Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-17

bronze underbody, as she leaned away
with her lee rail almost awash. Steadily
she continued to draw ahead until. within
half an hour, having unequivocally de-
monstrated her superiority in windvard
work. 1t became only a question OF how
far the white flyer would beat her rival
to the outer mark.
AS the yachts got farther out the seas
grew more turbulent and tho spray
spurted higher from their bows. Many
excursionists came TO grief. and the tug
boats plunging through the head seas.
sent the spray aloft to their pilot-houses.
and some of them were flooded from
stem to stern. The work of the patrol
feet was perfect. The revenue cutters
line ahead 70 leeward and the torpedo
boats line abreast astern held the yachts
in the hollow OF q moving right angle.
which changed direction with each tack
and kept the yachts as free from inter
ference as II they had been sailing In the
middle Of the Atlantic.
THE SHAMROCK mot IN IT."
The Shamrock footed valiantly, but
neither IN speed nor in pointing could she
compare with the Columbia. Then the
three shippers on the challenger put their
heads together and tried new tactics
The Shamrock made a dozen short tacks
Evidently her shippers were under the
impression that she was better on her
heel and better at fore reaching than
the Yankee boat. but the Columbia proved
quite as nimble as the Shamrock
Timed by a stop-watch, both boats
were fifteen seconds in stays. and when
the Britshers go home they will tell
their friends that the white beauty was
fully as clever as the challenger at fore
reaching. When the Shamrock got
through with this line Of tactics Column
bia had increased her lead until she was
half a mile ahead.
AT the end of another half hour as the
wind continued TO freshen. the Shamrock
took in her baby jib topsail, figuring that
without this headsail she might be able
TO hug the wind closer The Columbia
held on TO hers, and as the Shamrock did
not improve her position at the end of
ten minutes her skipper again set the sail.
BY o'clock the Shamrock was fully a
mile and a half astern, and the Columbia
was a winner all over. As the Associated
Press boat. on her way 10 the outer
mark, PASSED the Manning. Captain
Evans, who was on the bridge, shouted:
Amt she a peachT'
AROUND THE OUTER MARK.
Nothing could have been prettier than
the way the Columbia swept around the
outer mark. graceful as a swan. Both
boats had edged far to the southwark Of
their course. and as the rules required
that the mark should be passed on the
starboard hand, Columbia tackled down TO
port and came over on the starboard
tack as she approached the float. AS she
neared # her spinnaker pole was like a
KNIGHTS lance in rest. AS she swung
| "a h. .ffb In taf
her spinnaker pole drop to port and
breaking out her cloud Of canvas, fled
homeward like a scared deer Her big
balloon iib blossomed out a few seconds
later. The few ships Of the excursion
fleet at the outer mark gave her a rousing
reception.
The Shamrock was already hopeessly
beaten. A quarter Of a mile on the home
run, the Columbia crossed the path of the
Shamrock, stll beating TO windward, and
robbed her Of the wind for a minute as
she went past II was nine minutes and
forty-nine seconds later when the Sham
rock swung around the mark, and squared
away for the finish. The excursion-boats,
however, hung on courteOusly until she
had rounded, and gave her quite an ova-
ton.
TIME AT THE TURN.
The official time at the turn was:
Columbia. 1:4S:i9; Shamrock, l:5S0S
The Columbia was already almost two
| miles away, and In the thickening mist
could hardly'be discerned The bells on
| the excursion boats jingled for full
speed. and they went ploughing down on
either side of the course 70 be In at the
death.
Sir Thomas's steam yacht Erin, how
| ever. remained abeam Of the challenger,
giving what moral support she could to
| his beaten boat
Sir Thomas and his friends aboard look
ed fully as discOnsOlate as they felt
Some of them seemed to have lost all
interest I'm the landscape, and were
hanging over the rail. looking down into
the water. Sir Thomas. however. re-
NAMED on the bridge with his eyes glued
on the boat I'm which his hopes had so
lately centered. and o group Of sailors
forward seemed to be trying to make out
the outlines Of the vanishing Yankee
in the thick gloom. From that time 1t
was simply a procession
SOUI-STIRRING FINISH.
There was a soul-stirring scene as the
Columbia approached the finish. The ex-
cursion boats had gathered there in a
serni-circle TO give her welcome. and as
she swept across the finish line bedlam
broke loose. The steam whistles Shrek
ed. the sirens walled, the Corsair. the
flagship Of the New York Yacht Club.
and several other yachts flung their
powder into smoke. and the multitudes
on the steamers cheered. The Corsair
hauled down all her private signals and
set Old Glory at each masthead, and AT
gaff and taffrail
The crew Of the Columbia, gathered
aft hurrahed with bare head. then, as
she lowered her head sails, and took
the tow line from her tender the crowd
waited over ten minutes until the Sham
rock had crossed. and the feet had given
her stentOrian expression Of good Will
Then they turned on their heels and
scampered after the Columbia, crowding
about her and cheering her again and
again. while The bands played Hail
Columbia" Yankee Doodle" and other
patriotic airs. They escorted her all the
way to her anchorage inside the Hook.
TO-DAY'S RACE.
The race tomorrow viii be over
triangular course, ten miles to the leg,
and the Shamrock will have an oppor-
tunity TO show what she can DO at her
favorite point OF sailing.
yzs~psszxs-1-<z.S
The Meyers store News.