Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-10-08
SENDS A Def
In Other Words His Third ChaI-
lenge for a Yacht Race Is
Coming Across.
WILL TRY AGAIN TO LIFT THAToUP
Which Has Proven Too Heavy for So
Many Britishers-Commen
in England.

London, Oct. S.-Sir Thomas Lipton's
third challenge for u series of races for
the Americas cup was signed yester-
day afternoon at Belfast, Ireland, by
the officials. of the Royal Ulster Yacht
club. Hon. Charles Russell represent
ed Sir Thomas LiptOn. The challenge
was imposted and goes to New York
on the White Star line steamer Oceanic
which sailed from Liverpool today and
will sail from Queenstown tomorrow.
Speaking of the challenge Sir Thomas
Upton said: Il intend leaving the
Shamrock II in America as trial
horse there. while l use the Shamrock
L for the same purpose on this side
On previous occasions the arrange
ments for the competitions were so
adequately fulfilled that L can suggest
no improvement
Great Interest in England.
The fact that the challenge was
mailed to New York was not published
here yesterday, but the comments made
on the subject by yachtmen when in
formed of it by representative of the
Associated Press indicate that yacht
v
selves as completely and enthusiaS-
tically with this challenge as they did
with the two which preceded it. Opin-
ion is divided on the prospects of sue
cess. The older school of yachtsmen is
generally Respondent, and argues that
the only chances of British success lay
in the retention of Watson as designer,
quoting the Valkyrie III and Shamrock
IL. Watson's last boats. as the only
yachts which ever came within meas
ureable distance of success.
Will BE a Radical Change.
The opinion of a large majority of
yachtmen, however, appear to coincide
entirely with those of the Clyde
yachtsmen, builders and experts. many
of whom expressed the view that Fife,
with all the details and plans of both
Shamrocks before him, has better
chance of turning out successful
challenger than Watson had when he
started the Shamrock l.. Fife has ap-
preached the problem of producing
winner in n manner radically different
from that employed in the construction
of any previous challenger Hitherto
the idea dominating the design was to
secure length and power. The Shamrock
/ carried this idea to one extreme and
the Shamrock III will carry it to the
other. The lines and measurements of
the Shamrock III suggest that the first
idea has been to get boat better suit
ed TO autumn weather off Sandy Hook.
Light Weather Boat the Idea.
Stability and sail carrying capacity
have. therefore, been made secondary
to the production of hull which can
be easily driven. Fears have been eX-
pressed in inner yachting circles that
the Shamrock III will be easily over
powered in fresh breeze, but Fife and
Watson are both satisfied to take this
risk in order to obtain Il good light
weather boat. The challenger will be
built at the Dennys yard. and nickel
steel will be employed throughout for
her frames. plating, deck and principal
spars. The early start of the Sham
rock III for the other side will, it is
considered, give her considerable ad-
vantage over previous attempts, the
failures of which are attributed to in
adequate preparation more than any
thing else.