THE DISASTER TO SHAMROCK II.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11689, 26 June 1901, Page 6

THE DISASTER TO SHAMROCK 11.

DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT. THE KINGS NARROW ESCAPE. The following are the details of the accident which befell Shamrock 11. on May 22 in the Solent: — It was a lovely day, with the woods of Royal Osborne in full foliage, the softer shades of oak and ash with the sombre Scotch pines making a beautiful background to the blue, sunlit waters, along which the two Shamrocks and the Sybarite were being towed. It was a lovely, exhilarating picture. Some doubts as to the canvas to be carried were removed when about noon both Shamrocks hoisted their jackyard topsails, while the yawl Sybarite, just newly out of dock, was"stretching her sails oft' Portsea.. It could be seen at times from the way sue was lying over that the wind was blowing harder outside. The excitement now became keener, as it was expected that the race would be a genuine test which, if all the gear stood, would prove the new challenger to be the fast vessel she was anticipated to be.

CASTING OFF. About one o"clock the two Shamrocks were opposite the windows of Osborne House, when they were freed from the hawsers. The old Shamrock was first away, reaching at a tearing pace down towards Cowes. Sir Thomas Lipton's new challenger, on board of which were King Edward, the Marchioness of Londonderry, Sir Thomas Lipton, and Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Jameson, followed five minutes afterwards with her lee rail close down in the water, showing a grand turn of speed. Both Shamrocks rounded opposite the Royal Yacht Squadron Club-house at half-past one o'clock. Lowering their staysails, they awaited the coming up of the Sybarite, which, was tearing down at a great pace. The Shamrock I. now took the opportunity of lowering her topsail, the halyard of which had somehow fouled. In the meantime all had been made ready on board the Erin for the start. The boats were to pass between i.cr bows and the West Brambles bnov. The best of the Hood tide had run out at the time, and there was a close haul up to P.vde to windward in face of the breeze, which was piping up stronger and stronger every moment and promised to be interesting, if not exciting.

THE ACCIDENT. Exactly at two o'clock the first whistle was blown from the Erin and the two boats commenced manoeuvring for the start. Captain Sycamore stood away off the Hampshire shore, giving his boat the full weight of the wind. He had hauled up sharp exactly at the expiring of the fourth minute with the view of getting back down to the starting line on the Brambles buoy side. It could now be plainly seen that the breeze had more hardness in it than in C'owes Bay, but not one for a moment could have anticipated the sharp, sudden chapter of catastrophes which followed.

No sooner had the challenger rounded to and showed her broadside to the Erin than down came the, squall. Her topmast snapped. Then the mast itself buckled at the point in its hollow where the topmast should rest. Then the remainder of the mast came away, and the disaster was completed with the snapping of the bowsprit, and Sir Thomas Lipton's magnificent yacht, the admired of all eyes at Dennys' yard on April 20, was now to the heartbroken spectators apparently as complete a wreck as could possibly be imagined.

SUDDENNESS OF THE DISASTER. No stage carpenter ever worked out so complete or so sensational a transformation scene so quickly, so effectually, and so effectively as that sudden squall did to-day. At one moment there was that great, beautiful, sunlit mass of white sail. The next there was a small white mound lying on the broken water.

Oh, the terror and excitement! Blanched were the cheeks of us all who saw it. What did we think were the chances of those who might have been swept off the deck? What of the King? What of plucky Sir Thomas? Captain Wringe, on board "the old Shamrock, forgetting all about the start, at once bore down to give assistance. The Sybarite also made straight for the scene of the disaster, with her sheets squared off m a twinkling, while two black-funneled torpedocatchers, which happened to be lying close at hand, lowered their boats with man-of-war like sharpness, the. Erin's steam launch at the same time shooting swiftly off. THE SHAMROCK I. COMES TO GRIEF. It was a scene which almost baffles description. In all my experience of yachting mishaps I have never seen anything like it. Then, as the worst ill-luck would have it, the Shamrock 1., in rounding! to. caught the full force of the squall. Her gaff buckled in tho centre, her topsail yard snapped and her canvas was cut into tatters. But meanwhile the Sybarite's cutter reached the wreck. Then it was found, to the surprise of all, that there had not only been no loss of life, but not even an injury to limb of any one aboard, which is marvellous, considering that besides the distinguished passengers there were on deck 37 of the crew. The whole thing occupied no more than 70 seconds. "Fortunately the King occupied his favourite position aboard the yacht when tacking and so escaped. The other guests were sitting close up to windward. Whether it was a case of ' God Save the King' or not, one thing is certain. His Majesty had a much narrower escape than many ma'v think was actually the case; for, with the boat just a little nearer the staying point, the great boom, with all its "supports gone, would have fallen amidships, and some of the guests wouold surely have suffered.