Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-06-05
Constitution Shares the Fate of
the Shamrock II.
Will Cause Little Delay, for Duplicate
Spars Are All Ready.
Accident Happened About a. P. NJ. Tuesday
OIL Brenton's Reef ushtship.

tcrnOOn, with three lower sails set, the
big hollow steel mast On the syndicate
cup defender Constitution collapsed
like a bad boys blowpipe, through the
sudden breaking of the starboard and
windward spreader.
The mast broke off only a few feet
below this spreader. about three fifths
OF the length Of the mast above the
deck, and as the topmast was carried
away at the same time, none of the
spars except the boom struck the deck,
and the latter only hit it gentle blow,
which did not injure the hull at all.
None of the sails were torn and all can
be used again.
Fortunately three Scamen had Just
come down from the masthead after
taking in the clubtopsail, but the
wreckage swept overheard Second
Mate Edward Nelson. He was prompt
ly hauled ON board. however. without
sustaining anything more than a few
bruises.
The designer. Nat Herreshoff, was on
the deck when lne mast collapsed and
with him were w. Butler Duncan. the
manager of the yacht. e. Oliver Iselin,
Rear Commodore Robinson Of the New
York Yacht Club, and Newbury
Thorne. and all escaped injury.
The Constitution will be taken to
Bristol. tomorrow morning. where,
fortunately, another steel mast is near
ly finished. The yacht will be irnme-
diately refittcd. but it vii probably be
10 days or two weeks before she is in
shape to sail again, so that the races
off this port scheduled for June Is and
II will have to be postponed.
Mr.. Duncan expressed great regret
tonight. over the accident. but said he
was very glad that no one was in
jured.
The trial, today. was the second one
given the Constitution since her ar
rival, Sunday. from Bristol. where ad-
ditional backstays had been rugged to
strengthen the mast. Yesterday. she
went out in a good southwest breeze
and set her No. clubtopsail. carrying
it without apparent effort. This morn
ing. new mainsail was bent and Tho
No. clubtopsail set over it, but as
both stretched considerably it took all
the forenoon to get them in satisfac-
tory shape. About noon. Mr.. Here
shoff came down from Bristol on his
steam yacht. the Eugenia. and looked
over the two sails which were then
gradually getting into shape.
After the crew had finished dinner
the mainsail was again hoisted and
preparat tons made for a spin outside
the harbor. The wind at the time was
blowing about - or Is knots and as
the tide was strong ebb. there was
quite a lump of a sea in the narrow
channel al the mouth of the harbor.
The No. 2 clubstopsail. however. was
set and with jib and forcsail up the
big white sloop started away from her
mornings at lively pace 1t was
practically a dead beat down the
channel and in the choppy sea the
yacht pitched not little.
There was more wind outside the
harbor but the sea was smoother and
after one or two bitches over toward
the Narragansett shore. the Constitu-
ton was swung around and headed
out tn goa. The wind at this time was
blowing about 90 knots from the south
west but the sea was not heavy, and
the yacht rolled and pitched only a
little.
As the Constitution worked off shore
she felt the wind Considera bly, strong
er ard suddenly the lashings on the
club topsail gave way. and the big
snil began to slap and swing around
the topm3st.
The Yacht was sent into the wind
while three sesmcn went aloft to clear
away the wrcckagc and send down the
spare. This took some 10 or Is minutes
so that it was about 1.50 o'clock when
tire yacht was again hauled into the
wind and headed to the southeast on
the starboard tack.
The yacht at this time was about
two miles due south Of Brenton's light
ship. going along at n tremendous pace
under three lower sails. well hcelcd
over in the breeze. The wind was prob
ably the stiffcst that the Constitution
had ever encountered. but she stood il
i'm good shape and made great time for
j matter OF 4 milo.
Suddenly. just before 2 O'Clock. with
out the slightest warning. the star
board lower sprcader. over the end Of
which run two of the masthead
shroudS made of inch steel wire rope
collapsed and broke off on the mast.
This brought the strain on the remain
ing steel shrouds. which promptly gave
way. and almost at the same instant
the big steel mast began to fall over
to port. 1t went over so gradually that
those on deck saw it coming i'm time to
get to windward with the exception of
Second Mate Nelson. who was caught
in some rigging and went overheard
under the big mainsail. Fortunately
some of the crew saw his predfcamen
and by quick work he was hauled
aboard.
The mast collapsed or bent about
three fifths of the way above the deck,
or a few feet below the lower spreadcr
which broke As it went over the top
mast shrouds broke that wooden spar
in two pla ces. one short off at it's foot
where it enters the top of the mast
and again well up the pole toward the
top. Part Of the topmast was saved.
hut some 10 feet Of it went drifting out
to sea.
AS the mast came down. shOrn Of it's
topmast II was seen that it would not
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