The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-04-23
THE new CUP CHALLENGER
SUCCESSFUL LAUNCHING OF LORD
lIPT0N'S BOAT.
by Lady Dufrerin-Sir
Thomas Upton Says the Next Boat
He Builds Will be the Cup Defender.
The shamrock Built on New Designs.
The Luncheon and speech Making.
Compliments to American Yachts
manship.

Dumbarton, April 20-Shamrock II
was successfully launched at Denny's
yards in the presence of good crowd
OF invited guests. newspaper men and
employees. Lady Dufferin christened the
new challenger. which looked spick and
span In its coat of white paint trimmed
with green, while the manganese bot
tom OF the new boat shone like mir
ror.
Lord and Lady Dufferin. Sir Thomas
Upton and others who came from
Glasgow on special train. stood upon
a raised platform decorated with union
jacks. the stars and stripes and the
irish flag and with Venetian masts in
green and white. which were the pre-
vailing colors.
The employees of the Dennys had a
holiday, and, in fact. all Dumbarton
was in fete to see Lady Dufferin break
the bottle over the curiously "snub
nosed bow of the new boat
British experts are very confident
about the new boat and think her the
best that ever challenged for the cup.
But if you do not win" said the
correspondent of the Associated Press
to Sir Thomas Upton. will you try it
again?'
Il expect next year to build a de-
fender, not challenger was the dip
lomatic answer
In this connection the manager of
Denny's yard said: When Mr.. James
Gordon Bennett saw the Shamrock II
here few weeks ago he said: Well,
if she wins / am prepared to build a
challenger
Mr.. w. G. Jameson. of Dublin who
sailed the Prince Of Wales cutter, the
Britannia, with Captain Carter and
who will be Sir Thomas Lipton's rep
resentative on board the cup challeng-
er, said: IF this does not bring back
the cup we might as we'll leave it; but,
shall be surprised if that is the out
come OF our visit to America
The launch went off without a hitch.
At Mr.. Watson's signal the blocks were
knocked away, Lady Dufferin let go
the bottle, with the words: Success
to Shamrock H." and the yacht took
the water amid general cheering, the
lifing of hats and cries of "Hope she
will vim
A large luncheon at Denny's office
followed the launch. a toast to Presi-
dent McKinley's health following that
of the British royal family. was enthu-
siastically drunk.
The lord provost of Glasgow propos-
ed Sir Thomas Lipton's health, refer
ring to the indomitable perseverance
which had enabled him to reach the
position he had achieved today. He
paid a tribute to American fairness.
Sir Thomas in replying. amid fire.
quent cheers, expressed his entire sat
isfaction with the building and design
ing of the yacht. Mr.. Watson, he de-
clared, was second to none. He had
worked night and dav for months to
prepare boat worthy Of his skill and
the contest "I think / may say" he
added, that apart from the technical
excellence of the design. he has turn
ed out a boat which. have every con-
fidence, will bring back the cup. The
last time I had the worst possible luck
in Mr. Flies illness. I know more
than did two years ago. I do not min
imize the enormous task of bringing
back the cup. No one knows better
than l the skill Of our American cous-
ins. Nevertheless. we go across feel
ing sure of lifting the cup. You may
all be assured that the best boat will
win. Should it be our fortune to bring
back the cup, when the Americans come
across we will not be lacking in ex-
tending to them a trulv British well
come"