Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-10-20
COLUMBIA LED ALL THE WAY.
Started First by Half Minute and
Finished Three Miles
.hcud

NEW YORK. oct Ia-Clcar weather and
a fine breeze from the northwest greeted
the shippers and crews Of the Columbia
and Shamrock at sunrise his morning. and
the occasional pufis that made li;tie white
caps on Sandy Hook bay gave promise of
plenty Of wind for the third race of the
iT International se-!cs.
After an early breakfast decks were
cleared for action. moorings cast off and
bsh boats taken in tow before 9 O'Clock
Eager 10 try his large club topsail on his
new topmsst, Captain Hogarth made sal
on the Shamrock on the way out to the
lghtship. and by G:I5 the tOwline had been
casi Off and she was under way with
everything On her. including the baby jib
topsaiI. II was 10 O'Clock when the Colum-
bia cast off her tug. broke out the jb and
began TO sall about with mainsail and jib
set. Fifteen minutes later her largest club
fppsail waS se' and soon after the sta.Sa!!
VAS broken out
At !y:s9 the course was sgralsd from The
ccumirt-e boat. which had anchored 10
III" westward of TN iiGhtship- II Wa5
southeast by south. showing that IN" wind
Ia- northwest by north. ANA the pr0ba-
b!iifio- were that il would bC a Spinnaker
start. AJJaJ the time the tug started To
log oT the course II fifteen miles L" lee
ward The patrol Of FIVE revenue cutters.
lying torpedo boats ana the steam yacht
Erin arrived off the iightsEip. The Sham
rock took in her baby jib topsall and set
NJ her balloon lib toDsail Oh the stay in
steps al 1910. the Columbia having done
ths same few moments before. The
preparatory signal given at 1875. :he
warning ~ lg:a5. The start at II, the handi-
cap gun AT il:g2
. Th- maueUvrring before the start was
remarkably interesting work. Excursion
hnats and yachts gave the racing craft
nI"Hil ~ room and Barr and IipSdrth had
ti.eir littl" game all 10 themselves. At the
warning signal both yachts. with b0oms TO
sTarbsaTd and sheets fiattcnvd well in were
%
liEc. hut about . quarter mile north of II.
with the wind a little abaft the BAN.
The Columbia was to wiudward with tha
Shamrock on her lee beam. a couple OF
lengths away. II being necessary to use
mp the five minutes between the warning
and starting signals. Doth yachts stood far
ever 10 the northeast. gradually lultng to
the northward. When three minutes were
LETT the Columbia luffed into the wind.
then coming about head for the line Hp-
garth. instead IF taCking. like Columbia,
wore the Shamrock sharp around on her
heel. bringing her close up under tho
'olumbia'S lee, bothng having booms II
port.
Hogarth lost both time and hcadway by
lufting instead Of IA rkinC 50 that when
Shamrock hauled up. nearly on the wind.
the Columbia. under better headway. was
pointed straight for the line couple "f
lengths to the good.
As soon as Hogarth realized this. he
broke out the Shamrocks balloon jib top
sail. her crew trimming the sheets smart
ly just as the gun was fired. The C"lum-
bias crew broke out her balloon sail while
the smoke from the gun was blowing away
The Columbia crossed the line twenty
seven seconds in the lead. without the
handicap. which means fully two lengths
distance She crossed about the center Of
the line. and HoCarth. after vain attempt
10 lun out across her wake and obtain the
weather position. kept OF and gave the
Shamrock a good full. The official time
of the start was
Columbia. 1i:0I ~: Shamrock. lr;n2:no
The Shamrock's actual time Of crossing
the line was ll,o2.o2. She was Handicapped
TWO seconds because the yachts are allowed
Two minutes from the starting signal in
which to cross the line. and she exceeded
that time nv two seconds Jihs and fore
stay sails were taken in at once on both
yachts 10 give the balloon sails chance
TO I'LL While the yachts We're crossing the
line. Spinnakor hn"ms were dropped ;o
Starboard and the sails hoistcd in stops
ready To break out. but i'm the game "f
luing and hiGm which followed neither
yacht had n chance 10 Sct these sails for
fifty minutes. Hucarth. not being able to
Try his yacht on reach a tringuIlar
course. seemed determined 10 make a por-
non or the race reach AT all hazards
The guideboat on the southeast by south
course. on which they might have carried
sptnnakers. thcy sailed hctwccn four and
1--WE points to the eastward Of ihcir courses
in order 10 make every sail draw ,o tho
best advantagv. thor. hV covering a. least
five miles more ground than was rcros-
sary- The excursion fl""t gave them miles
of room. kc.ninE >" FAR AWAY thar rhN
yachts wcr" hull down most II tho time
During tho FIRST Hftc"n minutes or ;hls
reaching work the Columbia seemed ., i'm
'rease her lead. tf;er that FOR ,in rex.
lalf h0ur. N" Shamrock apparently w.s
'l"y both decided 20 abandon tho IufiuC
=ams and set SpiUuak.rs 10 -tIrbntrF
rne Shamrock had certainly cgrr,d some
"n her antaEonisf. Having tho wi,5d doaa
l;f upw. tin Shamrock had dorliHdIv tFt
better pnsi'ion. II. with ,h" assistance nr
som" of III" frIouly rEnS sIfa could succeed
IT, closing in ou the CnlumI.. h.r- rI,,.,...s
Of lgNsI % In H-fr 4