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SHAMROCK IV. ,
Trip Across Atlantic Ocean
YACHTING EXPERIENCES OF MR
WALTKR MARKS. M.H.K.
In the year 1^14 and the months of |
IJulv and August Sir Thomas Lipton's
I gigantic yacht Shamrick IV. crossed
tho Atlantic to compete for the .^«:er
: ica Cup, the much coveted trophy for
'.Uuglish and American yachting cnthu- |
l&iasts. The grentest and best kuown
: of Knglish yachtsmen to-day is undoub
1 tedly Sir Thomas Lipton, and tlie
fame °f bis yachts is world wide. In
the vcar 191-1, just prior to the out
break of war 'the yacht Shamrock JV.
j was launched at Portsmouth amidst
'unprecedented rejoicing and gaiety.
The subsequent trials of the yacht and
the triu across the Atlantic were gra
phically described at tho Mechanics'
Institute last night by an eye-witness,
Mr Waiter Marks, M.H.R., of Aus
tralia.
Mr Marks, one of .Australia s fore
most yachtsmen, iva^ the guest of
Thomas Liptou during the trial of
the Shamrock IV., and tlie trip across
to America. During that time he
was busily engaged taking photos of
iho incidents of note surrounding the
launching, the trials, and tho final
preparations lor the Atlantic trip.
' The slides, which numbered about
200, were works of photographic art.
[The photos., especially those of the
I vessel in lull ris aud tailing before the
'wind wero remarkable. The vessel was
launched ot Portsmouth, and after
the ceromony was iully rigged nnd
taken to Southend for her trials. Sir
' Thomas Lipton's steam yacht EriUj af
terwards sunk by a submarine in^ the
Medit*-rrar-*an, accompanied Ihe Sham
rock IV., nnd as a trial liorsc Lipton's
other yacht Shamrock JII-, the lastest
; vessel for its size iu the world, was
'used. Thousands of people were, acous
tomod to lining the snores in the vicin
ity and watch the trials; unusual in
terest being manifested by the whole
i of tbo English people. Throughout
the course of the lecture Mr Marks
described th-* rigging and the novehiesj
iutroduccd iu the building by the -lc- ,
.signer, Mr Chas. Nickiesen. The mast, |
(even to those u^Jiccustowed to noting
such things, appeared an enormous
structure, the mcafcurt-mcnt h»»mg 1 GH. t .
from the dock. She carried a spread
of canvas I3,(XJ0 square foot, and tho
.boom stood over 7ft troin tho decking.
Only a slide of a character exhibited'
llust' night could convey an idea of t.'m
enormous siae of the yacht. Iho en
tire navigating ere w were chosen ex- 1
'porta selected from the pick ol Lng
' land's yachtsincn, and to a man they
'took a pridtf in their work. The wejght |
of everything on bonrd was tremend
ous, yet despite this fact the rigging ;
was only of a light character. The crow I
? comprised 32 men competent in their
various departments, in the trials the
Shamrock XV. was capable of giving
Shamrock IU. --- seconds start m every
mile and then win. Tlie latter vessel
at the time of thfc trials was tlie fast
est mittcr in the world. Prior to Jil
ting out across the Atlantic the vessel
was at Spithead when tho naval 're
view was held, and in starting on the
vovagc was coni]-clIed to pas'- through
'2\' miles of, stee] composed of tho
might of the English navy. A great
ovation was accorded ihe crew's of both
the Erin and ihe Shamrock IN .. which
wos in tow. After leaving the English.
1 coast the course lay south of the
nt i.'iiini. iJqtiflc lmth the Erin
Shamrock IV put in for pronsuocs
and water. After leaving tlv* Aaoros
tlie wireless operator ou board the
Erin picked up a message ^toting that
England had declared war on Ger
many. Shortly afterwards the Krin I
intercepted German code signals which j
the operator continued as coming trom |
Von Spec's squadron. Following tins j
message another was received from Mr
Winston Churchill ordering the two (
vessels to put into Bermuda for pafcty j
The Erin and Shamrock FT. both sue- j
ceode(j in reaching -Bermuda, and after I
sheltering for a few days continued tlie
vovage to Americo which proved un
eventful. A magnificent reception was {
accorded them upon arrival in New ,
York ITnrbor, but N»n- ,» war was in
progress it was decided to dock tb© vefi
ael until the cessation of hostilities. It
was only recently that the Shamrock
XV. appeared in public, and in ih®
racc for the America Cup was defeated
by the Resolute.
In conclusion. Mr Marks stated that
Sir Thomas Lipton was not, as many
people thought, in the game for adver
tisement. So enthusiastic was h© over
yachting, and $0 keen was lu to win
the America Cup, that in his will he
had loft- money for the endeavor to
bo achieved after his death.
The interesting lecture was brought
to q close by a vote of thanks being
passed to the lecturer. Mr Marks will
deliver this Iccture in Hobart shortly.
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