The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-23
THE YACHT is DISMAS1ED
The Wreckage Crashes by Edward
Into the Sea.
THE SHAMROCK / COMES TO THE RESCUE
Caught by the SquaII She is HopeIessIy Grip
pied. The Erin Then Appears and The
Royal Party is Transferred
to Her Deck.
(By the Associated Press.)

Southampton, May 22.-The cup chal-
lenger Shamrock II, with King Edward
and party on board was totally dis
masted today by a squall, off CoWes,
Isle of Wight. The King, who was on
deck, had a miraculous escape. The
topmast, mainmast and bowsprit were
broken short of.
The yachts were to have been sent
today reaching over triangle course
similar to the cup series. There was
fine. fresh, easterly breeze driving a
short, white tipped sea up the channel
when the three yachts set their cInp
topsails shortly afternoon and pro-
ceeded to the starting point
King Edward desiring to take more
active part in the proceedings than was
possible from the deck of the Erin.
was taken on board the challenger, ac-
companied by Sir Thomas Upton and
two ladies. While the yachts We're
manoevering for the start squat came
without the slightest warning, and the
bowsprit Of the challenger was carried
away short. The extra strain thus
thrown on the topmast proved too
and doubled off to leeward, carrying the
whole weight of the backyard and gear
over the side in terrible tangla. Al
most as the topmast fell, the great
steel mainmast, weighing more than
two TONS and carrying spars and gear
weighing an additional three or four
tons, swayed for a moment and then al
most by a miracle, plunged over the
f,,t1 +I,n q ri,
ping, tearing sound of breaking WOOD
and tearing gear in the air.
The members of the royal party were
seated on deck, close to the champion
way The King was showing keen
pleasure, watching the fight which Cap
tain Sycamore was making for the adj
vantage at the start The yacht was
racing along at a formidable angle, and
the sloping deck, with a mere fringe
of rail, seemed rather perilous 2laC"
for the accommodation of the visitors
AS the wreckage swept the deck il
was most astonishing that no one was
injured. For a moment or two the sit
uation appeared to be very grave. The
King maintained his composure.
Within five seconds of the disaster
the Shamrock / bore around to render
assistance. when she in turn was
caught by the squall and her gaff and
topsail spars collapsed, leaving hag
helplessly crippled.
The press tug following the racers
ranged alongside the helpless yachts
and a torpedo boat which was in the
vicinity, and the sybarita sent boats to
the scene. But in answer to hail,
Captain Sycamore sent the reassurinS
message that all on board had escaped
without injury. AS quickly as possible
the King and the royal party were
transferred to the Erin and later the
King, accompanied by Sir Thomas lip
ton, landed at southampton, from
which place His Majesty will proceed
to London. In the meanwhile the crews
of the racers set about clearing away
the wreckage. Owing to the unWield-
ly nature of the spars and gear it was
found impossible to get them on board
and they We're cut away and allowed
to sink, after buoys had been placed TO
mark the places where the wreckage
sank. The yachts We're then towed
back to Hythe, there to await a decls-
ion as to what should be done towards
repairing them.