The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-18
.LIPTON'S YACHT
 BADLY WRECKED
Shamrock III Struck by SquaII
 and is DiSmaSted
SIR THOMAS IS INJURED
One Man Was Washed Overheard and Drowned, While Others Were Serl- ousy Bruised-WiIl Be Ready
 for the Race In August.

Weymouth, Eng April 17.-sir Thomas Liptons new challenger for the Ameri- ca's cup was dismasted in a squall today shortly after leaving this harbor prepara- tory to another trial of speed with the Shamrock I. Her mast as it fell over the side carried several of the crew and all the gear and canvas overheard. one man was drowned and several persons, including Sir Thomas. who was knocked down a hatchway, were bruised and otherwise injured. The man who was drowned was a brother-in-law of Captain Wringe. He was handing binocular glass to Sir Thomas at the time he was swept overheard. One of Sir Thomas hands was injured but not seriously.
 The yachts were maneuvering in the roadstead under mainsails, ilbs, foresails and gaff topsails prior to the start
 Strong Breeze Blowing. strong northeast breeze was blowing but there was nothing in the nature of a l gale. The boats seemed to carry their racing sails well as they fetched out from the shelter of the breakwater the Sham rock III leading on a tack out to sea- ward, apparently with the intention of testing the strength of the wind outside. The breeze had just weight enough to keep her lee rail tipping.
 Before the start Sir Thomas Lipton, Ratsey the sailmaker and Col. Sharman Crawford vice commodore of the Royal Ulster Yacht club, boarded the challenger which made a magnificent picture as un- l 1l. Nothe Head.
 The Erin had taken up a position to 1 send the boats away around a trian- sular course and everything seemed to promise a fine race. The Shamrock III then made a short board on the port tack, managing through a heavy squall with her lee decks awash.
 Sudden Gust of Wind.
 At about 1O:4o a. m. when nearly a mile off shore, she went on the starboard tack to stand up to cross the line when a sud den gust of wind sweeping out of Wey- | mouth bay, struck the yacht and com pletely dlsmantled her. The weather rig ging screws of her main shrouds and her mast were carried away close to the deck and with it went her spars. sail and gearings in a confused mass of wreckage. The yachts decks were crowded with Sir Thomas Liptons guests, officers and men and 1t seemed impossible that the disaster was not attended by serious loss of life. Deprived of it's chief support, the immense steel tumular mast swayed for a fraction of a second, crumpled up like a tube of paper and went overheard, creating general havoc as it fell.
 She Lay Wrecked.
 So sudden was the calamity that the yacht lay wrecked and helpless before those on board of her well realized what had happened Fortunately the most tre- mendous weight of the gear fell clear of the deck, as otherwise the disaster must have been multiplied three fold. As 1t was only one life was lost, that of a member of the crew named Collier. a brother-in-law of Captain Wringe. Collier at the moment of the accident was hand ing a bnocular glass to Sir Thomas Lip ton and still had the glass in his hands when he was struck by some of the tum- bling gear and knocked overheard. The rattle of blocks and wire ropes on the metal of the boat drowned all other sounds for the time.
 The Hull which followed was broken by sharp order from Captain Wrnge to get away a boat The captains self-posses- sion spurred the crew to Instant action and a boat was shot overboard manned and started to search for 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 re- appeared A number of others were seriously hurt. Sir Thomas was knocked down a hatchway and one of his hands was injured. but not seriously.
 Clearing away the wreckage was quite