Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-10-21

NEW YORK. October 20.-Through
wild and hoary seas, in a breeze that
approached the dignity of a gale, the
gallant sloop Columbia to-day van
quished the British challenger Sham
rock by six minutes and eighteen Sec
onds actual time, and six minutes and
"a seconds corrected time. thus COM
pleting the series for the Americas
cup with a magnificent rough weather
duel and a glorious Yankee victory.
For the eleventh time the attempt of
a foreigner to wrest from America the
yachting supremacy of the world has
failed. The trophy won by the old
schooner America forty-eight years ago
Is still ours, a monument TO the super
iority of American seamanship and
American naval architecture and a
Standing challenge to yachtsmen of all
nations. Unbeaten America again tastes
tne glory Of victory. 1ha intrinsic value
OF the reward which hundreds Of thou
sands OF dollars were expended to
secure is small-simply an %antiquated
piece Of sllVerware which Queen Vic
loTia offered to the best sailing ship in
the world in the early days Of her reign,
but around it cluster the precious mem
cries OF unbroken American triumphs
and the honor OF mastery in the MODEST
OF SPORTS.
To Sir Thomas Upton, whose name
is now added to the list of defeated as
plrants for the honor of carrying the
ON Fl haalr narO-c ti,o At1nn+ia fof1s1ro
was a crushing blow. His hope had
man that he is, the sting of defeat
HAS LEFT NO BITTERNESS,
and with undaunted courage, he init
mates that he may be back with a bet
ter boat to try again. During his stay
here, Sir Thomas has made himself
more popular than any previous chal-
lenger and the yachtsmen of this coun-
try will be glad to welcome him back.
Except for the repeated fiukes and the
unfortunate accident to the challenger
on Tuesday, this series of races has
been unmarried by a single untoward
incident. The boats have had two fair
and square races, one in airs, and the
other in a heavy blow, and Sir Thoma,
is perfectly satisfied that he was beaten
by the better boat.
To-day's race was a glorious test of
the rough weather qualities of the two
yachts. There was too much freshness
in the air for comfort and it was far too
rough for land lubbers. The sky was
overcast with cold gray clouds and the
fierce flaws of a chilling blast oil OF
the northeast whipped the foam out
of the racing waves until they whitened
the face of the sea. Outside the ocean
was a riot of whitecaps. Some of the
holiday fleet declined to brave the perils
of the harpies riding down on the north
easter, and those that did rolled and
plunged in the tumbling pillows, send
ing all but the old salts below.
The prayer of Sir Thomas for wind
was answered. 1t was blowing % miles
an hour at the lightship, enough wind
and enough sea to make any racing
machine stagger. Even the pilot boats,
that can weather any gale, were under
shortened sail. and the wind fairly tore.
the steam from the exhaust and the
smoke from the stack into shreds. the
course. fifteen miles before the wind,
south by west, carried the yacnrs
straight down the Jersey coast to a
point off Long Branch, so that the race
was sailed in plain view of the thou
sands perched upon the heights OF
Navesink and stretched along he shore
from Seabright to Asbury Park.
The crew of the Columbia were pre-
pared for the fray in yellow oilskins
and sou'western, and those Of the Sham
rock in white canvas.
II was blowing too hard for club top
sails and both shippers contented them
selves with hosting small working top
sails. Both yachts fed
ACROSS THE STARTING LINE
before the 25-knot breeze wing and
wing, their %spinnakers breaking out like
puffs of white smoke and settling hard
as plaster. The Shamrock was over a
minute and one second before the de-
fender. But this was not due to super
Tor ~seamanship. Captain Barr held off
for that length of time after the green
boat crossed in order that he might get
the position astern, where he could have
an opportunity to blanket his rival.
The yachts made a beautiful picture as
they sped away with outstretched PIN
ions. The Columbia carried her spin
maker boom at an angle of almost 45
degrees. This allowed the big sail to
belly far out forward and draw like a
locomotive. Butyit was rather danger
Gus. and twice an extra puff of wind
carried the sail onward and UP until it
tumbled over the stay. But the r"at
Isle sailors each time had II back In
place in a jiffy. The Shamrock had no
such mishaps. Hogarth carried his