Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-10-06

were ON even terms, fleeing before The
gentle breeze wing ana wing. spinnakrr
balancing mainsail and bulsing balloon
lib drawing forward. The excursion
boats started in pursuit, but they almoSt
Immediately slowed down ana then
stopped.
The lazy breeze was carrying The biz
yachts down the wind Al a snaiIs pace.
For almost an hour the spectators on the
excursion boats watched them drift. The
Columbia steadily gained. Inch by inch
she crept along. Al the end Of j. min
utes several lengths az clear water
showed between her and her rival. The
bands played ana 4 few whistles footed.
on. on. she moved until she was fully
800 yards ahead.
An immense spread Of canvas. inclul-
ing the balloon Jill. was drawing in tn"
gentle breeze. The whole crew Of each
yacht was aft to act as ballast ana keep
IN the head Of the yacht. Then the winl
began to die and the great balloons Of
canvas forward collapsed. At the same
time the wind canted little and the Co
lumbia took in her spinna<er ana triri
reaching. leaving the balloon Jill set
II was a challenge to The Shamrock on
her best point Of sailing and Capt. IIo-
garth accepted the gauge. They went
heading over toward the Long Island
shore ana the Columbia continued to ii'-
crease her lead The Shamrock SCI her
staysail. but II only kept the wind from
her balloon and the sail Itself hung NM
from the stay. Ia few minutes she i""t
it down.
The steamship Augusta Victoria. out
ward bound to southampton, slowed
down To let the passengers eaten Il
elimps,. Of the contest. Then shr dip
ped her flag and sped on. \ few min
utes later the Cunard Liner Servia
came foaming into port. In vain the
patrol boats whstlcd their warning
but she swung slightly outward as SIN
came on straight through the course,
dipped her flag when abeam of the rae
ers ana disappeared to leeWard Tha
emigrants aboard climbed upon h"r
forecastle deck to see the sight. Thr
Columbia got most 0f the wash it'A
the big liner. bohbing On the mug
swell and splitting much wind Out # ;s"'
sails
MeanW lille the excursion boats ".'".i-
ed toward the outer mark. When lht.
got there they waited for IN hour, hHl
The champions did not come. 1il'"
when the wind hauled around ~ ltit
south southeast and the racers h't
taken in their spinnakers T. beat nm 4
it close hauled the excursion boats
puffed back to see what the yachts
We're doing But for the rest 81 we
race. the yachts were half the time in
doldrums with their sails fluppin:: list
lessly.
When the streaks Of wind Won. 4
strike them they would luff ANA W. K
and split lacks, each vainiy cnd"i'Nti-
ing to get into the place where th''
zephyrs were crinklins the ocean !"i
two hours this was kept up. dn%ih+
which no one seemed able To tell eN2c'-
~ how the Shamrock drew up with
her adversary. At So. when il was
apparent to all that the yachts could
not make the outer mark, murh less
the finish. and when both We're pr&cti-
cally on even terms. the committee a.
cided to call the race off.
Just before the regatta commit r.
hung out the triatic stay. which &c
clared the race off. the spectators Wert
watching the yachts with intense ~
terest. They had split tacks and nov
the Columbia was sailing toward IL
Shamrock on the port tack with III.
evident intention of crossing her bow
The water between them grew narrow
er and narrower until she was clo-t
enough to pass a line aboard. Every
body aboard the excursion fleet eX
pected her to cross the Shamrock
bow, but Capt Barr found ii too risk!
and he mt his helm down and came
over on the starboard tack under tn
Shamrock's lee. Although the Co