Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1899-10-20
FAIRLY BEATEN.
Columbia Shows Her Heels to the
Shamrock.
The Cup Defender wins a Magnificent
Race from the Challenger and
Leads at the Finish by Nearly
Vile and a Half.

LeauH nl the Fln1Hh ny Nearly
a Vile and a Half
New York, Oct. 17.-'The cup which
the old schooner America won so conf
mandingly against all Corners over the
course around the Isle of Wight in
1851 and brought back across the sea
will probably remain here another
year, defiance to the world. In a
glorious breeze over a windward and
leeward course of 80 miles the Column
bia yesterday scored against the
Shamrock in the first race of the 1899
series for the trophy. She bounded
across the finish line fully mile and
a half ahead of the challenger, defeat
ing her by ten minutes and II seconds
actual time, or 10 minutes and g sec
onds corrected time, after allowing the
six seconds handicap which the Co
lDmbia must concede to the challenger
ON account of her longer water line.
1t was a decisive contest, magnif
cent race, magnificently sailed, and
magnifcently won. Opinions as TO
the merits of the two boats had been
somewhat divided as result of the
fukes during the past two weeks. Al
though the preponderance of expert
opinion never wavered in its loyalty to
the wonderful speed and ability of the
white flyer, no nautical sharp expect
ed the Shamrock would be so over
whclmingly vanqushed as she was in
! MONDAYS struggle. The Yankee boat
out~eneralled her at the start, beat
! her hopelesslv in windward work to
the outer mark and gained % seconds
| in the run home before the wind.
There was strong ten to twelve knots
breeze, and it held throughout the
race.
1t is undoubtedly bitter blow. be-
cause the English hopes of lifting the
cup have never been higher since the
Thistle met the Volunteer in 1887.
Like the Shamrock she was decisively
defeated in the first hours sailing.
The regatta committee, as the result
of the showing made by the Columbia
is convinced that the cup is safe Blow
high or low the Columbia, il is be-
lieved by her manager, can beat the
| Shamrock.
Sir Thomas Upton, like the true
sportsman that he is. confessed after
the race that he had been fairly beat
en-. He had no apologies to make.
The race was a magnificent duel and
made up for the repeated disaS-
pointments the sight-seers have suf-
fered.
There was some lively jockeying be-
hind the line before the start, and the
Columbia got the better of it. She
clearly outmaneuvered her rival,
eventually forcing her over the line
first by half length, but leaving the
Columbia in the weather position.
Close hauled on the starboard tack
the yachts plunged scaward, heeling
to the L. knots breeze. The first few
Ininntes of the race were the most in
teresting. They made beautiful
picture as they raced away like
hounds. 1t was soon apparent that
the white flyer was forging ahead
The clear water began to show be-
tween them. The Columbia not only
seemed to outfoot the challenger, but
the experts saw that she pointed high
er. 1t was astonishing how she
sliced her way mp into the wind. With
in Is minutes she had a lead of five
lengths and from that time on the
race was hers.
The work of the patrol fleet was per-
feet. The revenue cutters line ahead
to leeward and the torpedo boats line
abreast astern held the yachts in the
hollow OF moving right angle, which
changed direction with each tack and
kept the yachts as free from interfer,
ence as if they had been sailing in the
middle, of the Atlantic. The Sham
rock footed valiantly, but neither in
speed nor in pointing could she COM
pare with the Columbia. Then the
three shippers on the challenger put
their heads together and tried new
tactics. The Shamrock made q dozen
short boards. Evidently her skip
pers were under the impression that
she was quicker on her heel and bet
ter at fore reaching than the Yankee
boat, but the Columbia proved quite
as nimble as the Shamrock. When
the Shamrock got through with this
line of tactics the Columbia had in
creased her lead until she was half n
mile ahead.
There was n soul-stirring scene as
the Columbia approached the finish
The excursion boats had gathered
there in semi-circle to give the well
come and as she swept across the fin
ish bedlam broke loose. The steam
whistles shrieked. the sirens walled,
the Corsair, the flagship of the New
York Yacht club. and several other
Yachts flung their powder into smol:e
and the multitudes on the decks of
the side-wheelers cheered.
oC mi