The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-27


the yacht which many expect to
bring the Americas cup back TO
England. was launched this after
60 noon from Yarrow's yard at Black
wall. The launch was q most sue
cessful one. The only incident which
marred the event was the denting Of the
forward port bow by an officious tug,
which after the challenger was resting
In the water, clumsily ran too near in an
attempt TO cast a line for towing pur-
poses.
SO eager was the desire to be on the
spot when the yacht went off the ways
that some enthusiasts spent the entire
night in boats in front Of the shed. About
! o'clock Sir Thomas Liptons guests, who
included Admiral Of the Fleet Earl of
Clanwilliam, Countess Clanwillam, Lord
Charles Beresford, the Hon. c. Russell, /
the Marquis OF Dufferin and Ava, COM
modore of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club; !
Sir George and Lady Faudel Phillips, !
Right Hon. Herbert Gladstone. Hon. W.
Walsh and William Gibson, NJ, P, began
to arrive.
ABOUT g o'clock the christening party
mounted the steps to the stand which had
been erected under the bow WOrkmen
were busy removing the last remnant of
the sCaffolding and soon quiet took the
place Of hustle. Then was heard the
merry ring of the hammers upon the
hardwood wedges. 1t was at exactly 1913
o'clock that the faint echo of a cheer,
three times given, was heard from the
upper depths of the shed in which the
yacht lay yelled.
The eager crowd which had been wait
ing so patiently and so long under the
broiling sun at once accepted that cheer
as a token that the christening, which
a vas performed by Lady Russell, and that
~ he tOasting of success to the new boat
fwere over, and took up the cheer in right
lheaTty fashion, which was doubled in
volume as the yacht was seen to start
moving down She glided gently at first |
gaining speed but never rushing. Sitting
easily ana gracefully on her cradle, with !
crowd Of anxious Workmen leaning over |
her stern, the Shamrock slid down the |
1t had been said that the lines of the |
yacht would be concealed from view by |
a curtain till She was fully immersed, but |
shed in which she had been hiding during !
the period Of building it was seen that
only the stern was enShrOuded to hide her
from prying eyes and from cameras till !
she got into the water. and her graceful
lines and beautiful shape were revealed.
1t was truly q magnificent picture. Inc
only paint which showed was a broad
emerald green band round the upper por-
ton of the hull, with a narrow nodded
cord of gold. Then right down to the
keel the bare metal polished as smooth as
a mirror shone in the sun like brightly
Now the spectators could not but be
struck by the truth of what the expert,
who had been privileged to see the yacht
before, had said-that never before has
such a beautiful. such a perfectly modelled
Specimen of racer been launched in any
Of three Kingdoms, and that II the Sham
rock does not WreSt the muCh-cOveted
cup from its holders across the waters,
then this country need never try again. In
the opinion Of an expert with whom !
talked the Shamrock revealed herself as
a mixture of British and American de-
signs. Aft she is Herreshoff, forward she
Is Fife. In her aft part she is a Nigilant
over. again, and in her bow she is purely
of Fife design.
A few seconds after she emerged from
her shed the Shamrock struck the water.
Yet gently and without a splash SO
quickly ard so smoothly did she glide on
TO the bosom of the Thames that the
boats packed so closely around hardly
felt any swaying from the waves
caused by the displacement Of the water.
The excitement was terrific, and many
of the workmen in their boats, their coats
decked with emerald ribbons, Joined in a
chorus song about The Dear Little
Shamrock Of Ould Ireland in pure cock
neY accent.
Then there were shouts as a small boat
IN some unacCOuntable manner got over
turned and the Thames police dashed to
the rescue of two men struggling in the
water But that was nothing to the ex-
element which was created when, as the
Shamrock swung round, the tugboat tx
celsior was seen with full steam on, bear
ing straight down upon the yacht 10
catch a tow rope. The tug was trying to
turn, but would she clear the Shamrock
in time to save her from disaster? There
were shouts-yells, rather-of horror.
Back her-back her" frantically cried
hundreds of voices.
The Excelsior was turning her nose
away at the same time, but it was too
late to avoid collision. The shouts
6oa5s holding ddG pf their breafRs. Was tie
Shamrock to be smashed at her very
birth? Then the pent up emotion found
vent again in another chorus Of heart
rending yells Of mingled rage, dismay and
despair. The heavy tug was on the Sham
rock She struck her full on the port
1.f.wr~ f.rrs = och or az
would have occurred in collision with
an ordinary built vessel. 1t was rather
a dun sound and as the tug backed off
and the yacht recoiled from the blow 1t
was seen that there was no hole. no
break, but simply nasty dent left IN
OF soft, yet strong metal.
1t was a pathetic picture to see the
workmen aboard the yacht, who had
beautiful boat, shouting and wringing
their hands and running aft, shielding
disaster which to their frenzied minds
for a time seemed so serious What a
relief it was to find that the damage was
not serious and nothing but some ham
mering and polishing was needed to
remedy it. It was surely an exciting but
successful launch.
ing the yacht said: God bless you Good
luck to you. May you bring back the
cup! The great talent and skin of our
cousins across the seas are fully realized,
ard II Dame Fortune should decide
against us we will be the first to con-
eTatulate them on being possessors Of the
Ietter boat, and therefore entitled to all
the credit Of their victory: But 1 would
fain hope that the coveted trophy would
he brought back this time and find a
resting place with the old folks at home"
When the Shamrock was launched her
entire crew and large number Of work
mon were on board. The canvas screens
covered only about twelve feet of her bow
and stern. The three top plates, which
are made Of alloy, were painted pea green.
APelow that she was brilliant bronze, re-
-sefnbIing gold. The wetted surface was
cut away to the last inch.
The mystery in regard to her dimensions
were continued No official figures were
obtainable but a man who worked on her
saws her length over all is 125 feet, her
water line being IS feet, beam % feet and
F+ @ inches