The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-16
SHE LOOKS 4 BEAUTY
SIR THOMAS LIPToN,s cup CHAI.
LENGER IN DRY DOCK AT
THE ERIE BASIN
PREPARING FOR THE RACES
WOrkmen Put In this Afternoon
Furnishing the Bronze Plates
of Shamrock Ills I'm
der BODY.

of Shamrock Ills I'm
der BODY.
NEW YORK. Aug. t5-Shamrock II.
went into dry dock early this morning
and American experts had their. first
chance to study the lines of the craft
Sir Thomas Upton has sent over in sis
second attempt 10 lift the Americas cup
Iachtsmen who went to the Erie has n
today with the expectation of seeing
something in the way of a radical oe-
parture in yacht designing were dcomed
to disappointment. The cabled reports
from Glasgow hau led to the belief that
Designer Watson had evolved quite a new
type Of boat embodying the Coads head
and the Mackey's tail. This turns out,
however. TO be only fiction The pontoon
hid the yacht from advantageous view
when she was launched. The cup chal-
lenger resembles the Columbia very much
so far as her underbody and fin are con-
cerned. That the Shamrock H. is
dangerous opponent was conceded by the
experts who saw her today From her
easy entrance forward to her clean run
aft there is power and speed in every
line. All the curves are true and easy
and there is nothing crude or coarse in
any of them.
Mr.. Watson evidently took the cutter
basis of his model. In improving on the
Britannia Mr.. Watson evidently had
Columbia in his eye, for the mid section
of Shamrock II. is practically that of the
conqueror of Shamrock J. This fact was
pointed out by experts as showing how
yacht designers on either side of the At
: lantic have been converginG along the
same lines to such an extent that prac-
tically they have come together and there
is marked difference in types such as
existed in the day of the Plritan-Gen-
esta contest. 1t would be hard to dis
tfnguish between Columbia and the chal-
lenger so far as Their under bodies are
concerned. Their fins are practically
alike. Shamrock H. is more graceful
craft. The beauty and cleanness of the
run and smoOthness OF the forepaTt or
the fin are the principal parts of the new
Shamrock. When the larger sail plan Is
taken into consideration, she must be
adjudged to be an opponent worthy to
be met. With a foot less beam than that
of Constitution and a slightly larger sail
plan she is an ideal fine weather boat.
well adapted to meet the usual run of
early autumn breezes off Sandy Hook.
However that the Americas cup
is in peril of being lifted" by
Sir Thomas Upton is by no
means the opinion of conserva-
tive yachtsmen who looked upon Snam-
rock H. today. That she has intrinsic
merit and doubtless will be hard to beat
was admitted but everything about her
hull that is meritorlous has been fathered
from American sources.
a careful examination of the challenger
showed that She had suffered no strain
during her long voyaes and her bottom
was comparatively clean.
All afternoon the crew of the Shamrock
was kept busily employed Furnishing her
There was one rivet only that was start
ed, and Capt. Sycamore, who made fire.
quent circles round the yacht, reported
that not plate was injured. The
bronze bottom in its contact with salt
eXfeliates very freely, so no seaweed has
a chance to get a finn grip on the plates.
A finer surface has never been seen on a
racing yacht than that showed by the
cup challenger after the crew had fin
ished the furnishing. A. Cary Smith,
the veteran designer, and Mr.. Glolon
who has turned out yachts Of speed and
distinction. were present to loR on, but
both were loath to talk for publication.
The general opinion of experts was that
the Shamrock III. is d rare good boat,
and that Mr.. Watson has avoided the err
rors he made in the Thistle when he cut
away her lateral plane so completely that
she was of little use when hauled on a
wind.
Mir. Watson, they think. has also avoid
ed those crudities of form which were
Characteristic Of Valkyrie III, and
nearly as pronounced on Shamrock
l. Evidently the Glasgow designer has
been benefited by close studies of the
epoch-making yacht Gloriana. designed
by Nat Herreshoff, and also from later
productions of that wizards brain, Vigi-
liant, Defender and Columbia, towit an
expert can see traces Of all these craft
in Sir Thomas Lipton's challenger Val
kyrie III. was a wider and shallower
craft than Defender. Shamrock II. is a
narrower boat than the Constitution. The
Constitution, while lacking the graceful
curved lines of the challenger, has power
and strength that may be found wanting
in Shamrock II. Both should be pretty
close in light airs, experienced yachting
men believe, but when heeling over to a
commanding breeze the Constitution, ow-
ing to her lateral plane should excel in
a hard brush to windward. In reaching
or running there may not be such pro
nounced difference, they think. In the
absence of any decisive figures, they are
inclined to be prudent prophets, but that
the challenger must allow the defender
about a minute over thirty-mile course
seems pretty well established. There does
not seem any probability that the artistic
curves of the challenger and her greater
beauty above the water line than either
Columbia or Constitution will cause her
to win the cup. 1t is generally agreed
the Constitution win stand up to her
work in a breeze better than Shamrock
II.
She will also be apt to slide through the
water as rapidly In light weather. AS
for the personnel of the ships companies,
il would be invidious to make COMPARE
sons As a sea Jockey, the yachting men
hereabouts hold that Capt. Sycamore IL
equal to Capt. Barr. In a flying start.
to which he has been well broken in ne
might get the better of Capt Rhodes.
but as two minutes are allowed TO cross
the line in the actual cup races. this may
not prove an important factor.
1t Is said that there is little doubt that
the Constitution will be chosen to defend
the cup. Although the honorS are easy
up to date each having scored the same
number of wins. still the Constitution Is
reckoned as the better all-round craft.
American yachtsmen hope that by the
time the decisive trial races are sailed
off Newport the Constitution viii amply
demonstrate her superiority.
LARCHMoNT. N Y. Aug 1.-THE
Constitution and Columbia came down
through the sound tonight and anchored
under City island. Both are ready for
tomorrow's race, which may be TO wind
ward and return or on triangular
course, which win depend upon the wind.
There is much interest along the sound
tonight in the result of the first contest
in calm waters.
DUXBURY, Mass. Aug 15.-In view OF
the decision of the Yacht club which is
to hold races within the next two weeks
in which the Constitution and Columbia
are to contest, that the Independence was
not eligible for the events, G. G. Clapp,
private secretary of Thomas w. Lawson,
NF Tr,1n yU0