The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-08
DETAILS OF THE THIRD FJzzLE

The Shamrock was Just setting her i'm
mense club topsail when the preparatory gun
was fred at IL :O5 O'Clock. Her head was up
In the wind and she was about quarter OF a
mile to the north OF the line. The Columbia
swept down before the wind. passed her with
sheets close hauled. and sailed slowly toward
tho Lightship. Two minutes after the gun
was fired the shamrock's club topsail was
fairly set. She gathered headway and wore
around. heelinR far over a. the wind caught
her abeam. She straiGhtened out for the wind
and made In the direction Of the line Of the
Liehtship at the same time the Columbia was
passing through the imaginary starting line.
The Shamrock put her spinnaker pole against
the mast on the starboard side. but az yet no
pole showed on the Columbia.
With wind abeam the Yankee boat sailed off
to the eastward and. rounding under the lee OF
tho committee boat. stood up into the wind
again. The Shamrock did not reach the line.
but remained to the wlndward OF IL. and as the
Coumbi came out from beyond tho committee
boat she headed up into the wind and put after
her rival. There were still six minutes In
which to manpuvre. Both boats shsered of to
the south. like two immense sea Gulls. and
when the warning gun was fired. at IL rs. both
were headed almost before the wind. but still
carried their sheets close hauled.
There was q good clear space for Jock eying
and the boats made very pretty sight as they
wheeled and circled In the waters to tho east
OF the Lightship. Finally they separated. The
Shamrock Gybed and ran of to leeward a short
distance. and the Columbia wore around and
put back for the line again. holding herself in.
Two minutes befor the starting gun was fred
the Shamrock broke out her staysail and put
after the Columbia. who was now sailing along
to the north OF the Lightship with wind abeam.
The green boat sailed past the weather quar-
ter OF the white sloop and then. heading up.
the rivals ran In parallel lines across the space
which separated the committee boat from tho
Iightahip, hundred yards or SO to the wind
ward OF the starting line.
FLYERS CROSS THE LINE.
The Columbia was to leeward but ahead OF
the challenger when the starting gun doomed
from the deck OF the Luckenbach. Immedi-
atsly the defenders head veered of and she
put for the line with boom to port The Sham
rock put her tiller up at the same time and
then both were making for tho line. The Co.
lum bia crossed at IL 81 :02. As her time was
being taken she set her immense balloon lib
topsail. The Shamrock Numbered along close
behind crossing II seconds later or at IL :21 10
at tho same time breaking out baby lib top
sail. The experts wondered why she did not
haul down her headsails and follow
the Coumbia's move with her bal
looner. They soon found out. She had
set her little topsail in order to luff up to
windward OF Columbia. who could not do much
OF this sort OF business with her big headsail
on. Still the American boat edged up as much
as possible to hold the foreigner. and soon both
were heading for the lights at the Highlands Of
Navesink instead OF point five or six miles
of Elberon. This forced tho excursion boats
of their line and soon they were scrambling to
get out OF the course OF the racers.
The Shamrocks move was a sharp trick. but
for time its success was not apparent
Finally. however. she drew up on almost even
terms with the white boat and then down
came her staysail. At the same time the Col
umbia hauled down her lib and staysail. leav-
ing only her balloon lib topsail drawing for
ward Of the mast. Within two minutes. or at
IL "a. the Shamrock set a balloon staysail. and
q minute later her baby jib topsail dropped
on the bowsprit. The boats were still head
ing toward tho Highlands OF Navesink. Column
bia did not dare to head of for her true course
but she had euchrod the Shamrock out Of
her little trick While the green boat was
considering whether she should set her
balloon lib topsail or not. the Columbia re-
gained her lead OF a length or so. Finally at
II 81 the Shamrock set her big headsail. As
soon as the Columbia saw 1t ripping from its
stops. she headed of on her true course which
was indicated by the guide boat now about
mile ahead At IL 80 the Shamrock got her
rival covered and the Yankee boats sail began
to bag at the knee. The challenger still kept
up her staysail and lib as an invitation to the
passing wind
TROUBLE WITH sHAMRocK's sPINNAKER.
At II 40. or after the boats had been sailing
| twenty minutes. Columbia sent her spinnaker
up in stops and broke 1t out to port. The
Shamrock promptly tried to initiate hor rivals
example. but after the big sail had been partly
| offered to tho breeze. the stout English Irvine
at tho head OF the sail refused to let 60 its
grasp. and 80 the big pieoe OF canvas hung
partly spread to the wind and partly rolled
tight In stops A sailor was sent scurryng
aloit to cut the binding string. but when he
reached the head OF the main aSt he was I'M
able to grasp the sail. So another man soram-
bled up 10 tho spreaders and finally succeeded
in hauling in the canvas so that the sailor above
him was able to out the unruy stop
| In tho meantime. although the Column bia was
still ahead. she had not been able to increase
her lead as m uch as was expected. The Sham
rock still kept her small head sails up and was
now moving under mainsnil. club topsail, stay
sail. lib. balloon lib topSail and spinnaker. As
| the jib and staysail were OF no earthly use to
ing the deck at IL 30 This left both boats
with mainsail. club topsnils aud ballooners.
every one Of which was drawing In fine style.
| 1t was merry race at high speed straight for
the mark. They had been laundering along
for half an hour. and in spite OF tricks and tho
differences In sail there was not boats length
OF clear water batween them.
| The excursion steamers in tho meantime
had been able to form some kind OF . line.
Three quarters OF tho pleasure seekers were In
the division nearest the shore. while the other
quarter was away out to the eastward nearly
two miles away Thus the vast floating city
moved toward tho leoward mark. the steam
vessels regulating their speed by that OF the
| racers.
| COLUMBIA DRAWING AWAY.
Shortly before IL O'Clock the Columbia got
her sails TRIM ed TO her satisfaction and be
gan to draw away as she did early In the ilasco
OF Thursday. At noon she was four lengths in
front OF her rival and Increasing the distance
every time her bow rose and fell on the long
waves Of the ocean. Tho crews OF both chal-