The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-06-05
SHAMROCK /. WRECKED
A Sudden SquaII Sweeps Mast and
Spars From the Yacht
NARROW ESCAPE OF THE KING


Accident May Necessitate tho Post
ponement of the Cup Races-He Was
the Only Person Struck, and Momen-
tarily Stunned - his Story of Mishap.
Southampton. England. - The most
dramatic incident in the history Of the
Americas Cup occurred when a sud-
den squall on the Solent completely
wrecked the new challenger and en-
dangered the lives of King Edward
and several other distinguished per-
sons, including Sir Thomas Upton.
The results of this disaster, the occur
renee of which without loss of life.
seems almost miraculous, can best be
judged by the written statement made
by Sir Thomas Upton as follows:
MY deepest regret is that the acci-
dent prevents me from toeing the
mark at the appointed hour. and COM
pels me to ask the New York Yacht
Club to grant me an extension Of time.
If they will be good enough to do that
I shall race, even if I have to build a
boat between now and the date agreed
upon. 1 still believe the Shamrock II.
a boat worthy to be the challenger,
and that, when this unfortunate chap
ter of accidents comes to an end, she
will still stand a good chance Of lifting
the cup. have not single complaint
to make against my boat.
For the many kilograms Of sympa-
thy received from America 1 am deep
" grateful. No one is more thankful
than am that the catastrophe ended
without fatality, and I may perhaps
say that throughout the trying mo-
ments His Majesty was as brave as
lion. His first thought was to inquire
if any one was injured.
THOMAS Upton"
Circumstances have reduced the
Shamrock II. to a pitiless, sparless
wreck. The story of the catastrophe
is best told by Sir Thomas Upton him
self. After seeing his royal guest off
for London Sir Thomas said, in an
swer to inquiries:
"We had just begun to make for the
starting line when fierce breeze
sprang up. King Edward, Lady Lon
donderry, Mrs. Jameson, Mr.. Watson,
Mr.. Jameson and myself were on deck.
hanging on as best we might, for the
challenger was almost at an angle Of
forty-five degrees. The King started
to 90 below; Just as he did so every
thing collapsed. A heavy block fell
between the two ladies, and a wire
rope struck me on the head and mo-
mentarily stunned me. A sudden
sQuall, an unexpected strain, and
everything had given way. King Ed
ward was half way in and half way
out of the companion hatchway. What
happened, how all the falling spars
and sweeping sails did not Kill or
sweep some one overheard is more
than 1 know. When I came to I saw
the King clambering over the wreck
age, trying to discover the extent of
the damage and asking: is any one
hurt?"
1t is further learned that Sir
Thomas's first utterance on coming to
was this ardent adjuration to Mr.. wat
son:
Telegraph for more spars. We have
got to sail on August 20, and this boat
has got to do it."
When the distinguished participators
in the mishap had been safely trans
ferred to the Erin, the Kings first re-
mark was:
when shall we sail again, Lipton"
and before His Majesty started for
London his last words to Sir Thomas
We're:
when you next sail I am going
with you"
Sir Thomas calculates that delay
of three weeks or month in the date
of the contest in American waters Will.
enable him to come to the scratch. He
says that he is greatly handicapped
by the fact that he has no duplicate
masts for the Shamrock H., but by an
unlimited expenditure of money and
energy he believes the defects can be
remedied in time to provide for an IN
ternational race this year.
The damage done to the challenger
is estimated at $4,000 as nearly every
scrap Of her gear is gone.