The record-union., 1899-09-28
The Shamrock Went Into the Dry
Dock Yesterday
To Receive Her Finishing Touches Before
Sailing for the America S Cup.
This Forenoon the Columbia Will
Also Be Docked and Put in
Final Condition for the Inter
national Event-A Description
Of Sir Lipton's Cutter.

NEW YORK, Sept. 27-The Sham
rock was to-day safely dry docked at
Erie Basin. Every precaution was
taken to prevent mishap to the big
cutter, and twenty minutes after she
was warped into position over the
twelve blocks at the bottom of the dock
her keel was resting securely in place.
There was no attempt to hide the lines
of the yacht from view.
The Shamrock lay alongside the part,
ly burned steamer Bucaros all night,
and early this morning her crew was
put to work scraping off the green
paint that covered her top sides, ex-
posing the true metal underneath. Just
what metal these two upper steaks OF
plates are composed of is a secret, but
it looks much like composition OF
aluminium and nickel, very light and at
the same time very strong.
At the time the Shamrock's keel
touched the blocks there were about
twelve feet of water from the blocks
to the surface, which makes her
draught about the same figure, or an
inch or two less. The crew was at once
put to work in two squads scrubbing
the nun WIFI UTuSIltS.
The experts expected to see some
thing new and radical departure from
the old type of English cutter. The
Shamrock can be described as vessel
with a Britannia body and a Defender
fin and lead, including the latter's rock
keel, but with greater draught than
either. There is nothing particularly
handsome about the cutters lines, eX-
cept that they are all curves there be-
ing no straight lines except from the
turn of the guard boards to the lead
In comparison with the Columbia, the
Shamrock is fuller-bodied, especially
amidships. has about foot more beam
and a draught about 10 inches greater.
Her overhangs are shorter, SO that the
| lines of her are not SO we'll carried
out as in the Columbia, and, being
short, increase the look of bulkiness.
Then she is higher sided than the cup
defender.
The Shamrock carries more sail than
the Columbia, as her mast is stepns@sd
about two feet farther aft, giving hef
more headsail, while the mainsall is
also larger than the cup defenders.
| The Shamrock's amidship sections are
| continuous curves from the deck lines
| to the turn of the cardboard. Her bllge
hardens greatly at the quarter just op-
posite to the Columbia's, and gives one
the impression that it will retard her
progress in sailing.
/ Amidships the Columbia has a line
almost straight from the bilge to gar
| board. giving her fiatter floor, while
the Shamrock is full and round.
When the lead keel was exposed 1t
was found to be unlike the Columbia S,
| in that it is unprotected by bronze. 1t
| is painted with a, sort of red compost
/ ton to protect it from the action OF
/ the salt water, but the crew had con-
! siderable work in cleaning off the
| Shiny coating.
The Columbia left her moorings at
New Rochelle at noon, and was toWed
/ through HelPs Gate and East River,
arriving at the navy yard before dark
She will be put in the dock early to-
morrow morning, at slack water, 1T IS
said, which will be about 8 o'clock.