New-York tribune., 1901-08-14
lat WORK ON SHAMROCK. II
MAKING READY FOR PLACING THE CUP
CHALLENGER IN THE DRYDoCK

~lot until tomorrow morning viii the lines
shat Sir Thomas Upton believes will make
winner OF Shamrock III be visible TO such
las VIII have the privilege of entering Robbins
shipyard. The Erin occupies the drydock and
win not leave 1t until this evening. Tomorrow
lmorning Shamrock II VIII take the place
of the Erin. the water will be pumped out ana
the parts OF the sIoop that make for speed VIII
he exposed 10 the eye. Not TO the public eye
however for never before were such safeguards
placed at the entrance 10 the yard as have peeh
established by David Barrie this time Many
pame yesterday TO see the challenger out ohlS
n few were admitted and these only such as
syere there on business.
The cup challenger lies in the entrance SIP
20 the drydock. in the Erie Basin Early In the
nav she took on the appearance Of a mere hull
sor her Jury mast with which she came over lhe
pecan. was removed and the stays that had pre-
vented her from rackng went with It, she
hooked almost like a large rowboat without
seats when these were cleared away. Captain
sycamore. who by the way. is not Scotchmah'
ns some have imagined. but an Englishman ana
MAYOR OF Brightlingsea. was out Of bed at DAY
hight and had his men. willing enough AT WORK
soon after. They skipped about all day getting
ahings ready for the stepping of the great mast
(which was the first thing 10 be done
First came the operation Of preparing the
.naGt 10 be placed tn Alc p4VA" - w. -
store of the yard. from which it was carefully
,,e,ed bz, q Merritt & Chapman derrick TO
wrecling tug alon gside The tug then steamed
sror,nd 10 the entrance to the drydock, ana
matted for the derrick to be towed into place.
The derrick moved in between shamrock III anu
the tug, made fast TO the mast, and hruihe il
clear over Shamrock II, laid il carefully on the
rier. Then the jury mast and the stays were
removed by the derrick and placed alongside
the big mast
MAST STEPPED IN RECORD TIME.
The steel mast. hollow, bored with many
holes and properly braced on the inside, is IoS
feet and inches long over all. 1t made the
Jury mast look like q stub Of a pole as they lay
side by side The standing rigging was at
tached TO it, and then came the process of max
ing fast with the paraphernalia Of the derrick.
This took lot of time, but after it was finished
only twenty-five minutes were required TO step
the mast. the shortest time in which such an
operation has ever been accomplished. William
Cochran. the junior member Of the firm OF
William r. Cochran & Son. had charge Of the
work.
The bowsprit was set late in the evening, and
was the last piece of work done Shamrock
II yesterday. The yacht Will have on each side
four shrouds three lower shrouds. one topmast
backstay. one preventive backstay, one forestay.
one jbstay. one forcmast stay, one cross stay
two carry aft backstays. one bobstay and two
bowsprit shrouds. The standing and running
rigging is of steel, so far is possible, manila
being used only where It impossible TO
avoid it.
The little vessel gained a perceptiby longer
waterline as the weight Of the big mast was
placed on her, but still bobbed ike cork at
every ripple, almost, Of the tide. She is as
buoyant as a cork. The mast weighs about six
and a half tons, which with the weight Of the
standing rigging. which was attached before
the mast was placed in position, added a round
seven tons Of weight TO the yacht Ten feet
of the mast disappeared below the deck Of the
yacht when it stepped
There was a disagreeable rumor about the
Basin yesterday that something was the matter
with the yachts rudder. Captain Sycamore
said. however. there was no trouble except that
il bites nUIir. This is a small difficulty and
VIII be adjusted when the yacht is in drydock.
In the voyage across il may have become fouled
little, but not so badly that a few hours labor
win not make il work cleanly and easily.
To-day the braces that secured the hull
against being racked by the sea on the trip over
will be removed and by this evening all will
be in readiness TO pull her into the drydock on
Friday morning. Her hull viii then be scraped
and repainted and all necessary work done to
prepare ltI lOT lne lIldl ltlpS II All goes Wen
Shamrock il VIII be ready to meet her owner
when he arrives in this country on the Teutonic
next Wednesday.
With Sir Thomas Upton will come George /.
Watson. Robert R. Ure, John Westwood and
William Duncan. Ratsey, the sailmaker, Will
safl on August "a. White Star liner.
THE ERIN IN THE DRYDOCK.
The steam yacht Erin went into drydock
early in the morning and her crew became busy
Immediately. They FASTENED the work OF paint
ing her hull desiring to finish in such time that
Shamrock II would not be detained a min
ute from taking her place. On Friday the Erin
VIII go to Larchmont TO allow her officers and
the captain OF Shamrock II to see the Con
stitution. II viii be a trip for pleasure, al
though as Captain Sycamore said yesterday
There is nothing on the cards but work nova
days. until We get the boat where she belongs.
Notwithstanding Captain Sycamore Captain
Matthews, OF the Erin; DR. Mckay, Captain
Hamilton, the navigating officer Of the steam
yacht: Mr.. Barrie and William Cochran went L
the Crescent Athletic Club last evening TO taxi
dinner with Mr.. Bauie's brother. Alexander.
Mr.. Barrie was at the yard by o'clock yes
terday morning. The trouble with the striking
engineers Of the Porto Rico, Of the New-Yorl
and Porto Rico Steamship Company was set
tied by Mr.. Barrie personally. and the big yes
sci which has been engaged as a tender 70
Shamrock II until after the races. made he
appearance before > o'clock in the afternoon
The Porto Rico viii be used as a hotel by Mr
Barrie and the crew Of Shamrock ii will finC
comfortable quarters aboard her. She is taking
on a fresh coat Of paint 10 make her look NOR
spruce.
day on the steamer AnchOria, OF the Anchor
Line II was covered with canvas and securell
dashed amidships The boom is 100 feet long
A complete set OF spars arrived on the st. Louis
of the American Line, and Will be transferred e
Robins yard. Mr. Cochran viii go TO the piers
OF both lines this morning on the tug James
Lawrence. and Superintend the unloading or the