The San Francisco call., 1899-08-16
SINGLE-ST|CKERS
IN THEIR FINAL
TEST OF SPEED.
Columbia Once More
the Victor.
OUTSAILS THE DEFENDER
HER SUPERIORITY NOW FULLY
DEMONSTRATED.
Both Yachts Cross the Starting Line
Together, and the New Vessel
Wins by Nearly Nine
Minutes.
0UTSAILS THE DEFENDER
HER SUPERIORITY NOW FULLY
DEMONSTRATED.
Special Dispatch to The Call

NEWPORT. r. L, Aug. 15.-Under
the cIearest of skies and in as fine
topsail breeze as one could desire, the
Columbia put the finishing touches TO
her series of trial races against the De
fender in the presence of the New YORK
Yacht Club fleet to-day, winning the
twenty-one mile race by s minutes and
80 seconds. The fickleness of the breeze
caused disappointment, and the contest,
which looked at the start as if it was
going to be a splendid one, developed
into a lazy drifting match.
The race was given by the New York
Yacht Club as a wind-up of the annual
cruise, as far as racing is concerned,
and cups, which were designated as
"wind-up cups, We're offered as prizes
for the competing yachts. In addition
tc the races between the schooners and
soops. all the thirty-footers in these
waters had a little match of their own,
the trophy being a handsome silver sup
offered by Commodore j. Pierpont Nor
gan of the New York Yacht Club. Then
there was considerable interest in the
schooner class, in which the Amorita
and the Quizetta competed.
OF course the Columbia won from the
Defender, and it appears that the peo-
pie down this way are getting rather
tired of seeing these big single stickers
race, for the fleet that witnessed the
contest was not nearly as large as yes
terday.
The Amorita won easily from her
rival, the Quizetta. In the thirty -fGoter
class the Carolina won by skillful hand
ling.
The start made by the Columbia
and the Defender has never been
equaled by such large boats in
any race. A bare two seconds
separated them when they tore
over the line carrying clouds OF canvas
aioft, and they were only twenty seven
seconds later than gunfire in crossing.
Ten minutes before the time to start
both shippers began jockeying for the
better position, and Charlie Barr proved
once more what a great head he has by
placing the Columbia just TO weather of
the Defender, less than fifty feet away.
1t is no discredit' to Captain Rhodes,
however, that he was under the new
boats lee, for one of the two had to be
there in such start as to-day's and it
fell to him to be the unlucky one. Time
was getting short when Barr jibed the
Columbia's mainsdil to starbOard and
swung around for the line. The De-
fender was already steering that way,
and down they both came for it, break
ing out jib topsails and hosting balloon
stays as they did so.
For a few seconds they held along on
even terms. but the Columbia, having
the weather berth, cut off the De-
tenders wind just enough to
check her d little, and as they
both crossed a quarter of the Column
bias hull was showing by the De-
tenders bow. A moment later the De
fender was astern and the Columbia
heading for the flag mark off Point Ju-
dith with a lead of a good length From
there on it was simply a steady gair
for the new boat, when the wind dieG
out almost entirely after she rounded
the second mark and was coming fol-
home under spinnaker and balloon jib
The Defender seemed to hold the breeze
after she rounded, closing up the Ions
gap a bit, but it was only for a few
minutes. Then she got into the sofr
spot, and under equal conditions the
Columbia drifted away from her fast
The Columbia won by minutes and 5:
second. Summary:
Columbia started n:s5:25; finished 3:29:oo
elapsed time 353:95.
Defender started 1852; finished 9.37 "a
elapsed time, 4G2:27.