The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-18


OF shamrock's Al He. when the handi-
cap gun was nrei. Columbia was naf
length oct from under the leo OF her rival
and thirty seconds later, when Shamrock
lacked 20 port TO get clear OF Coiumoias
oack wind, The latter yacht, by lacking.
nve seconds later placed herself II COM
handing position on Shanrocks weather
quarter. The Official tine OF the start was:
Shs uro~k ... ...........ff tsD:i5
~S.0HAbaA .-r-------..-. II NJ
The wind was east By south and fresh
ening ny degrees as the yachts stood along
on northeast by west course. They were
taking the easfer!y sweEs rather hard az
times, plung;ng their bow-prits clear un-
der aud doubtless quitting 20 Il severe ties,
ali theiT epars and rigging With half an
eye any sailor nan could see, looking at
the yachts end on from astern that Column
oia was laying say from half - three
quarters OF point higher than Shamrock.
ootn apparently having their sheets trim
med alike on tais port tack. The fact that
shamrock carried no baby jib topsail was
excellent evidence that her captains were
AFRAID tina, II set f. would pull her head Of
more yet. so IL WAS kept down. while CO.
iomolas S, setting perfectly on its stay.
must nave helped that yacht instead OF re-
tarding her In the w!ndward work Fiji
Teen minutes after the start Colunbia's po-
siuon was fully so yards dead TO wind
Aii'e signify forward OF Columbia's beam
How the Accident Occurred.
Capt. Barr evidently meant 10 continue
on the port tack TO Liverpool, IL neces-
sary until Shamrock came about That
never happened, however, for as the
breeze freshened and both yachts began
10 put their lee rails down harder. 1t
seemed, locking at Shamrock's topmast
from astern. as IL II were sprung At
he
Tar on to leeward, Shamrock's topmast
broke a. point close TO the cap and
the great club topsaii, with It's long spars
went flying down 10 leeward of the main
sail Swinging the long tiller across her
stern TO port, Capt. Hogarth Immediately
put Shamrock before the wind and. find
Ing that TO one was hurt. he j.bed her
ana all hands began clearing away the
wreckage The foresail was taken Ia first
ana men We're sent aloft to overhaul the
club topsail sheets and halyards and clear
away the topmast backstays and other
gear II was some fifteen minutes before
they were able to get the club topsail
down on deck. 1t was found that the
direct cause Of the accident was the part
ing OF the foretopmast shroud in the
nip" that is. the portion OF steel wire
rope resting in the spreader which
extends out board from the hounds of
the lower mast. The strands of the wire
easily chafe and rust at that point. es-
pecially when the shroud Is Stacked by
reason Of being to leeward. That ended
the race so far Shamrock was con-
cerned.
Columbia Covers the Course.
Columbia took In her baby jib topsail
and continued on her course. lacking TO
starboard al rs. for II had been special
ly agreed few days prior 10 the date
set for the first race that I'm the event of
an accident to eieher yacht the uuinjured
vessel was to complete the course. This
agreement was signed by Mr.. Iseliu and
Sir Thomas Upton. 1t was great pity.
of course, that such an accident should
have occurred ar such a time, when ev-
erything looked promising.
AT the time Of the accident Columbia was
about an eighth Of mile TO windwar6 %
Shamrock.
Benedict's Condolences.
The steam yachc Erin. with Sir Thomas
Upton and party on board followed sham
rock back to Sandy Hook, while she VAS
lowed by her tender. On her way in, the
Erin was passed BY the steam yacht Onai-
da Former Commodore F. c. Benedict was
on the bridge. He hailed Str Thomas
through megaphone. and said:
Il am very sorry to sea the accident, and
I am sorry that the race Is 10 be won in
that way. We should all DO more pleased
TO see the yachts sail il out"
Sir Thomas thanked him and passed on
in his yacht For thirty eight minutes and
forty-five seconds Columbia continued on
the starboard tack. She has taken in her
jib topsail soon after the accident 10 Sham
rock, SO as to relieve the topDast OF any
unnecessary strain. IN twenty-five min
utes she went about again 20 starboard
and eleven minutes later she made her last
tack for the first mark. In three minutes
and a half she was UP to the mark. and
keeping OF. rounded IL.
AS she eased sheets a new jih topsaii was
broken out. and the white yatch began her
ten-fnile reach for the second mark. Her
official time at the turn was t. .3a.2S show
INK that she had covered the distance to
windward. about fourteen miles, In one
hour, % minutes. IL seconds
Little Interest in the Rest of II.
The reach TO the second mark was devoid
OF interest. for Columbia simply sailed her
course Of southwest-balf- south straight as
die. only changing her forestaysaii for a
baliooner at f:la. She continued 10 carry
her 80 topsai until the second mark vas
nearly reached. The second mark was
iihed around az 1897. Her elapsed time
for this leg was fifty-three minutes g sec
onis-a little better than ten miles an hour.
Last Leg Was slower.
Setting the balloon jlh topsa;i few
minutes after rounding this mark Column
Ola Ee3GsI DAT1D~nDFfEWesk Tor the nome
mark. on this last leg of ten miles the
wind lightened considerably and the
yachts speet was not good as on thu
previous leg. II took her one hour three
minutes and 6fty seconds TO cover the
distance. The wind hauled little 10 the
westward as she approached the finish
Ire. the balloon 81 iopsa.I was taken
IN and the small jh topsail -. ~ 2S7 II
Columbia crossed ;he finish line between
the red lightShlp and the committee boat.
a winner ot the second race q the inter
national series. She WAS greeted by the
usual steam whistle applause and Was
soon after towei - her noorings in the
horseshoe back - Sandy Hook
Next Race Set for Thursday.
When he committee boa. arrived in
Sandy Hook haY the regatta committee,
found that Shamrock haI het' n towea n
Erie basin whore she f. t0 I've fitted with
a new topmast and TereasuFed. The
committee at C1ce paid visit 70 Sir
Thomas IJptou and 10 Cpu1 ruotlore Nor
gan who US fharsA With htx ssae N x-a-h,