The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-28
GOOD WORK BY COLUMBIA.
OUTSfILS THE DEFENDER ~ TWO
BRI SHES orr NEUpORY.
The Sew Yachts Working TopsniI Fhs
Badly aud Is Nearly Useless ola Cup
Champion Proves to Ito ms Fast Ever
They VIII Race to New London To-Day.

mile course when we get the Columbia in trim
we shall feel perfectly satisfied" These were
e. Oliver 1selins words to THE Sun CORE
spondent this evening after the days racing
between Columbia and Defender on this
mort. in which the new boat had beaten the old
Close observers believe. however. that Mr..
1Selin's estimate OF the Columbia's ability to
beat the Defender II n conservative one. and
that actual racing over measured courses
will show several minutes more gain for
Columbia. we are perfectly satisfied with
the days sailing" continued Mr. Iseln. and
think the Columbia did as well as
could be expected under the circumstances.
In the afternoon her working topsail was
nearly useless. and. Of course. she Is not yet in
the best Of trim. We shall race to New Lon
don tomorrow II can get the topsail reset in
time. starting between / and II o'clock The
race on Sandy Hook for the New York Yacht
Clubs Cup has been fixed for Thursday.
July o."
There were both morning and afternoon
races to-day. not over formal courses. but.
nevertheless. with the boats keeping to-
Eether and affording q fine opportunity for
comparison and estimate. The morning sailing
was in a breeze Of something over twelve miles
an hour. while the afternoon work was done In
a bit fresher wind certainly as strong as flftean
miles an hour. The sea was smooth for surh
boats and tho condition as good as could be tx
pected Both carried working topsails, but could
easily have carried club topsais had the race
been for prize or other than an informal one
in the light air encountered In the morning in
the beat out to Brenton's Reef Lightship. Co.
lumbia took bit more heel than Defender. but
in the fresher breeze Of the late forenoon and
afternoon all difference disappeared and both
took good angle for sailing. and when once
fairly on their bparupa az oil thnrp
There Is no reason to suppose that Columbia
will not carry her larger sail plan we'll rs
does Defender her smaller one. She will simply
he" out bit easier at first and then
will be faster in light airs. point
OF sailing which was certainly not Defenders
strong play, Yet II the Columbia Won out to-
day is it to be imagined that the old cup de-
fender did not put up good nght or that she
was not pushed for all she was worth She ap-
peared to be sailing with all her od-time ease
and speed and was as beautiful a picture OF
yachting delight as in her palmiest days in 90.
1t was not that the Defender has slowed up
or lost any OF her attractiveness but that ahead
of her was something a little more beuti-
full. a little more speedy. and decidedly more
promising for additional speed In the flu
ture. The Defender has almost reached
her limit OF speed and everything about her Is
in good working order. while the Columbia
IS new and her crew not quite so well ac-
customed to her. and she has promise
Of many minutes more speed than she
now shows. Summed up conoisely II can |
confidently be said that the Columbia will |
surely beat Defender by a good margin. but
that she cannot run away from her as seemed |
likely from Sundays sailing. except possibly |
In light air.
The morning brush began about 1890 |
o'clock. when the Columbia tripped her an
Choir. and under three lower sails. moved |
out Of the harbor and down toward |
l5entons Lightshlp. The Defender was |
a little slower in getting started. and |
followed the Columbia down past the |
Dumplings and Castle Hill. and 30 out to tho |
open sea. The air was light from the south
west and the Columbia pulled steadily ahead |
on every tack, The Defenders working top |
sail was then sent UP and she held and began |
to pick up on the Columbia. The latter's
working topsall was In turn put up. but It was
not good in fit. 1t served to nearly hold tho |
though. and as the boats passed the |
liGhtship the Columbia was 200 yards in tho
lead. She passed to leeward Of the lightshlp by |
100 feet. while the Defender passed to wind
wnrd at somewhat smaller distance. The
Columbia was ahead. but the Defender was to |
Both boats had now settled down to business
with Carts. Barr and Rhoedes, doing all they
but nevertheless surely. tho Columbia blaze be-
gan to work out to windward OF the Defender,
II was not that , she pointed 50 much higher
Tine She footed a BIT foster. At, times
somet%Ss s sssmed appfFsPth The IN De sGs
was gaining. but In about ten minutes the |
nile on the s"s Defenders snf wsSth r.eF BEAM ea
y 81 o9 BY s that
Env oh frNp ha lahf ahi
had been going close to nine miles an hour
!, At 1880 o'clock the Columbia bore away to
down on the Defender which, in turn. was
also beaded to the eastward. A reach was
The wind about abesm headed TO toward SH " the
shore above Narragspsett Pier, The Defender
Roth had set small Gibtopsaiis ' toward
thHe, last OF the brush 70 windward, and
sail would have replaced hem In a race, For
time it looked as though the Defender was
looked to be too fiat and the sheet too much |
hauled in. little later 1t was eassd some |
h Ps.a Of tn" beats bepS about
her boom well Of to port and headed for New
rortwhile the Defender was logged along easily |
Columbia's spinnaker was set for the first |
time and gave new picture for admiration.
brought to anchor about 2 O'Clock. was
The Columbia got under way again about 4 |
o CLOCK lot tns hiIernOOn q sailing and worked |
out fast to the lightship. with the Defend |
or jogging along ahead OF her. At the light |
ship the brush began. Tho Defender bore |
away from her windWard position until she was |
almost on top OF the Columb ia, and then hauled |
her wind not one hundred feet away. being |
ahead and to windyard Of the Columbia so as to |
blanket her. Both boats were on the |
starboard tack. Had they been crossing a |
line the Defender would have been |
timed full half minute before tho Columbia |
Yet in spite. Of the blenketng the Columbia |
promise OF crawling out from under Defenders |
lee when tho old boat suddenly tack ed and |
went in shore: The Colum bia held on until |
clear Of Defenders back wind and then tack ed |
to port after her.
Then came the best sailing OF the day, a |
tack and tack race. with everything hauled |
flat and the spray flying about their bows |
and occasionally making a dash on deck. The |
Columbia was now nearer meeting her match |
than ever before, yet, her gain was apparent |
On every tack. and 1t was with the greatest |
D( disappointment that about O'Clock her |
admirers were compelled TO see her ,topsail
come iown. This ended the windward brush. |
The pefenders topsAil was taken down and |
both boats ran back for the harbor under lower |
sails The Columbia was astern at first, |
aud passed Fort Adams with the Colum. |
lila in tho lead. Had tho beat to |
woodward been kept UP under similar condi- |
TONS as had prevailed at the time OF the Acci- |