The Portland daily press., 1899-10-20

Though = light haze hung over
the horizon. not @ cloud tiecked the blue
sky. A ten knot land breeze blew out
Of the ncrthwest. A big holiday crowd
went ont to witness what all supposed
would be the last race of the cup series.
The bay was alive with sails Fifty or
more sailing ships Of every style OF rig
which had been weather-bound for two
weeks we're speeding seaward.
The course today was laid fifteen miles
before the wind southeast BY south.
straight out TO sea. After some pretty
manoeuvring behind the line, Captain
Barr bested the talent aboard the chal-
lenger, sending the Columbia flying
across the line 27 seconds ahead Of his
adversary. The handicap gun doomed
two seconds before the Shamrock CROSSED
and she sailed away with that penalty In
addition to the sixteen seconds she now
allows Columbia. The race to the outer
mark was not exciting. Both yachts
crossed with bullying balloons, maingails
and their largest club topsaiis drawing.
But as the wind had pulled little to
southwark after the course had been set,
in stsad Of keeping away for the mark,
they made almost triangular race of 1t.
Without setting their spinnakers they
luffed sharply to starboard, each striving
for the weather gauge. The Columbia
showed her rival q fleet pair OF heels,
gaining gradually from the tart. For
almost an hour the lufiing match contin-
ued, carrying the big single stickers four
miles of their course. The Shamrock
to get to windward both squared away
for the mark, breaking out their big
spinnakers to the following wind. After
Watching the yachts run before the wind
for an hour during which the breeze
gradually died down to about five knots
or less the excursion fleet went ahead
and gathered aboat the float to witness
the turn. By the time they had lined up
the big yachts could hardly be discernsd,
through the haze. The wind kept falling
and there was a long wait.
The balloons of the big sloops bellled
in and out, shivered, collapsed and the
race degenerated into a drifting matuh as
they approached the mark. The chal-
lenger was directly astern of the Colum-
bin trying to blanket the Yankee but the
Columbia somehow managed to get wind
enough TO keep her slipping through the
water and in vain the Bri fisher strained
to oyertake her. The yachts were half
an ho ur covering the last half mile.
Slowly the Columbia wore around the
mark and filled away.
Passing tine Shamrock still outward
hound, close aboard on her weather, she
robbed her of the light breeze and left her
with dropping wings utterly beoalmed for
full minuta A brass throated chorus
had greeted the Columbia as she turned
and 1t was repeated with added vIgol
when the Shamrock went around sir
minutes and IS seconds later. The Co.
lumhin had gained five minutes and 81
seconds in ths Is miles TO leeward. About
three and half hours had been consumed
and there appeared no chance for either
yacht to get home, but as the breeze con.
tinusd to haul to the southwark it made
a fair wind for the return journey and
as it freshened to ten knots soon after.
ward. faint hope of finishing within
the time limit arose. The Yankee sped
away from her rival like @ ghost-shir
leaving her far astern, increasing the
distance between them SO rapidly that
when the race was declared off at 4.l9 she
was leading by three miles.