Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-10-10
EXPECTANCY
Is Condition Of Yachtsmen
in New York.
Re6tting Columbia's Sails Seems to
Indicate Nervousness.
Shamrochs Confidence Is Apparently Well
Founded Betting Is Even.

New York. Oct. 9.-There IS a bouy-
ant feeling Of expectancy and excite
ment among the yachtsmen, tonight;
not that they feel sure Of a race, tomor-
row, but that they knew every day will
be race day from now out to the fin
| ish with the exception of Wednesday.
This agreement of the regatta commit
| tee and the Shamrock people has
proved popular. 1t is fair proposition
ana everyone likes the manner in which
| II is met.
This has been a foggy day down
around the Horseshoe and everything
has been quiet on the fleet there except
on the decks of the Columbia where
they have been cutting and refitting
sails. This is taken in yachting circles
TO indicate nervousness.
They are worrying on the Columbia;
| they are calm and confident on the
Shamrock The reason for all this is
that the English boat has done the bet
ter work on the three days OF the
ilukes. AT two Of the days at the mo-
ment the signal Race off, was set
Shamrock was in the lead. On the third
day she was no worse than on even
terms. Indeed the weight of opinion is
that she was ahead, considering her
position and the fact that she started
some seconds behind the Columbia
Add 10 this her time allowance of 6
seconds and the chances are still more
in her favor. There is good reason for
the nervousness among the Americans
and nothing has occurred, today, to
diminish it.
The race is still the talk of the town
and some betting is going on, tonight,
much of it on even terms. The weather
is the important thing now. Three
days OF drifting have changed the char
acter of the speculation. 1t is now
quite as much will there be race as
which will win"
The weather man in Washington
promises a southerly increasing breeze.
II this prediction is fulfilled the racers
will be sent over the line to windward
down to the Jersey coast. the course
the same as Saturdays only the order
Of sailing is reversed. the first leg to
! windward with a run home. This will
be more satisfactory as it gives better
chance for skill in manouvering for the
weather berth at the start
The fog siren at the Hook pumped its
doleful warning all day through layers
of mist. Dreary as the day was. it
broke at least the rule of a good wind
on off days and Gains on racing days
and on all sides there was hope that
the wind for once would be good and
true on :he day of the race. The hurri-
cane bulletin which the weather OBJ
servers rushed in on Sunday caused
worry on both sides. The hurricane in
the end turned out to be the stretch of
fog which settled down over an oily
sea. While a hurricane would have
been decidedly more dangerous, ii is to
be questioned if ii could have been
more depressing than the fog. Even if
the bending on of the mainsail on Co
lumbia had not been necessary it would
have been a clever move to take up the
minds of the sailormen. They began
fussing and fiddling. early in the fore
noon, and they kept it up till we'll into
the afternoon.
AS soon as Hathaway's sailmakers
got through with the alterations on the
Columbia's mainsail. this morning. the
sail was hauled up from below, bent to
the mast. boom and gaff and hoisted
After inspection by Managing Owner
lselin and Capt. Charles Barr. it was
decided that the sail was not yet fit to
do battle in tomorrows race. 50 il was
lowered and after some minor altera-
tons it was hoisted again at 3 p. NJ.
when it set almost fiat as a board ex-
cept for few wrinkles up near the
head under the gaff
A new club topsail was also bent. but
not hoisted. 1t was made up on the
yard and covered to keep it dry. for the
air was full of dampness and what old
sailors call Scotch mist" The main
sail was lowered soon after o'clock.
slowed on the boom and covered for the
night.
c. Oliver Iselin arrived from the city
on the tug Wallace b. Flint just before
noon. When seen on board the tender
st. Michaels soon after he said: I'VE
are all hoping FOR a breeze, tomorrow,
so that we may finish at least one race
l should like to get through before
Christmas" Asked if the arrangement
to race every day after Thursday was
satisfactory to him he said: Yes, in
deed. We are only too glad to be able |
to race every day and finish up the |
SERIES
Mr.. Iselin did not care to make any /
comment on the last race further than !
to say that some of the newspaper re-
ports criticisng the Columbia's tactics |
We're unfair and uncalled for. The Co
lumbia's crew. he said, We're all well
and eager for the next race. NV we
have good steady breeze" said he, II
have every confidence in the yacht
Sir Thomas Upton remained on board /
his steam yacht Erin all day today Sir
Thomas has been the recipient of many
hundred cablegrams from friends on the
other side of the Atlantic congratulatns
him on the fine showing the Shamrock
has made in light weather.
On both the Shamrock and the Erin
there is an air of confidence noticeable.
and the men will be greatly surprised if
they do not capture the cup Sir Thomas
himself is as certain of carrying the cup
over to the Royal Ulster Yacht Club as
he is that there are to be at least three
more races, but he does not care to win it
on a huke His sole desire is for the bet
ter boat to win, and if he cannot win with
the Shamrock, 1t is more than likely that
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