The Bush Advocate. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 THE AMERICAN CUP.

Bush Advocate, Volume XII, Issue 1754, 30 September 1899, Page 2

The Bush Advocate. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 THE AMERICAN CUP.

GREAT interest is now being manifested at Home over the International Yacht Eace which annually takes place between boats representing Great'Britain and the United States. For the last few years America has carried off all the honors, tlio British yacht having been left in the rear. However, nothing venture, nothing have, is the maxim of the British yachtsman, and this year a vessel to represent XJreat Britain has been built, wbich is said to excel all others in sailing qualities. Everything that money and skill can do to construct a yacht as near perfection in all respects as possible has been done, and a most determined effort will be made to wrest the coveted honors from our American cousins. Tbe name of the yacht is the Shamrook, and her owner is Sir Thomas Lipton, the - successful London merchant, who rucently floated his colossal businessintoaconipany, and blossomed into u knight. Having now much leisure and immense wealth, Sir Thomas has turned his atteution to yachting, and has undertaken to defend the honor of Great Britain in the yacht contest with America. Tbe designer of the Shamrock is Mr "Wm. Fife, a nitive of Fairlie, a watering place on the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, who is in the very front rank of nautical designers and builders, and his genius foj yacht designing may be said to %a hereditary, his -grandfather and father having been engaged iu the boat building business for the last 100 years. Since 1877 the Fifes have designed 350 boats. . Two yetars ago Mr Wm. Fife met Sir Thomas Lipton when crossing the Atlantic*, i America's challenge was tho subjeot bf frequent conversations, and Sir Thomas at tbat time indicated tbat when he had a littlo more leisure he would ' have ago at it.' Mr Fife would be the firat to acknowledge tbe warmhearted, generous, and sportsmanlike manner in which that ' go ' has been gone about. Everything that money can do has been done to woo Dame Fortune successfully. It was rather more than a year ago tbat Sir Thomas definitely communicated big resolutiou to have a vessel designed. Since then Mr Fife has been to America, assisting tbe committee of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club to arrange the details of the contest. TheShamrock wassuccessfully launched by Messrs Thornycroft from Samuda's yai d on the Thames last June, and christened by Lady "Russell. The Shamrock and her owner have now reached American waters. Sir Thomas Liptou arrived at New York by the Campania, and was afforded a cordial welcome by a flotilla of tugs and yaohts. He was interested to learn that the betting was 100 to 75 in favor of the yacht Columbia, though ho declared he never wagered himself. He will be aboard the Shamrock in all the races sailed, though be is not confident of winning, because the Cup has | been on the American side so long. He said he did not know what tbe evenr wag costing him, as money did not enter into his consideration of the matter at all. The Shamrock is registered at Belfast, and a vils under the colors of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club. Her crew consists of 22 Essex mon, 7 Scotchmen, 11 Southamtonian, and 1 Exmouth man, but. ouri- , ously enough, Ireland has not a single , representative. She will be convoyed i by the Erin, which will have a Itijfe i

crew on board, aud, in tha event of anything happening to the sailing crew of the Shamrock, their places will at once be supplied. The yaoht has had a second and larger boom constructed, as it is expected that the atmospherical conditions in American waters will be such that sbe will be able to display a greater expansn of canvass than was carried at her trials on the Solent. The articles for the crew are very strict, as the master of the vesselbas absolute right to disobargo a member of the crow without notice should h's be guilty whilst on shore of frequenting bars, saloons, or refreshment houses, thus bringing the yacht into contempt. The provision is evidently designed to pr«serv« the secreoy wbiob has all along been so strictly enforced. Two oaptains bave been engaged, a, rather unusual proceeding, but nevertheless deemed necessary. The Sbamrook is described as a. real trim vessel, built upon lines calculated to give tbe greatest possible speed, and fitted with tho latest improvements of the yacht builder's art. No expense has been spared to win baok from America tho honor of holding the American Cup, and though 'tis not in mortal to command success, Sir Thomas Lipton deserves the distinction of restoring to Great Britain her lost yachting prestige.