The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-10-18
AGAIN COLUMBIA .VINS1
Shamrock Compelled to Quit on
- Account Of an Accident.
DUB YACHT SAILS COURSE ALONE

According to Agreement She Was Com
PEELED to Continue, Regardless Of
Shamrock'sM ishap-Made Remark
able Run Over the Triangular Course
New York. Oct. 1S.-The topmast Of
the cup challenger Shamrock carried
away rs minutes after the big single
stickers had crossed the starting line
yesterday, and her enormous clubsail.
rafting down on the deck, leaving her
a hopeless cripple. No amount of
pluck or courage could face such a
catastrophe, and Captain Hogarth i'm
1mediately abandoned the race, towing
the yacht to the anchorage. The Co.
lumbia continued over the course
alone, placing to her credit the second
of the races for the Americas cup.
The accident to the Shamrock ruin
ed the race and caused the keenest re-
gret among the yachtsmen and the
thousands Of sightseers who were on
hand to witness what had promised to
be glorious duel. 1t Ia unfortunate
that the defender should have been the
beneficiary Of an accident, as there
Is little glory in beating cripple, but
the rule is ironclad. II crippled be-
fore the start time for repairs 10 al
lowed, but once over the line II any
thing carries away the sufferer must
make such repairs as he can, or, II
rendered hors de combat, as the Sham
rock was yesterday, he must take the
consequences. There Is good sense and
logic behind the rule. The races are
a test Of construction as well a. de-
sign and seamanship. Doubtless II 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 the
rules gave him no alternative. He
was In duty bound to 60 on, and as
he finished well within the time limit
the race was his. Had the accident not
occurred, however, it is believed that
the Yankee boat would have repeated
the beating she gave the challenger
on Monday.
During the rs minutes the yachts
competed Columbia had gone through
the Shamrock's lead like a streak and
had established lead of more than
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
refused to take the advantage given.
To avoid just such condition, in
which the beneficiary of an accident
Is always reluctant to claim his rights,
special clause was added to the reg
ular rules this year, leaving absolutely
no option in the matter. This clause
was signed by Sir Thomas Upton and
Mr.. Iselin few days before the date
Of the first attempt to race.
Yesterdays accident shows what a
delicate machine racing yacht Is
nowadays, and how close to the limit
of safety it is built. 1t is superla-
lively light structure, weighted down
by enormous ballast to carry the gi-
gantic spread Of canvas. The most
delicate and scientific adjustment of
weights is required. The simple break
ing OF a stay yesterday wrecked the
Shamrock. The wire backstay OF the
topmast, which helps to support the
slender spars, gave way, and this sup
port removed her Oregon pine topmast,
as big as telegraph pole, 60 feet long
and IA inches in diameter, snapped off
like match just above the lower mast |
cap This mast was not only support
ing the pressure of IL knot breeze
against her big kite, but also sustain |
ing the crushing weight OF the sail it.
self, and the two club topsail yards,
each 40 feet long.
Later in the afternoon the Shamrock
was towed up to the Erie basin in the
upper bay. A new topmast was sent |
up today, and she was remeasured
The third race of the series will be |
sailed tomorrow. This race will again
be over a windward and leeward
course, and If the Columbia should win
the series will have been completed
without giving the Shamrock an op-
portunity to test her merits in her ia
vorite point of sailing over triangular
course-reaching.
The day had promised a glorious
contest. There were only gray neutral
tints in the morning, but hard strong
IL knot breeze out of the east kicked
up the white caps, and the wind and
tide helped to pile up the tumbling
waters. The pulses of the sportsmen
throbbed in anticipation, and q big ex-
Cursion feet went out to witness the
second duel between the Columbia and
the Shamrock. 1t looked like blow
such as the Shamrock is reported to
have been praying for, and the S.. iors
of the Irish boat made everything snug
aloft in anticipation Of an increase in
The wind.
Never probably was there more
or exciting start in cup
contest, and the Irishman carried off
the honors. Shamrock crossed the
starting line at Ills, and Columbia
Just two minutes later. At 1124 the
accident happened to Shamrock, and
she was t0wed to her anchorage. At
his time Columbia was an eighth Of
mile to windward of the challenger.
Followed by the excursion fleet Co
umbia continued over the course
alone, and crossed the winning line at
,:37:17.
Columbia's time was little short of
She covered the course in
, hours and 81 minutes; the beat 10
niles to windward in l hour, 80 min
ties and II seconds; the reach to the
second mark in SO minutes and So sec
onds, and the last leg in hour, 8
minutes and so seconds.
|
Sending Spaniards to Cuba.