The sun., 1903-08-02
SHAMROCK uI.S CLOSE SHAVE.
Big Mast Buckled and Would Have Gone
by the Board In a Blow.

Sir Thomas Lpton's aspirant Tor inter-
national Yachting laurels had narrow escape
from n serious accident, and but FOR the many
alterations In the trim OF the yacht and care
fully noting the several effects memoranda
of which are made daily by Designer fhe,
the tall racing mast, which the irish paronet
said was the best racing spar ever put In
challenger for the Cup. would have gone
nv the board the next time the Cup hunter
encountered heavy breeze and jump OF
sea. No rigging could have stayed 1t, and in
the short space OF time which now intervenes
before the first race for the treasured trophy.
IL would have been indeed serious calamity
The mast had buckled noticeably about
thirty feet above the deck and the defect
was discovered when the derrick century
lifted the spar from the step prspardaspH p"rdspeH
by designer Fife in order TO give more per
feet balance TO the sail plan with the newer
and larger mains9il that = now ds carried any og
backstays were eased away at the 6asin yes
terday morning, and the masthead haa noun
ing 10 hold IL back, II was notlceo 'haI IL
sagssd forward as vau II sp1hns once to slack
the forestav, jib and jib topsail STAYS. bHt bHt
the forward curve Of the great spar was SUI! w
The 1ssns Tas the shem mast SaSH ted
ont bv the powerful derrick and LAID along
side the challenger on the pier careful! careful
examination was maze ht oDCe uy ii"N y,
az well as by Designer Fife ana capt MlinRei
with the result that the spar was suraIsHe;ns ;no
by the interior braces being naHihe'ou INV
their proper positions A.. ,.u
Additional rivets were placed IN the braces
and welded to the outside OF tne maStl anu
four new angle irons. which had been quickly
shaped In the shops, were fttei ~ plhce
alon 9sjde those that were weakened pS tne
sprinrin9 OF the big steel cylinder, Ihese
were securely bolted and riveted. atter wn,ch, D.
not being able to discover any lrafuuiTSs ., H. ~ "
nR hsau
by the derrick and placed In the new position
drsi gned for II. A..
Shrouds and stays We're agnin set up. the
boom and gar swung into position ana gang
OF men were set to work driving in the wedges
thnt surround the spar at the partners Thls
work was completed shortly aiter cioch.
and Capt Wringe gave Instructions 70 nave
the Yacht towed to her mOoring inside SANDY
Hook Bay A line was passed from tbe Jug
Cruiser and, followed by Sir ThomaSs steam
yncht Erin. on hoard OF which was Designer
Fife she picked up her mooring shortly hiter
4 o'clock. The mainsa!l. which IL now thor-
oughly stretched, was bent on. AFTER Wnlcn
sll covers were put IN positioh ana e'eis-
thing made snug Tor thc night, .,. . nj,
The quick work OF the machlnists at Erie
Basin was especially pleasing to Sir Iholnas
representative, and the yacht VIII he sent 70
spn Tomorrow morning for her uSlal tridl:
Sir Thomas accompanied by u score OF
friends. started as the guest OF tne ienlgh
Valley Railroad on n special tram Tor Bu1alo
and Niagara Falls early Yesterday tnOrnlnKi
but Designer Fife, anxious to superintena
the work OF shifting the mast, declined ihe
invitation with n suitab bic apo.-Zy. ,lurlhx
The afternoon the remainder Of the interior
f'ttin Ss' of the challenge were removed ana
another change made In tho inside weight