New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-26
SHAMROCKS III And IN DANGER OF WRECK At
SANDY HOOK-YACHTS IN COLLISION.
Marine Argted by Arir of Yacht Race Excursion Fleet
Before Big SquaH Breaks-FOur DrOcned Near Neacark
SHAMROCK IN DANGER.
Yachts in Collision IN Storm at
.SandU HOOE.

\ terrible northwest wind and electrical storm
struck Sandy Hook soon after O'Clock yester-
day. and Shamrocks III and !, the Reliance and
a feet Of half a dozen fine yachts including the
Erin C. Oliver Ieelin,s Sunbeam and the Her
reshoffs Roamer were in great danger for
time The yacht Eureka. breaking from her
anchorage was blown violently against a coal
scow and carried the scow before it. 1t seemed
for a time that the two boats would rash into
Shamrock III. which lay almost in the path Of
the gale. not a hundred yards away.
The Roamer which was dangerously near the
Shamrocks began 10 drag her anchor, and. de
spite efforts to hold her, drifted down rapidly
Suddenly she swung against the Sunbeam, and.
thus getting a chance to start her engines. man
aged 10 get away from the danger line. The
Sunbeam. too. as the blow increased later, again
began 10 drag. and in moment went with
loud crash against the scow, which also began
70 drift. and for moment II looked as il Sham
rock III would be overwhelmed. Captain Barr
on the Sunbeam yelled to the Shamrock watch:
IF we can't hold you'd better pull up and
drift away from us
This the ShamrocIs crew prepared 10 do, but
a luu in the wind aided the Sunbeam TO hold
off for a while and the wind finally decreased
sufficiently to obviate the danger.
Two steam yachts. the Giralda and the Anita,
anchored further out in the Horseshoe were
torn from their anchorage and We're in bow
and stern collision. The bowsprit Of one
crashed through the stern Of the other and the
two. thus locked. drifted before the wind dan
eerousIy near TO the challenger. The tug
Cruizer saved them. pulling them apart and
away from the other boats.
The Reliance lay in position more out cf
danger.
The moorings Of Shamrock III and the Rei-
ance held fast, though the wind threw their
bows around into the face Of the gale violently
and they tueeed hard at their cables.
Sir Thomas Upton left the Erin before the
storm broke. and with Colonel Smith, Colonel
Burbank and Colonel Stewart. commander Of
Fort Hancock, viewed the havoc in the Bay
anKiously from the commanders headquarters
or Sandy Hook.
Lightning flashed from the inky BLACK sky and
the wind came like A cyclonic blast. Weather
Observers here said it reached a velocity OF
nearly forty-fve knots. The sea calm all day.
was boiling furiously in less than five minutes
after the gale struck
a small fishing sloop was blown on the sand
beach AZ the point Of the Hook Life savers
went 10 the rescue taking the crew Of four OFF
ir safety. The sloop was later taken off
The tugs Guiding Star and Cruizer Went to the
rescue of the yachts. and in short time righted
their tangled condition
in half an hour after the storm broke in its
Jury the clouds cleared away from sky brill
iantly Illuminated by the setting sun. and the
wind died out rapidly as it had come II left
& tumultuous sea. breakers dashing high all
about Sandy Hook only few drops Of rain
seu
Il was just in time TO avert what probably
would nave been a marine disaster that the big
excursion feet got back from the yacht race.
HAD the storm in full fury struck the heavily
loaded steamers some OF them surely must have
capsized. As il was the tail end of the fleet
caught only the tail end OF the hurricane and
squau
The Gral1a's bowsprit was broken off close 10
hFr stem. and on the Allita awnings were torn.
stanchions bent and bulwarks slightly damaged.