The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-18
 MAST SNAPS SeriOus Accident to the | Challenger. tEAE MAN LOSES HIS LIFE Sir Thomas Upton Receives
 Slight Injury. Gallant Irishman Says He Hopes te
 Be Able to Appear on Sandy
 Hook in August for 1 Cup Races.

today. shortly after leaving this harbor preparatory to another trial spin with the Shamrock. Her mast as 1t fell over the side carried several of the crew and all the gear and canvas overheard.
 One man was drowned and several per- sons. including Sir Thomas. who was knocked down hatchway. were bruised and otherwise injured. The man who was drowned was a brother-in-law of Cap tain wringe. He was handing binocu- lar glass to Sir Thomas at the time he was swept overheard. One of Sir Thomass hands was injured. but not seriously.
 The yachts were manoeuvering in the roadstead under main szil. jibs. foresails and gaff topsails prior to the start. strong northeast breeze was blowing. but there was nothing in the nature of q gale. The boats seemed to carry their racing sails we'll as they fetched out from the shelter of the breakwater. the Shamrock III leading on a tack out seaward. ap- parently with the intention of testing the strength of the wind outside. The breeze had just weight enough to keep her lee rail tippling.
 Breeze Was Very Stiff.
 Before the start Sir Thomas Lipton, Ralsey. the sailmaker. and Col. Sharman Crawford, vice-commodore of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club. boarded the chai- lenger which made a magnificent picture. as under her cloud of canvas she drove past Northe head. The Erin had taken up a position to send the boats away round triangular course, and every thing seemed to promise a fine race. The Shamrock III then made short board on the port tack. dragging through heavy squall with her lee decks awash. About 10:40 a. rn.. when nearly a mile off shore, she went about on the star board tack, to stand up to cross the line. when a sudden gust of wind sweeping out of Weymouth bay struck the yacht and completely dismantled her.
 The weather rigging screws of her main shrouds and her mast were carried away close to the deck and with it went her spars sails and gearing in a confused mass of wreckage. The yachts decks were crowded with Sir Thomas Liptons guests, officers and men. and it Seemed impossible that the disaster was not at- tended by serious loss of life. Snapped IAke Toothpick. Deprived of it's chief support the im- mense steel, tubular mast, swayed for a fraction of a second. crumpled up like tube of paper and went overheard, cre- ating general havoc as it fell. So sudden was the calamity that the yacht lay wrecked and helpless before those on board of her we'll realized what had hap pened.
 Fortunately most tremendous weight of the gear fell clear of the deck. as other wise the disaster must have been multi piled threefold. As 1t was, only one life was lost, a member of the crew, named Collier, a brother-in-law of Captain Wringe.
 Collier at the moment of the accident was handing a binocular glass to Sir Thomas Lipton and still had the glass in hls hand when he was struck by some of the tumbling gear and knocked over board. The rattle of blocks and wire ropes on the metal of -he boat drowned all other sounds for the time. The hull which followed was broken by a sharp order from Captain Wringe to get away a boat. The Captains self-poses- sion spurred the crew to instant action and boat was shot overheard, manned and started to search Tor Collier. Boats were also dropped from the Shamrock I. and Erin, and in a couple of minutes these were all heading for the scene of the accident. Collier, however. never reappeared.
 A number of others were injured by falling gear. but none was seriously hurt.
 Lipton Knocked Down.
 Sir Thomas was knocked down a hatch but not seriously. Clearing away the wreckage was quite a difficult task. owing to the nature of the spare and gear. The Erin passed a line to the wrecked yacht and stood by her to give all the aid necessary. Sir Thomas, who was ex- tremely distressed by the fatality and the injury to the yacht. said in an in- | terview that the accident occurred abso- lutely without warning and much more quickly than when the Shamrock II. was similarly dismantled in the Solent.
 The hull of the Shamrock III. was not damaged. The mast when 1t went over board went solid. There was at one time only one break, which was about seven feet above the deck. As the big spar with its weight of canvas became heavier, owing to the water in 1t. the mast again buckled its head, going down till it rested on the bottom. It is believed 1t will be comparatively easy to repair tho mast, but whole suit of canvas Is trrevocably | ruined.
 Barges with the crane were soon on the spot to raise the broken mast, after which the Shamrock III. will be taken to her moorings inside the breakwater. Sir Thomas had a narrow escape. He was thrown down the hatchway with a sailor and fell with such force as to break the board flooring covering the tank.
 In an interview Sir Thomas said: Hope to Fill Engagement. "It is impossible as yet to say how long it will take to refit the boat. My only lasting regret is the loss of the man. All the rest can be made good and no time will be lost. It certainly means l delay of some weeks. I still. however. anticipate being able to fulfill my en- agreements off Sandy Hook ip August The yacht is not injured. I. have cabled