The age-herald., 1901-06-30

It is only few days since Mr. Oddie. the secretary of the New York Yacht Club, and William Butler Duncan, the managing man of the syndicate of yacht men who raised the money to build the Constitution to defend the America's Cup against Shamrock IL, were cabling re- greats to Sir Thomas L,pton on account of the accident his vessel met, when her mast was carried away in one of her trial trips, and when the lives of those on board of her were imperilled. Only few days have elapsed since then when we have here repeated in our own waters, similar accident to the Constitution, and the regrets are now coming this way from Sir Thomas Lipton. The Shamrock had her mast doubled up In sections, like stove pipe on strike in the waters of the Solent: the Constitution had a like acci- dent som9 days later in the waters of Mar ragansett Bay. One bad turn deserves another, and there you are. On board both of these vessels, or rather racing ma chimes, for 1t is a misnomer to call them yachts, were their designers and con- structors at the time of the accidents. No one stands higher at this side of the Atlantic in the estimate of the public in general and the yachting fraternity in particular, builder of speedy vessels than Nat Herreshoff- The same may be said of Watson at the other side of the Atlantic. Yet we find that In Q summer blow of wind these two splendd-looking specimens of yacht racing architecture upon which thousands and thousands of American dollars and English pounds have been lavishly expended, have been knock ed into a cooked hat, maimed, disabled. help1essly wrecked in blow which a Bur ir.aIl nr fCh fssatf For Of 11a Genesta type would fairly walk the waters like a thing of life, without as much as parting strand or carrying away any thing.
 Bear In mind this is not the first lesson we have had here in the peculiar art of mast buclzling. When the Columbia was engaged in her trial races two years ago a similar accident occurred. She was out for a sail, and, If I remember alright, the wind was not particularly fresh at the time. The Columbia's tall mast, without any previous notification doubled up like a jack-knife and left her like a poor wing broken sea bird helpless in the trough of the ocean. Has the accident of two years ago been forgotten? Is there nothing to be learned by the experience of the past? Shall we still continue to experiment at such dangerous risk or cost, or has the limit been reached in these racing ma chimes and the danger line of construction and of rigging already been crosseda certainly is 0 limit. It must be reached sooner or later, if 1t has not been attained already. MT. Herreshoff stands at the head of his calling as a designer and mod
 eller of yachts at home; MT. Watson oc- cupies like position abroad. If then, they are responsible for the mishaps enumer ated within the past two years. the fear arises in the minds of many men accus- toned to go down to the sea In ships that there Is something wrong. Money has been lavishly expended at both sides of the Atlantic to fit out the speediest and most seaworthy craft for the possession of the blue ribbon of the sea,-the greatest aquatic prize In the world-the America 8 Cup. Yet, in the first few practice trials shortly after the racing machines had left the stocks, they have to be lowed back to their anchorage, helpless cripples. with their decks bestrewed with falling rigging and sails, which their stove-pipe masts were unable to stand the strain In a mod erately stiff breeze. One member of the regatta committee of the New York Yacht Club. am told, thinks we are building too close to the line-to the danger limit He thinks we have gone beyond the mar gin of safety in the construction of cup defenders. Many and many man who loves to sail boat and enjoys the fascin- ating effects of braving the dangers of the deep and the stormy winds of old ocean, entertain like opinions. While the Con-