The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-07-21
SHAMROCK NO WINNER
Her Race With the Britannia
Not enSational.
THE AMERICAS CUPTHOUGHT SAFE

Two Opinions Held on the New ChulIcn.
gers Performance With the Old Yacht.
Hints the Shamrock Was Not Permitted
to DO Her Best.
SOUTHAMPTON, July l9.-As the start
ing gun doomed for the Shamrock s
race with the Britannia, the Britannia
Immediately crossed the line, the Sham
rock following in way to give tho inn
preston that she had no objection to
giving the Britannia slight lead, the
latter, however, did not long remain in
the advantage. 1t was u dead beat to
the windwird and little distance was
covered before the Shamrock, which
started on the short leg to port, over
hauled her and on the following long
leg to starboard, the Shamrock forged
ahead rapidly. 1t was at once noticed
that she was sailing nearly half point
nearer the wind than the Britannia.
The Britannia carried the same cam
vas and in addition her club topsail, but
the Shamrock was half u mile ahead
passing Warner. The challenger held
up admirably and there was not drop
of water on deck. She proved extremely
agile i'll putting about, taking only ten
and half seconds.
The only mishap of the day was that
when the Shamrock s sail began to fill
the top caught in the crosstrees The
huge canvas Topped fiat and then sud
denly burst like balloon and q big
rent became visible in the upper part
where a long strip had been torn out,
leaving u hole big enough for u man to
crawl through. The Shamroc1's speed
naturally suffered somewhat from this
accident.
The yachts jibed to port near Ryde.
They We're travelling at such rate that
the press boat, going at the speed Of II
knots, was unable to keep pace with tho
Shamrock, though the wind ightened
considerably after leaving the Nab light
ship. The Britannia appeared to be
holding her own for short spell before
she reached Ryde, but the Shamrock
again crept slowly ahead, widening the
gap.
COwEs, Isle of Wight, July l9.-On
the actual difference in the times of the
Shamrock and Britannia at the various
points and the times at the finish of to-
days race, it does not appear shat the
Shamrock has q great chance of Win
ming the Americas cup. These signs,
however, may be deceptive. 1t was the
opinion of those who closely watched
the race from the steamer following the
yachts that the Shamrock was never
pushed to her utmost in today's trial.
and that Mr.. Fife, the designer of the
yacht, merely desired to ascertain
whether the Shamrock could show the
Britannia clean pair of heels.
The Shamrock showed to the best ad
vantage beating to windward and
gained six minutes on the Britannia in
the eight miles beat to the Nab light
ship from the start, although beating is
considered one Of Britannia's strong
points. On the run back to Cowes the
Shamrock's gain was less pcrceptible,
but she did not set her club topsails and
so did not do her best. On the reach
home the Shamrock did better and
could even have done the distance in
much shorter time if she had been put
on her mettle. The Shamrock is de-
cidedly the fastest boat ever launched in
these waters. No other craft ever gave
the Britannia such a beating on q fair
sailing trial.