The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-06

As soon as the committee boat lthu
hosted the signal lettera "D. C. L.,
making the course fifteen miles south
east by south. dead before the wind
and return. a pumng tug steamed
straight ort to sea to plant the outer
mark, which neither Of the racers was
destined to turn to-day. There was
some pretty manosuvering behind the
line before the start, each breaking out
her balloon jIb and lowering her spin
maker boom as they joekeyed for posi-
tiOn. Both got across in the smoke OF
the last gun. the white beauty a length
ahead and in the windward berth. The
wind was blowing hardly five knots. As
she crossed the green boat broke out
her splnnaker which was in stops. It
is an English fashion to hoIat this sail
from the boom, and The Shamrock in
her trials clung to the EngllSh way,but
since her arrival she has learned many
Yankee tricks and breaking out the
spinnaker is one of them. The cup de-
fender was a little slow In gettng her
big delaying sail out and this somewhat
dampened the ardor OF the patriotic
throng OF Americans, who love nothing
so much as forehandedness and snap.
but sixty seconds later both boats were
on even terms, fleeing before the gentle
breeze wing and wing. spInnaker bal
ancing main sail and d bulging balloon
lib drawing forward. The bells In the
engine rooms Of the excursion fleet
changed and the careening hulls started
forward in pursuit. But they slowed
down almost Immediately and then
stopped. The lazy breeze was carrying
the big yachts down the wind at a
snatrs pace.
A Drifting Match.
They dritted along like two lazy
clouds Of smoke upon the surface Of the
water; their frail hulls slipping through
the placid seas as gently and peacefully
as II they had been in u dreamless
sleep. For almost an hour. the specta-
tors on the excursion boats watched
them drift like COOlldge's painted ship
upon a painted ocean The only cheer.
ing feature Of the situation was that
the Columbia steadily gained ground,
as inch by inch she crept along. AZ the
end Of fifteen minutes several lengths
Of clear water showed between her and
her green rival. The bands played and
a few whistles footed. on, on she
moved until she was fully FIVE hundred
Yards ahead. It was picturesque but
not exciting. The immense spread or
canvas, including the balloon hb, was
drawing in the gentle breeze. Tho
whole crew Of each yacht was aft to net
as ballast and Keep the head OF the
yachts up. Only q few OF them were
busy easing sheets and Tightening hall
yards. Then the wind began to die and
the great balloons Of canvas forward
collapsed llnke meal sacks. At the
! same time the wind cnnted little and
ColunbIn concluded to change her tac-
tics. She took in her spinnaker and
tried reaching, leaving the balloon jiD
set. II was q challenge To the sham
rock on her best point of sailing and
Captain Kogarth eagerly accepted the
gauge. They went heading over to-
ward the Long Island shore, and the
Columbia continued TO Increase her
lead. The shamrock. chngrined, at
tempted to crowd on little more can
vas by setting her stay sail. but i only
kent the precious wind from her balloon
aud the sail itself hung from the stay
: AZ. limp and lIgtlesS as a wet rag. IN a
few minutes she took II down. As the
yachts appeared nearer the Long Is
land shore. the haze lifted for mo-
ment and Long Beach with its big ho-
tel and deserted cottages, rose as II BY
enchantment from the deep. Then II
closed down again and the lazy yachts
drifted on.
Greeted by Ocean Liners.
The great ocean liner, Augusta VIC
torIa, OF the Homburg-American line,
outward bound to Southampton, broke
through the mystic circle where the
yachts were battling for the supremacy
and slowed down for moment to let
the passengers who lined the rail catch
q glimpse OF the contest, Then she dip.
ped her flag and sped on, vanishing
like a flying express train into the
gloom A few minutes later the CunRrd
liner ServiR, with the English jack at
her taffraII, appeared aS ie by magic
through the outer edge OF the curtain
and came foaming into port. In vain
the patrol boats whlstled their warning
but she swung slightly outward as she
came on straight through the course,
racers, and disappeared like a streak
thTee.uuarters Of a mile TO leewurd,
The emlgrants aboard crowded upon
her fOrecnstle deck to see the sight and
what they saw. pleased them immense
ly. There was the representative ot the
new world in which they had decided to
cast their fortunes, leaving the repre-
sentative Of the old world asteTn. y
was a good omen Of the future to each
Of them. The Columbia got most Of
the wash from the big transatlantic
liner, bohbIng on the huge swell as Il
went under her and spilllng much pre-
clous wind out Of her sails.
Meantime the excursion fleet was
pushing toward the outer mRrh. When
they got there they waited for an hour
hut the champions did not come
Through the mist they could tust be
made out, looking like high peaked cir.
Gus tents. Then, when the wind hauled
around to the south, southeast and the
racers had taken In their spinnakers to
beat to It close hauled, the excursion
boats all puhed back to see what they
were doing at this point OF sailing. But
for the rest Of the day the yachts were
J half the time in the doldrums with theiE
sails flapplnE lIBtlessly. When the
streaks OF wind would strike them they
would luff and tack and split tackB
: each plainly endeAvorinG TO get into
the place, where the light zephyrs were
crlnklIng the smooth surface OF the
ocean, For two hours this was kept up
during which no one seemed to be able
! TO tell exactly how the Shamrock drew
I'm with her adversary. Rather thar
prolong the agony and suspense, ct s:ta
when II was apparent 70 all that tho
: yachts could not make the outer marx
n much less the fnlsh and when both