Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-18
enough to square away for more placid

seas.
Later in the day. the wind drove the
clouds away, leaving an almost fawless
vault OF blue overhead The shining
waters and the gay flags and bunting
made a brilliant marine picture. The
Shamrock went out. eager for the fray.
She cast OFT her tow before she reached
the bell buoy at the head of the Swash
Channel, and made the remainder of the
way with a light shift under her own
canvas II looked like blow. such as
the Shamrock is reported to have been
praying for. and the sailors OF the Irish
boat made everything snug aloft in an
ucipation of an Increase in the wind
CHALLENGER'S FAvORITE COURSE.
Tho race was to he over an equilateral
triangle. ten miles to the leg, which
would give the challenger chance at her
favorite point OF sailing. reaching. AS soon
as the committee had signalled the course.
tho first leg a beat 10 windward, east by
south. the excursion-boats lined up, rail
10 rail, back 10 the lightship. TO watch
the jockeying for position. Never, prob
ably, was there more magnificent or ex-
citing start in a cup contest and the
Irishman carried OFF the honors. The two
yachts wheeled and circled about like DIG
white gulls, each striving for the advan-
taze. their hulls and decks and sails
cleaning in the sun.
COLUMBIA OUTGENERALLED.
The Shamrock finally got the Columbia
under her lee two minutes before the
start, and try as the defender would, she
could not shake off her rival Both were
on the port tack co the southwark of the
lightship. Finally, when but seventy Sc
conds remained, the Columbia wore
around beautifully, while the Shamrock
simultaneously tackled in toward her.
Thus making two divergent circles, they
| came around on the starboard tack and
headed for the line A collision was al
most inevitable had they approached each
other at an acute angle under the lee OK
| the hghtship but the Shamrock estao-
lished an overlap and Columbia mad 10
keep off, and almost together they pound
| ed away in the smoke Of the gum so
close that sailor might have stepped
from one boat 10 the other. The snam-
rock was perhaps a half-length ahead ana
! in the windward berth. Both had their
sheets trimmed straight aft, and as she
went across the Columbia set her BABY
| lib topsail 1t was broken out and sheet
| ed home in eight seconds. But the smart
ness of the Yankee boat in setting It's san
did not compensate the patriots TOT the
disappointment they suffered from the
ebamrook's superior generalship in get
ting the weather gauge. Their disappolnt-
mant however. was short lived. The COL
umbla was blanketed, and the patriots
| expected TO SEQ her drop astern, put IN
| stead she gathered Roadway, ana went
/ through the Shamrock's lee like race
horse.
COLUMBIA FORCES AHEAD.
Nadlv she footed, and in five minutes
| che was clear of her adversary. rive
minutes later the Shamrock went ABOUT
on the port tack. but the Yankee helu
on for a minute, to be sure OF the
weather gauge As both heeled away on
| This tack it seemed that the COLUMBIA
would repeat her performance OF yes
terday. for she footed faster ana polh'eu
HIGHER. Fifteen minutes after the start
| she was 800 yards well out OF the green
boats weather bow and forging aheau
| at every bound. Captain Hogaith was
able 10 keen his boat closer, but he could
MOI hold her AS high as the white beauty
| Tho Columbia's headsail lifted her heau
| out of the waves. and made her Splash
more spray as her bow went SMASHING
| into the long swells. The experts thought
! this made her spill wind out OF ner SANS
but they had 10 heart to criticlse the
| Bristol wonder, as she ate her way u
windward.
THE sHANROCK'S MISHAP.
Meantime. the great mass Of excursion
boats chased after the big flyers, and the
wind was freshenng. until il blew hfteen
10 sixteen knots About twenty MN
utes after the yachts were started, some
| of the sharps with their glasses glued
on the two boats noticed that the Sham-
/ roclt's topmast appeared TO sag little,
and that several times she was luileu
| IN sbarplv. "She won't carry that eluD
over the course" said one OF the men
aboard the Associated Press tug Johh
| Nichols. Suddenly, at R:2i the Dig hlte
| and the whole top hamper OF the green
boat tumbled over 10 leeward, ana the
| stately challenger was a helpless cripple
| Uer big sail fell lifeless. like the wing
! of 4 bird hit by the hunter, and she lay
| on the water helpless. No one III the
| excursion fleet knew what had happeheu,
except that the club topsail had carried
away and # was almost a cry or agony
that went up from the sght-seers.
SYMPATHY WITH TIE CHALLENGER
Although the Columbia was to be the
| Beneficiary of the accident, never were
| there moro sincere expressions OF regret
| than when the Shamrock Wore Slowly
oround and gave up the contest. Tho Co
| lumhia went on. a she was bound 10 40
| and some OF the steam yachts went over
alongside the Erin as she left the line U
| 90 To her wounded companion. COmmo-
! dore Benedict was one OF tho hrst 10
oct alongside and he expressed ms SIN
| Core regrets over the hard luck which
| had bafallen the challenger. Sir Thomas
! took all the expressions in the spirit III
which they were meant, and replied mat
n was the fortune Of the race.
THE steamers saluted the Columblit
with their brazen throats At the outer
mark and sauted her with a stentorlail
welcome at the finish.
COIUMBIAS TINE FAST.
The Columbia made a good run through
ont setting her balloon-jib In her race
for home. Her time was little snort Oh
,norvellous. She covered the course III
| bours and n minutes-the beat 70 wind
ward I'm / hour and q minutes, the reacn
| 10 the second mark In II minutes ana %
| seconds. and the last leg in l hour I
minutes and 10 seconds. 49,,
AZ she crossed the finish lire she let
o. her head sails and one Of the Deer
island sailors treated the spectators 10
an exhibition OF daring as he climbed OUT
over the peak ballard. eighty Feet IN the
air IA loose the club topsall.
rrprrrIN .NT VICTOR BLUE WEBS.