, Kerry Donnell, principal
private secretary to the Marquis OF Sal
lspury; Sir George Faudel-Phillips, for
mer lord mayor of London, and Lady
Phillips; Herbert Gladstone, Major
Sharman-C Crawford, the Hon. w. Walsh
and FL. NJ McGilldowney the last three
representing the Royal Yacht club.
After the usual toasts, Admiral
Beresford proposed the success of the
Shamrock and briefly sketched the
struggles Of times gone by, and Sir
Thomas Liptons gallant entry into the
breach and challenge for the cup
| After lunch the party drove to Samu-
das yard in two coaches, Admiral
Beresford driving the first, They We're
the object of much attention while pro-
ceeding down the Thames embankment
and through the city and Whitechapel
Lady Russell christened the yacht
with the customary bottle of cham
payne, saying: Il christen you Sham
rock. God bless you; good luck to you
may you bring back the cup"
/ three cheers were then given and on
| signal from Lady Russell, the boat
and the cradle glided into the water.
After the launch the party assembled
IN the adjoining tent and had tea. The
health of the Shamrock was drunk and
congratulatory speeches We're made.
ihere was great cry when the
Shamrock struck. But it was soon as
certained that the damage was slight
| and the yacht was lowed toward the
India dock, hundreds of whistles and
horns making a tremendous din.
When the Shamrock was launched,
her entire crew and large number of
workmen were on board. The canvas
! screens covered only about u feet OF
I
| plates, which are made of iron, were
painted pea green. u Below that she
| was a brilliant bronze, resembling, gold.
| The Wetted surface. was cut away to
| the last inch. The mystery in regard
| to her dimensions were continued. No
| official figures We're obtainable, but a
man who worked on her says her
| length over all is 125 feet, her water
| line IS feet, beam rs feet and draught
Is feet inches.
:;
in entering the Indian dock, but ulti-
| mately the Shamrock was safely
berthed in the upper basin, where her
spars are lying.
Sir Thomas Upton, who was in high
spirits, was asked a question regarding
the prospects of the yacht and he said
to reporter for the associated press:
1--WE have engaged to win back the
Americas cup. We have fairly extend
ed ourselves and if we are beaten, all
I can say is honor to the yacht which
is better than the Shamrock.
William Fife, jr., designer of the
Shamrock, remarked: C
Brains and all that careful thought
| and knowledge of naval architecture
can put into the yacht is there. Every
man of US Is satisfied that with a fair
field we shall give tight race to any
opponent The Shamrock goes round
to Southampton tomorrow or Wednes-
day for just those little arrangements
that a racing experience gives, and
then for the journey which we hope
will herald the cup"
Admiral Reresford said to repre-
sentative of the Associated Press:
81 consider the hull OF the Shamrock
to be a remarkable triumph of con-
struction. She is built on original lines
In the water she is not so striking as
out of it. In my opinion her under-
water construction is unique. Her ap-
parent great beam is necessary to sat
isfy the tremendous sea of canvas. 1t
is impossible to forecast the prospects.
Take the case of the Meteor, which is
an old craft, yet she is racing with
great success. The Shamrock's de-
signer and builder has proceeded on
the soundest lines for lightness and
speed, and If she is not the sWiftest
craft afioat I shall be surprised. But
we must recollect that the Americans
know a good craft and we can under
stand that their invention will run us
hard"
All Bids Rejected.