The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-23
EDWARD IN DANGER
ENGLISH CHALLENGER TOTALLY
DIsAIANTLED.
WHILE KING WAS ABOARD
ROYAL PARTY HAS ALMOST NHIRAC-
ULOUS ESCAPE.

Shamrock III Caught in a squaII and
salts, Spars and Mast Went Over
board i'm Rapid SuccessiOn-Mem-
bers of the Royal Party, Seated
Close by Were Untouched-Sham-
rock 1 Tries to Go to the Assist
ance of Her Rival and Is Also Dis
Edward VII Kept CooI-Sir Thorn
as Upton Gives an Account of the
Accident-WiH Need Time in
which to Repair the Challenger.
Southampton, May 22.-The most dra-
matte incident in the history of the Amer
seas cup occurred to-day, when sudden
souan on the Solent completely wrecked
the new challenger and endangered the
life of King Edward and several distin-
guished persons, including Sir Thomas
I,ipton The results of this disaster,
which could scarcely recur without great
loss of life, can best be judged by the
written statement made late tonight by
Sir Thomas Upton to representative of
the Associated Press, as follows:
My deepest regret is that to-days ac-
ClQelL pIcNSIlS lilS lIOAu lOGHlS Tie LndI n
at the appointed hour, and compels 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 l have to build a boat between now
and the date agreed upon. I still believe
the Shamrock II a boat worthy to be the
challenger and that when this unfortun-
ate chapter of accidents comes to an end
she will still stand a good chance of lift
ing the cup. have not single complaint
to make against my boat.
For the many kilograms of sympathy
received from America to-day 1 am deep
ly grateful. No one is more thankful
than I am that the catastrophe ended
without fatality, and 1 may perhaps say
that throughout the trying moments His
Majesty was as brave as lion. His first
thought was to inquire if anyone was in
iured. Thomas Upton"
Circumstances have reduced the Sham
rock II to a pitiful sparless wreck. She
now lies off Hythe. The story of the
catastrophe is best told by Sir Thomas
Upton himself After seeing his royal
guest off to London. Sir Thomas gave the
following interview to representative
Of the Associated Press:
Upton Describes the Wreck.
1--WE had just begun to make for the
starting line when fierce breeze sprang
up. King Edward, Lady Londonderry,
Mrs. Jameson, Mr.. Watson, Mr.. Jameson
and myself were on deck. hanging on as
best we might for the challenger was al
most at an angle of As degrees. The King
started to go below. Just as he did so,
everything collapsed. A heavy block fell
between the two ladies and wire rope
struck me on the head, and momentarily
stunned me. A sudden xQuall, an unex-
pected strain, and everything had given
way King Edward was half in and
half out of the companion hatch
way. What happened, how all
the falling spars and sweeping
sails did not kill or sweep
some one overheard, is more than know.
When we came to 1 saw the King clam
bering over the wreckage, trying to dis
cover the extent of the damage, and ask
ing: Anyone hurt?" "
King Edward Is Game.
When the distinguished participators in
the mishap had been safely transferred to
the Erin, the Kings first remark was:
When shall we sail again, Lipton?' and
before His Majesty started for London
his last words to Sir Thomas were When
You next sail l am going with you." In
%oSl tA6 OF the BT1IlSn Empire 6eeiH-
ed keenly to enjoy the unusual spice of
danger into which his love of sport had
led him
Sir Thomas calculates that a delay of
three weeks or a month in the date of the
contest in American waters will enable
MIN to come 10 the scratch. He says he
Is greatly handicapped by the fact that he
has no duplicate mast for the Sham
rock II, but by an unlimited expenditure
n DNa1 1z-lsA he den-
tects can be remedied in time to provide
Tor an international race this year.
Heartfelt expressions of gratitude thas
the King escaped are heard on all sides.
Many people say he was foolish to go
ABOARD the challenger, but as Sir Thomas
says:
IF did not think that everything was
perfectly safe, you may be sure would
never have invited his Majesty"
Edward Lit Another Cigar.
There are but few other details to re-
late 1t appears that the masthead man
mad providentially been ordered down just
nefore the accident. A few of the crew
got a wetting, but otherwise nobody was
hurt. King Edward calmly lit another
cigar and continued smoking, after assur-
ing himself that everybody was safe. Lat
eF ne steamed around the wrecked vessel
stay
conference between Sir Thomas Lip
'oh and Mr. Watson will be held on board
me Erin tomorrow TO decide upon future
measures. Meanwhile ths engagements to
race IN the exhibition contests on the
N,yae nave been. abandoned.
Inc crowd which gathered at the rail-
y .mSsy station seeking to entrain, sang
Cod Save the King"
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