New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-04

wind The Columbia was the first boat to get
her spinnaker broken out; the Shamrock had
her spinnaker set at the same time. but not
broken out Two minutes later the Columbia
broke out her spinnaker, but the Shamrock did
not. The Shamrock evidently afraid OF
crossing the line too soon and at IA the spin
maker was still in stops 1t seemed that the
Shamrock holding her spinnaker in order
TO be able to uff out to windward. At ll:lo
the Shamrock broke out her spnnaker. being
then in the lead a few lengths.
EXCURSION BOATS CAREFUL.
Shippers Of excursion boats careful at this
time Nearly all of them lay motonless. waiting
for the patrol fotillas to line UP their guard Of
the course At 11:15 the Columbia was evident
~ gaining on the Shamrock and seemed TO be
about TO pass her The Shamrock Immediately
began to luf out a little 10 prevent being passed
1t was seen at this moment that although the
Columbias topmast reaches higher than the
Shamrocks the yard of the Shamrocks club
opsan made the reach Of the upper sail on both
boats OF equal height
At 11:15.3I the Shamrock crossed the start
ing line. followed at 11:1G2O ny the Column
bia. The boats We're now running about
South, almost at that. At 1l19:|o
the Shamrock was still holding her lead. and II
seemed as If she was able to hold her own
with the Columbia in this light breeze. At ll:2l
the boats were even. as the Shamrock had luhed
out and could not pay off again TO leeward to
prevent the Columbia passing her. The Alneri-
boat here had the right. according to the
rules, to pass to the westward Of her rival with
out being headed off At II % the Columbia
seemed TO have placed herself at least a full
length or more in the lead. After getting the
lead the Columbia bore away more nearly to
her course which was southwesterly. At 1927
she was five or six lengths ahead and gaining
gradually.
When the boats had been running fifteen min
utes the excursion boats and yachts had d-
vided themselves into two fleets. which were
guided by the torpedo boats and the patrol
boats 10 a distance far fom the course of the
yachts The distance between the two follow
ing fleets was considerably more than the rcgu-
laton space Of one mile, as issued in the direc-
tions Of Captain Robley D. Evans. The open
space behind the two racers was nearer two
miles than
No difference in the trimming Of the sails
was made on either boat they ran on for
some time. the wind holding steady from tie
original direction. As the perseus drew up
more nearly even with the racers it was seen
that the Columbia was carrying her balloon jih,
but it had filed poorly, being winded by the
other sails The Shamrock was also carrying
her balloon jb.
The method adopted by the torpedo boats IN
directing vessels in the right course was prompt
and expeditions. The bow Of the torpedo boat
was run up against the bow Of the tug, and
the direction Of the offending vessel was forcibly
altered. without any conversation on the sub
lect At II 40 the Shamrocks spnnaker seemed
TO iii out pretty well. and she closed in on the
Columbia several lengths. This may have been
due 20 a slight increase in the wind. which
coming aft she brought down with her AZ
ia the Shamrock passed the Columbia on the
Columbia's port side. At 1912 the Columbia,
finding that the wind was too much on her port
side TO hold the spinnaker on the course out.
took in the big wing and hoisted up her spinna-
ker boom. She then gybed her mainsail over TO
the mort side and headed on her course. The
Columbia did not set her spinnaker again on
the starboard side but merely sent up her bal
loon iib. and then while headed on her course
for the buoy. passed the Shamrock on the lat
ter's starboard side, and drew out to con-
siderable lead. The Shamrock also took IN her
spinnaker and gybed over her mainsalL ana eNi
IDENTIFY expected 10 be able to set her spinhaKeI
again on the starboard side. She DID So nut
the wind had changed too much TO the nor'h
for this sail 10 be carried and II was taken
in almost Immediately. She was then carry
ing as she followed the Columbia the paiIoo"
iib on the end Of the horn and large luz loie-
sail.
The delay on the Shamrock in getting he'
right sails set sor the new course al'er inc
sbift Of wind. made her lose ground ana al
1881 o'clock the Columbia seemed to be a couple
Of hundred wards ahead The Columbia people
evidently saw the shift OF wind coming some
time before it was noticed on board the Sham-
rock and as soon as II came she had every
thing ready for the new course, ana Wheh she
evbed over she had the Shamrock I'm an awkward
position until her sails were shifted. II took
the Shamrock probably about five minutes to
get her mainsail gybed over and her balloon jlb
working on the new northerly breeze. 1t was
this quick appreciation Of a coming change
that gave the Columbia her lead and, stated
lately in The Tribune # was one Of those points
in which the English shippers could learn some
thing about quick movement from the American
sailing
The Columbia was rapidly opening out the
gap between herself and the Upton boat dur
ing the next ten minutes She was lying over
10 a marked angle in the light breeze that was
blowing and she on her best comparative
point Of sailing. namely. with quarterly breeze,
and little Of it. At 1910 o'clock the fleets that
followed the yachts had been divided widely by
the patrol boats and there space Of at
least three miles between the two following
fleets
c. II. Skidmore. captain Of the Perseus, said
he thought it was about four. Pilot F A. At
we'll put tile distance at five miles. At 12:4s
o'clock it was seen that both the yachts were
hauling up more on the course 1t looked as Il
they had just eight~d the outer mark and were
heading UP 10 T. Whether this alteration OF
course assisted the Shamrock or not It was
difficult to say. and it may have been that she
WAS getting the wind fresher at any rate she
was picking up the Columbia in a marked way.
IN the next two or three minutes all the spec
tators noticed the speed with which the sham