Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-10-17

the course around the Isle of Wight in
1851 and brought back across the seas,
will probably remain here another year.
a defiance to the world. In a glorious
breeze, over a windward and leeward
course of thirty miles, the Columbia
scored against Shamrock to-day in the
first race of the 1899 series for the
trophy She bounded across the finish
l.ne fully mile and a half ahead of the
challenger, defeating her by ten minutes
and fourteen seconds actual time, or ten
minutes and eight seconds corrected
time, after allowing six seconds handi-
to the challenger on account of her
longer water line. 1t was decisive
contest, a magnificent race, magnificent
ly sailed and magnificently won. Opin-
ion as to the merits of the two boats
had been somewhat divided as result
of the fiukes during the past two weeks.
Although the preponderence of expert
opinion never wavered in its loyalty to
the wonderful speed and ability of the
white flyer, no nautical sharp expected
that the Shamrock would be SO over
whelmingly vanquished as she was in
to-days royal struggle. The Yankee
boat out-generaled her at the start,
beat her hopeessly in windward work
to the outer mark and gained % seconds
in the run home before the wind. There
was a good strong, ten to twelve knot
breeze, and it held throughout the race.
1t is undoubtedly bitter blow, because
the English hopes of lifting the cup
have been higher since the Thistle met
c@e Volunteer in 1887. Like the Sham
rock she was decisively defeated in the
first hours sailing.
The regatta committee as result OF
The showing made by Columbia to-day
are convinced that
THE CUP IS SAFE.
Blow high or low, Columbia, it is be-
ieved by her manager, Mr.. Iselin, can
be&t the ,-lamrock.
Sir Thomas like the true sportsman
that he is, confessed after the race that
he had been fairly beaten. He had no
apologies to make.
To-day's race was a magnificent duel
and made up for the repeated disap-
pointments the sightseers have suffer-
ed. 1t was anything but a comfortable
day on the quarter. The prospect was
not alluring. Still the mist wreaths
were carried along by good ten knot
breeze right in from the east and the
\ old she'll backs said there was more
wind where that came from. But the
excursionists who went down the Bay
were not very hopeful until they got
outside. The low clouds overhead shut
out the sky and the streaked water
matched them. The mist made every
thing look ghostlike and indistinct.
The shores were uncertain and shad-
owy. The sails Of the oyster fleet were
simply grey dots in the haze. The
metric torpedo boats, sliding swiftly
out to the lightship were like black
shadows fitting across the water.
The only color in the dull landscape
were the ensigns and brilliant streams
of checkered flags which adorned the
excursion feet and the dash of red from
the big hull of the lightship. Outside
the wind was fresher and whipped some
foam out of the waves. Both yachts
were towed out from the anchorages
and raised main sail before casting off.
MRS. ISELIN
was not to be deferred by the bad
weather and was a conspicuous figure
on the Columbia, wrapped up like an
old salt in a yellow oilskin.
The crew had on their working suits
of white and wore match caps of black
and red, Iselin's private colors. Sever
al of the crew of the Shamrock had on
sou'westers. From the track of the
Shamroek's top mast floated Lipton's
flag, a green shamrock in a yellow
field. The wind kept freshening al the
way out to the lightship and the seas
split more of their froth.
No large assemblage was on hand to
witness the start, the repeated hukes
having made the public very chary
about coming out A few side wheelers,
the regular fleet of ocean going tugs and
a score or two of steam yachts were
ALL
Promptly at 10 o'clock the committee
boat signalled the course, fifteen miles
dead into the eye of the wind to the
eastward and return. Beth yachts set
No. topsails, their shippers evidently
agreeing that it would not be wise to
carry their largest sky scrapers in such
breeze. Just as the warning gun
doomed, a driving mist swept in from
the east beating into the faces Of tie