The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-20
SHAMROCK MAY
BLESS THE WIND
1t Fell, Saving Her From a
Singing Defeat.
COLUMBIA MILES AHEAD
LED BY THREE WHEN RACE
WAS CALLED OFF.
THE SHAMROCK WAS BADLY HANDLED
Not Gotten Over Line Before Handicap Gun
Was Fired. Additional Ballast Put in
TO Her a BIunder on Her
Managers Part,
Managers Part.

Managers Part.
! New York, October 19-Had the wind
held today, the Columbia -Shanr )el Sc
ries for Americas cup would have ended
| in three straight wins for the de'cfder
and the Irish cup-huntcr would have
sailed home without the trophy, heaten
as decisiyely as any former candi 1ates.
| Only the failure of the wind saved the
Shamrock from defeat more stiagng
| than on Monday Today she was bea
| ten on the run to the outer mark FIVE
minutes and fifty-one seconds, elapsed
time and ON the leg home. which should
have been beat, but which owing TO
a shift of the wind, was Il broad reach.
Columbia sailed away from her like Il
witch. When the race was declared
off, about ten minutes before the expira
ton of the time limit, Columbia was
leading by about three miles. She was
then four miles from the finish.
Had the race ended Shamrock would
have been beaten by at least twenty
minutes. !
Sir Thomas hard luck continued to
follow. His boat was very badly han
died today in spite of the aggregation
Of talent aboard of her. The two Eng
lish Captains and the Captain Of Empe-
ror Williamse' yacht Meteor failed to get
Shamrock over the line before the hantIi-
cap gun was fired and she went into
the race penalized by two seconds on
that account. The additional ballast
which was put into her yesterday also
seemed to have been blunder ON the
part of her managers What Shamrock
may be able TO do in rough weather and
a reefing wind is still problematical, but
the experts are almost unanimous in the
belief that the Columbia can take her
measure in light airs or a gale of wind
The crew OF the Shamrock are now
convinced that we have the better boat
Before the race on Monday they had
the most supreme confidence in their
ability to win with Shamrock.
There was no living with Them
said one of the Yankee tars ON the
Shamrock's tender Lawrence. They
didn't think their boat would win; they
absolutely knew it; they wouldn't even
hear arguments. After they returned
from the race Monday they were so
sore that they wouldn't speak to each
other Now they are frank enough to
admit that the Columbia is the better
boat by ten minutes over a thirty mile
course"
The yachts will race again tomorrow
and even if Columbia wins there is a
possibility that two more races will be
sailed. A suggestion to this effect has
been made and Sir Thomas appears
anxious that it should be carried out. He
has been greatly disappointed in the
showing his boat has made, but be-
lieves she might do better over a tri-
angular course III a heavier wind and
has said that he would be very pleased
to sail two more races.
This was radiant day for those
ahoat and a big holiday crowd went out
to witness what all supposed would be
the last race of the cups series.
The course today was laid 10 miles
before the wind southeast by south,
straight out to sea. After some pretty
manoeuvering behind the line, Captain
Barr, on the Columbia, bested the talent
aboard the challenger, sending the Co
lumbia flying across the line ~ seconds
ahead Of his adversary. So badly had
the Shamrock miscalculated that the
handicap gun doomed two seconds before
the green boat crossed, and she sailed
away with that penalty in addition to
the sixteen seconds she allows the
white wonder under the new measure
ment. The race to the outer mark
was not exciting. Both yachts crossed
with bulging balloons, mainsails and
their largest club topsails drawing. But
as the wind had pulled n little to south.
ward after the course had been set in.
stead of keeping away for the mark they
made almost Il triangular race of it.
The Columbia showed her rival fleet
pair Of heels, gaining gradually from
the start. For almost an hour the luff
ing match continued, CARRYING the
yachts four miles off their course The
Shamrock having been badly beaten in
her attempt to get to windward, both
squared away for the mark, breaking
out their big spinnakers to the wind
The breeze gradually died down to about
five knots or less and the race was de-
generating into Il drifting match as the
big yachts approached the mark. The
challenger was directly astern of the
Columbia, trying with her mountains of
canvas to blanket the towering sails of
the Yankee. But Columbia was
wizard. Somehow she managed to get
wind enough from somewhere to keep
her slipping through the water. and Ill
vain Shamrock strained to overtake her.
The yachts were half an hour covering
the last half mile. Slowly Columbia !
wore around the mark and filled away. |
Passing Shamrock, still outward bound
close aboard on her weather, she rob
bed her of the light breeze and left