The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-04-21

SHAMROCK DISSATISFIED
New Cup Challenger Struck By
Squall Off Weymouth, Eng.
SIR THOMAS Upton INJURED
The Masts and Canvas Were Carried
Away and the Yacht Was Left
Mere Hulk-One Of the Crew Drown.
ed and Several Injured.

away ~''H NiS dCnN was Gcft d
Mere Hulk-One Of the Crew Drown
ed and Several Injured.
Weymouth. England, April 10. -
bir Thomas Lipton's now challenger
Tor the Americas cup was dismasied
in a squall shortly after leaving the
harbor preparatory to another trial
spin with the Shamrock l. Her mast.
as IL fell over the side. carried sew
eral of the crew and all the gear and
canvas overheard. One man was
drowned and several persons. includ-
Ing Sir Thomas. who was knocked
down a hatchway, were bruised or
otherwise injured.
The yachts were manoouvring in
the roadstcad. under mainsails. ibis.
foresails. and gaff topsails prior to
the start 4 strong northeast breeze
was blowing. but there was nothing
in the nature of gale. The boats
seemed To carry their racing sails
well as they fetched out from the
shelter OF the breakwater. the Sham
rock Ill leading on tack out sea
ward. apparently with the intention
of testing the strength OF the wind
outside
The Erin had taken up a position
TO send the boats away, round a trian-
gular course, and everything seemed
to promise a fine race The Sham
rock III then made a short board on
the port tack. dragging through
heavy squall with her lee decks awash
NIL OF oh
went about on the starboard tack to
stand up 10 cross the line. when
sudden gust of wind. sweeping out OF
Weymouth bay. struck the yacht and
completely dismantled her. The
weather rigging screws of her main
shrouds gave way and her mast car
ried away close to the deck, and with
II went her spars. sails and gearing
in confused mass of wreckage.
The yachts decks were crowded
with Sir Thomas Lipton's guests, OIL
GERS and men. and it seemed impossi-
bic that the disaster was not attended
by serious loss of life Deprived OF
its chief support, the immense steel
tubular mast swayed for fraction
of a second. crumpled up like a tube
OF paper and went overheard, creating
general havoc as it fell.
So sudden was the calamity that
the yacht lay, wrecked and helpless,
before those on board of her well re-
allied what had happened Fortu-
nately most of the tremendous weight
of the gear fell clear of the deck.
as otherwise the disaster must have
been multiplied tenfold AS it was.
only one life was lost, that of a mem
Der of the crew named Collier. a
brother-in-law Of Captain Wringe.
Collier at the moment of the accident
was handing hinocular glass to Sir
Thomas Upton and still had the
glass in his hand when he was struck
by some OF the tumbling gear and
knocked overheard. a number OF 9th
ers were injured by falling gear. but
none was seriously hurt Sir Thomas
was knocked down hatchway and
one Of his hands was injured. but not
seriously.
The hull Of the Shamrock III was
not damaged. The mast. when it went
overheard went solid. There was at
that time only one break, which was
about seven feet above the deck. AS
the big spar, with its weight of can
vas, became heavier owing to the wa
ter in ii, the mast again buckled. its
head going down until it rested on
the bottom.
During the work of raising the mast
1t buckled again owing to the weight
OF the canvas. making three distinct
breakages. The challenger was finally
cleared of wreckage and was towed
into the harbor. The canvas is ire
trievably ruined
my injuries" said Sir Thomas,
ARE painful. | was badly shaken up
by the fall and have a severely smash
ed hand but everything is insignificant
compared with the loss of poor Col
lier, who has been continuously in
my service since the time of the first
Shamrock. You can rebuild a yacht,
but you cannot replace a man"
The loss of the seaman Collier cast
gloom over those on board Sir
Thomas LiptOn's steam yacht Erin.
but the sentiment of the crew was
unanimous in expressing relief that
1t was not 1.-The governor"
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