The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-11
Americas New Cup Defender Is
Launched.
A BRILLIANT GATHERIN G
Five Thousand Spectators Saw Her
Plunge Into the Element on Which
She Will Battle for the SUI
premacy of the World.

90
O'Clock tonight, and as she started
down the ways. Mrs. Oliver G. Isein
christened her Columbia
The launching of the latest protector
of Uncle Sans sailing laure!s was prob
ably one of the most spectacular that
has ever occurred, for the light of day
had almost faded when she started
down the ways and three powerful cal
cium lights played upon her white stern
and shining golden underbody with
theatrical effect. AS she fairly cleared
the shed, a large silk American yacht
ensign was broken over her stern. the
colors of her owners appeared on a
small jury mast, stepped in place of the
regular mast and the New York Yacht
club pennant flew in the waist of the
boat. With the lights playing on the
flags and 20 or more of the crew lying
about the deck, the scene was filled
with animation and color. Ranged on
both sides of the dock were 5000 spec
tators, while off the end were clustered
so or more yachts of all kinds. so that
there were plenty of nose cheers, whs-
ties and guns to help out the brilliant
effect of the lights. Mrs. Iselin did her
part gracefully, surrounded by half Il
hundred society leaders of New York.
Providence and Boston and many
yachting friends.
The launching was a great success
from beginning to end, being attended
by only one unfortunate accident
among the spectators. new cup de-
fender is again af1oat and in a few
weeks will be ready to battle for the
yachting supremacy of the world.
While twice before in its history this
little town has felt the thrill accom-
panying the launching of an American
cup defender. the lowering into the wa
ter tonight of the beautiful sloop CO.
lumbia was nevertheless an event Of
great Importance to Bristol as well as
to the entire yachting world.
An hour before the launching the
big door that for weeks had screened
the back end of the shed was taken
down and for the first time the world
had chance to see the shining under
body of the boat Inside the shed,
assembled under the bow of the boat
| was the christening party, with Mrs.
Iselin as the central figure. while on
| the deck were 20 of the Columbia's
crew with one or two officers and Nat
Hereschoff.
| AT sos Mr.. Hereschoff gave the sig
| nal and the work Of lowering the boat
| into the water began. 1t took about
| 10 minutes to get her started, and at
| S:14 she was seen to move. There was
considerable creaking at first, and one
| or two short stops. but at S:19 shS be-
| gan to slide steadily, and then it was
| that Mrs Iselin dashed the bottle of
| champagne against her bow and said:
| Il christen thee Columbia
| AS the boat cast slowly out there
| was shouting by the crowd. Slowly
| the boat moved down the railing, and
| the place resounded with cheers and
| handclapping. When half the stern
| overhanging was clear of the shed
| half dozen of the new boats crew,
| who were lying on her deck, jumped
| to their feet and raised a magnificent
| American yachting ensign in the air.
| Then there was another bustling on
| the deck and a half dozen men raised
the white star and crescent above a
| red and black burgee, the colors of
| Commodore ]. Pierpont Morgan and
| Col. Oliver Iselin, respectively. Soon
that long, tapering bow was clear of
| the shed and on the extreme end a
staff bearing the New York Yacht club
| burgee was slipped into the socket.
Inch by inch the long, slim 2raft NOV
| ed down and the water soon tapped
| the metal rudder, which CLEANED like
| gold under the rays of the lights. and
| the water crept up until the rudder
head was completely submerged and
the keel was hidden from view.
| Just as the Columbia was about out
a distressing accident occurred. The
explosion of the can of flash light pow
| der blew leg and part of the head off
| Napoleon Sansouci, aged u Years.
| broke the legs of two other boys and
| severely injured several other persons.
| The photographer who caused the &C
cident selected the top of u snel, the
| roof of which was closely packed with
| boys. In pouring out the flash light
| powder, a grain must have been left
connecting the large can of explosive
| with the small quantity on the camera.
| AS the photographer touched The fuse.
| he shouted a warning, but there was
| no space in which the boys could move.
A terrific explosion followed, the entire
| shed collapsed, many women on 'ne
| wharves tainted from the shock and
| there was great excitement.
Policemen pulled the injured from
the wreck and carried them into the
ship yard office. The injured are all
Bristol boys and the occurrence has
cast a gloom over the Columbia s
| launching.
| The Columbia moved slowly down the
| railway and into the deep water of the
| bay. until a last she drew out from the
steel cradle and bobbed up and down
| with the gentle waves. She was then
swung in and moored alongside tho
| pier
| To the casual observer the Columbia
! resembles the Defender in many re
| spects. There is the same long over
| hang both forward and aft and the
| same deep underbody with tons of lead
| cast into a bulb-shaped keel at the very
| bottom.
A careful study of the hull reveals
| many points in which the new craft diff
| fers from the champion of '95. The Co
lumbia has a long. tapering- bow,
| rounding up gradually from the keel
| and ending in an extremely sharp point
| at the stem. The stern overhang is
| longer and f1atter than was the Defend
er's, and, in fact, the entire hull has
| the appearance of having much flat
| ter floor than did the older boat. Then
| the underbody is considerably shorter
at the foot than was that of the De-
fender and the lead is said to be cast
so that it gradually rounds out from a
| fCur-inch thickness to three feet
through at its widest part.
,aci5aDt 0f who has been