The San Francisco call., 1899-10-18

ening by degrees as the yachts stood
along on northeast by south course
They were taking the easterly sWells
rather hard at times, plunging their DOW
SPIRITS clear under and doubtless putting
TO a severe test all the SparS ana rigging
With half an eye any sailor couIu see
looking at the yachts end-on from astern
the Columbia was lying, say, from half TO
three-quarterS of a point higher than the
Shamrock, both apparently having their
sheets trimmed alike on this port tack
The fact that the Shamrock carried no
baby jibtopsail was excellent evidence
that her captains were afraid that II set
II would pull her head off more yet, so
II was kept down, while the Columbia 5
setting perfectly on its stay. must have
helped that yacht instead of retardins
her in the windward work. Fifteen min
utes after the start the Columbia's posi-
ton was fully 200 yards dead TO wind
ward Of the Shamrock, the latter being
at that time slightly forward OF the Co.
lumbia lee beam.
Captain Barr evidently meant TO con-
tnue on the port tack to Liverpool If
necessary, until the Shamrock came
about. That never happened, however,
for as the breeze fresheued and both
yachts began to put their lee rails down
harder 1t seemed, looking at the Sham
rocks 5 topmast from astern, as II II were
sprung. At u:24 with crash that could
be heard far off to leeward the Sham
rocks topmast broke al a point close TO
the cap, and the great club topsail with
long spars went flying down 70 leeWard
across her stern to port captain no
garth Immediately put the Shamrock be-
fore the wind, and, finding that no one
on board was hurt, he gybed her and all
hands began clearing away the Wreckage.
The foresail was taken in first and men
were sent alOft TO overhaul the club top
sails sheets and and halyards and clear
away the topmast backstays and other
gear II was some fifteen minutes be-
fore they were able to get the club top
sail down on deck. 1t was found that the
direct cause Of the accident was the part
ing of the foremast shrOud in the nip -
that is, the portion Of this steel wire rope
resting in the spread which extends out
board from the hounds Of the lower
mast The strands Of the wire easily
chafe and rust al that point. especially
when the shroud IS Stacked by reason of
being TO leeward.
rock was concerned.
The Columbia took in her baby Jib top
sail and continued on her course, tacking
TO starboard al II %, for it had been spe-
cially agreed a few days prior TO the date
set for the first race that in the event of
an accident to either yacht the uninjured
vessel was 70 complete the course. This
agreement was signed by Mr.. Iselin ana
Sir Thomas Upton. 1t was a great pity,
of course, that such an accident should
have happened at such a time, when
everything looked promising for good
triangular race.
At the time Of the accident the Colum-
bla was about an eighth Of a mile to the
windwa Of the Shamrock.
The steam yacht Erin, with Sir Thomas
Upton and party on board followed the
Shamrock back to Sandy Hook while she
was towed by her tender. On her way in
the Erin was passed by the steam yacht
Oneida. Former Commodore F. c. Bene-
dict was on the bridge. He hailed Sir
Thomas through the megaphone and said:
Il am very sorry to see the accident and
am sorry that the race is to be won in
that way. We should all be more pleased
to see the yachts sail it out"
Sir Thomas thanked him and passed on
IN his yacht. For thirty-eight minutes
and forty-five seconds the Columbia con-
tinued on the starboard tack She had
taken in her jib topsail soon after the ac-
cident TO the Shamrock so as to relieve
the topmast Of any unnecessary strain In
twenty-five minutes she went about again
to starboard and eleven minutes later she
made her last tack for the first mark In
three and half minutes she was up to
the mark and keeping off, rounded it. AS
she eased sheets TO starboard a No. tib
topsail was broken out and the white
yacht began her ten-mile reach for the
second mark. Her official time at the turn
was f2:39:28, showing that she had COW
cred the distance TO windward, about
fourteen miles, in one hour, thirty-nine
minutes and eleven seconds.
The reach to the second mark was de-
void Of interest, for the Columbia simply
straight as die, only changing her fore
staysail for ballooner at lib. She con-
tinued TO carry her jib topsail until the
second mark was nearly reached The
second mark was gybed around in 1891
Her elapsed time for this leg was So min
utes SO seconds. a little better than ten
miles an hour.
Setting the balloon lib topsail q few
minutes after rounding this mark the
Columbia headed north, northwest for the
home mark. On this last leg Of ten miles
the wind lightened considerably and the
yachts speed was not as good as on the
previous leg. It took her / hour min
utes so seconds TO cover the distance
The wind hauled a little to the westward
as she approached the finish line, so the
balloon jib topsail was taken in and the
small iib topsail set. At 2:37:17 the CO.
lumbia crossed the finish line between
the red ightshlp and the committee
boat, winner Of the second race of the
International series. She was greeted by
the usual steam whistle applause and was
soon after towed to her fnoorines in fhe
Horseshoe, back OF Sandy Hook
When the committee boat arrived In
Sandy Hook Bay the regatta committee
found that the Shamrock had been towed
to Erie Basin, where she is to be fitted
with a new topmast and remeasured. The
committee at once paid a visit to Sir
Thomas Upton and to Commodore Nor
gan, who was there with his steam vaSbt
Corsair. also to Mr. Iselin
On the Columbia's deck a consultation
was held, which resulted in the decision
that the Shamrock should be allowed one
day to repair damages and that the next
race would be sailed on Thursday. II
will be fifteen miles to wfndward or lee
ward and return.