AUTEUR :
REF : 0
EDITION : 1903
DATE : 11 Apr 1903
COURSE : 0
DESCRIPTION SITE :
Saturday April 11, 1903:
The excitement about the
forthcoming launch of the new cup defender had been building for days. The
usually quiet little burgh of Bristol took on a holiday atmosphere with bunting
and flags decorating its streets and homes. On Saturday, a sunny clear day with
moderate winds, thousands arrived by special trains until in the hour before
launching, the wharves for half a mile on either side of the Herreshoff south
boat shed were literally black with people. In the water more than one hundred
small craft, the majority occupied by newsmen or photographers, were grouped on
either side of the marine railway.
Doors of the big shed opened
for ticket holders at 5 PM and at the appointed hour of 5:30 RELIANCE, on her
cradle, was slowly lowered down the ways. Just as she started, the sponsor Miss
Nora Iselin broke the traditional bottle of wine with a hammer saying: “I
christen thee RELIANCE and God bless you. Success.”
She floated clear
some ten minutes later to the cheers of the crowd and the tremendous screeching
of whistles from the assembled steam yachts, the crew tender SUNBEAM and the US
Navy torpedo boat CUSHING. Thus began the illustrious career of the greatest of
the America's Cup yachts. NOTES AMERICA-SCOOP : LICENCE : Autorisation en cours |