The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-08
AGAIN THERE WAS NO RACE.
Continued from First Page.

Continued from First Page.
stili further, making it a broad reach to
the mark. Bola yachts took on their
spinnakers and eased Their sheets. Then
the white flyer gained steadily. The
yachts were now ABOUT mile sCd a naf
from the oater marx. Al the interest cen
tered there. Steamers, tugs and yachts
hurried across the course and lined up 70
ieeWard, waiting with eager interest TO
see which wound round first. Calamity
the American came on. Il was astonishing
how fast she g.ided through the water.
She ate up the distance between her and
the green boat until, when The mark was
but quarter of a mile away, less than
hundred yards separated them. Hope rose.
The Shamrock was 10 windward. They
were coming ike horses down the stretch.
hundred feet away the Columbia had
Closed the gap Her slender PROV Just lap
ped the stern of the green hu.l Under
The rules they must pass the float with
the red ball on the starboard eud. As the
balloon jibs ratified Gown on both boats
preparatory TO the gyte the watching
thousands held their breath. 1t did not
seem possible that the white ghost could
squeeze in between Shamrock and the
mark To the on,Ookets it seemed newt
able that unless the Yankee boat kept
away under the stern of the Shamrock
there would be a collision or the Co.um-
bla would foul the tloat.
Took Desperate Chances.
But c. Oliver Ise,iu had desperate cour-
age in tight place. lie played the limit.
The man who set a cub topsaii in driv-
ing gale in the deciding race between Wig
liant and Naikyrie II, would stop at moth
ing. On he came. forcing the Shamrock to
go wide around, while the Columbia seem
ed 10 scrape the float as she wore about
with her helm hard down, Though the
Shamrock rounded first by nine seconds,
she swept around so far on the outside
that as both boats came up and their sails
filled away on the star1oard tack, Coium-
bia not only had the weather gauge, but
was in the lead.
No more reckless piece OF courage was
ever seen IN an International race. 1t was
a desperate game but ii won Had the
Columbia so much as touched the foal
she would have been disqualified then and
there. The patriots cheeIed wildly and the
shippers of the excursion fleet let or
enough steam to carry their vessels back
to New York.
The official time Of The rounding the out
er mark was: Shamrock 156:2j; Columbia
1864.
The enthusiasm Of the patriots broke
out again a few minutes later when, aft
er a few short tacks, Shamrock tried 10
cross Columbia bows, but failed. The beat
to windward was by far the most inter-
esting portion of the race. while the breeze
held Closehauled, the two boats slashed
straight out 10 sea through the long, heavy
swell. heeling to the breeze in stately fash
ion. with foam squirting from their grace
| full bows and crews piled upon the weather
| rail of the sloping decks. Though no solid
water came over their glistening sides, il
tFwirled along under their counters. There
was plenty OF spray and every man aboard
was as wet as if he had been under a
shower bath.
| 1t was strange that the Columbia the
| famous light-wea her boat should careen
less to the wind than her rival from over
the sea. The old barnacles said her i'm
mense overhang, dipping down. supported
her ana kept her up stiff as a church"
The Shamrock, the famous heavy-weather
boat, leaned to it Ike a queen.
Shamrock Better Handled.
As the WIND began to die out and the
hope of finishing the race began to van
ish the two boats split lacks and did not
come together again for long time, keep
| ing every one guessing which was ahead
During this fiuky period, everybody agreed
that the Shamrock was the better hand
led. She never failed TO take advantage
of every new slant of the wind
At last. 20 minutes before the race was
declared off. Shamrock decided to try con-
illusions and she headed across Columbia <
bow. So uncertain was the result that
no one knew until the yachts were within
a hundred feet of each other which would
have to give way. The Yankee skipDers
all had their hands on their whistle cords
and when Shamrock put her helm up. IN
able 10 make it, from both sides Of the
course carne The shrieks of thousands OF
whistles. the enthusiastic shouts of the
multitude ond the crash of bands. They
sailed the last twenty minutes neck and
neck, but with the Columbia TO the wind
ward and perhaps half a length ahead.
Disappointed, but overjoyed that when
the race was declared off. the cup de-
fender was in the lead, the excursion fleet
headed back for Sandy Hook as fast as
steam and sail could carry them.