The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-07
C0LUMBIA'S PROGRESS.
THE RACER Is TO BE LAUNCHED
SATURDAY JUNE 10.

Bristol. r. l., June S.-Telegrams have
been passed between c. oliver Iselin ana
Nathaniel c. I1crrashon the last few days
concerning the tine il viii take TO rig the
Columbia after she is launched.
At announced exclusively in the Mail
and Express Monday. the new racer will
MOI be launched June s. Il is now definite
" settled to put her overheard June 10.
This wiz give her but three weeks to pre-
pare for the official trial races with the
Defender. ard the Latter viii have the
advantage, inasmuch as she is preparing
right along now.
Attempt to steal Designs.
An attempt 10 steal the plans Of the Co
lumbia was made a week ago by two we'd
dressed men, who, it has been learned,
followed Nat Ferreshon from this city
10 Providence.
The designer had occasion to go to New
York with number OF the most import
ant blue prints of the Columbia. He was
accompanied by an acquaintance, VINO
happened to be going TO New York. too.
At the new depot in Providence the de-
signer while purchasing his ticket, laid
the blue prints down on a rack, which is
placed in front of the ticket window for
the use OF travellers bags. The shorter
OF the two men stepped up and asked the
railroad agent a question and picked up
the blue prints. The designer was count
ing his change at the time, and did not
miss the prints. The gentleman who was
with him did, however, ard made the man
give up the blue priuts. There was some
talk of placing the fellow under arrest.
but the designer refused to listen to it.
Il haven't time TO bother with courts"
he said.
Since then il has been discovered that
The two men were in the pay of a news
paper.
The sailing master of one of the yachts
now here is authority for the statement
that the Herreshoffs are not as sauguine
now as they were several months ago
that the Columbia viii walk away from
the Defender in their trial races next
month. This change or opinion is due TO
the many radical and beneficial improve
ments made in the old champion, and the
addition of a new steel mast is not included
among these. This steel mast is looked
upon as an experiment by the great yacht
builders rather than an Improvement The
Herreshons are opposed TO the idea of
Steel mast and it is their wish that the
plan be tried on the Defender rather than
the Columbia.
The last Valkyrie had a steel mast los
feet in height and TWO inches in diameter.
1t was hollow. but strengthened by numer-
Gus braces. Such spar had never been
used on a big racing yacht. While II got
rid OF more than a ton Of dead weight
aloft and increased he opportunity 10 APP
ply more sailing power, without additional
ballast, its tensile strength was always
questioned by American experts, who pre-
faa1 sar,F.~
way would have disastrous effect upon
he winning chances of the craft. Mr.
Iseln thought, however that as a steel
mast had never been fully tested by the
Nalkyr.e while here it might be wise to
experiment with one on the Defender. In
The event Of il being proved advantageous
on that craft the Columbia will be given
one TOO.
The COIdmbia'S MaSts.
The first mast OF the Columbia swathed
in old canvas. Is living on the pier head
adjoining the south construction shop.
Those who saw 1t before il was shipped
from Boston say it is most remarkable
piece Of oregon pine. This mast VIII be
stepped between frames Nos. "a and 26
on the Columbia or about twenty-eieht
feet aft of the face of the stem. The
workmen finished to-day the job of setting
$50 inches. Frames Nos. % and 26 have
been deliberately tied to Withstand the
strain of the spar, which Is said to weigh
1.640 pounds. as against 6.239 of the steel
mast Of the Defender. No matter what
may have appeared in print as to the
exact measurements of the two sticks"
il can be stated authoritatively that the
steel spar Of the Defender is exactly 100
feet in length as against 40 feet measur-
ed for the oregon pine of the Columbia
From the deck to hounds on the latter
the figures win show 70 feet, the hoist
being about 81 feet inches. The topmast
from heel to hounds measures GO feet
with pole of feet. making an over ali
Of 60 feet. The main boom, which, with
the gaf, formed of BIG steel
shell and is 1903 feet inches long, the
gan being g. feet inches. The spinnaker
boom is "A feet and the bowsprit outbound
81 feet, with n diameter of 1872 inches
The spreaders are IA feet long. All the
spars have been or will be cut here, so
they will not be The same measurements
as when they left Boston.
The blocks to be used by the new boat
will not be aluminium sheaves, as in the
case of the Defender The shells are of
ash and the strappings and pins are steel
plate. Extra fastenlngs inboard have
been planned for the bowsprit because of
the promise Of great strain from the
headsails on that spar. This bowsprit
viii be set into two cyclinders of steel.
the heel resting in the after cycllnder.
which is bolted to the deck five feet three
inches abaft the first cyclinder, which IS
in position In the bow directly over No. :
frame.
Details of the Deck.
All the deck planks have been turned
out of the sawmill aud planning mill here
and the next four days probably viii see
the completion of the planking. The riv-
citing OF the bronze tie plates TO the deck
beams is nearly finished The deck plans
which are of Michigan white pine. are tive
ana seyen-eigths inches in width ana tive
and one-eight inches in depth The
greatest care was taken IN the selection
Of the wood.
AS in The case of the Nisilani the Co.
lumba's cabin floor beams are Of anglc
bars, and quite heavy.
Thus far the deck laying has been ear.
ried forward as rapidly as the interior
work would permit Any delay has beer
due 20 the finishing OF the two steel COLI.
sion buikheads, the braces, deck beam,
and steel straps. which job is not Ne
CUm0lafed The seams Of thnt porfiNr