The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-10-06
YACHTS FAIL TO FINISH
A Lack of Wind Spells the
Second Race.
SHAMROCK AHEAD AT THE END.

Columbia Crosses Line First and,
Running Before the Wind, CrawIs
Away From Challenger, but Finally
Is OutpOinted and Outfooted.
New York, Oct. 6.-Another day of dis
appointment. Like the first tussle be-
tween the Columbia and the Shamrock,
yesterdays race also ended in a fizzle.
Want of wind was the cause of it. With
the morning giving every indication of a
respectable blow, the thousands who
boarded the excursion boats were filled
with joyous anticipation of a decisive
struggle between the two big yachts, but,
to the disgust of everybody, as the day
wore on the wind went down until even
before the starting gun was fired there
was hardly enough of it to move toy
boat For nearly five hours the two
yachts drifted, rather than sailed, on a
sea that was perfectly calm and under a
cloudless sky, and when the race was
finally called off the contestants were still
some miles from the turning point.
To have another and a successive futile
meeting between the challenger and de-
fender of the cup was aggravating in the
extreme 1t was disheartening to the
multitudes on the big fleet of pleasure
craft. When it became apparent that
nothing less than the remote possibility
of gale springing up would permit of
the course being sailed within the time
limit feeling of melancholy settled up
on nearly every one. The scene was total
ly lacking in the enthusiasm and ANNA
ton that usually attend the Journeys for
the Americas cup. Instead of O gay
crowd of shouting partisans, and of YES
sells with whistles and horns blowing,
moving swiftly through the water in or
der to keep pace with pair of crack
racers scudding along with all the sail
they can carry, yesterdays affair was as
dismal and as dispiriting as a funeral.
With their engines stopped for the great
er part of the time there were little signs
of life on any of the vessels that lined
each side of the course. Flags and bunt-
ing hung dejectedly, while the smoke
from the stacks arose in a perpendicular
line. Altogether, the day, from yacht
ing point of view, was about as cheeress
as picnic on a rainy day.
Columbia First Over Line.
The course was the same as on Tues.
day--a run to leeward and return.
Before the starting gun was fired both
boats fought hard for position, and the
Columbia went across the line II seconds
before the Shamrock, Captain Barr hav-
ing the best of the preliminary skirmish-
ing.
The champions moved only at a snail's
pace. Forward the big ballooners filled
and sagged in the tickle breeze, while the
spinnakers drew only slightly. But what
little wind there was was made the most
of by the Columbia. Slowly, inch by
inch she forged ahead for length.
But, hope as one would, it was nothing
more than a drifting match that was be-
ing watched. The sea was as smooth as
a mill pond, and the fleet of excursion
boats filed along like so many sober
minded burghers At noon the wind
canted to north northwest. Spinnakers
were doused, staysails broken out and
mainsheets trimmed The race was now
changed from what had been a run to
something very like a reach, with the
wind just forward of the beam. A luffing
match followed that took the boats eight
points off their course and with Barr
frustrating Hogarth's efforts to get on
the Columbia's weather. Half way to
the outer mark the Columbia had in
creased her lead to a half mile and was
doing so well as to leave no doubt as to
which yacht has the finer qualities in
light airs.
Just before o'clock the Columbia
went over to the starboard tack and the
Shamrock at once followed. AS they fill.
| ed away the Irishman was placed in the
weather berth, but had dropped so far
behind, fully a mile, during the long huff
| ing match that the advantage was of lit,
| tie use.
| The rest of the story of the contest can
soon be told. The Columbia ran into the
doldrums, while the Shamrock, still hold
ing the wind, eventually caught the de-
fender. Then the race degenerated into
nothing more than drift. The Sham.
rock, laying to the windward, seemed to
be favored with a few occasional puffs
that had given her slight lead, when at
3:45 o'clock the race was called of by
mutual consent.
Enthusiastic as Sir $Thomas Upton
was on Tuesday In commenting upon the
admirable order which was preserved
among the excursion fleet, he hay Bveu
more cause for satisfaction yea ay
So well did the vessels behave Zap.
tain Robley ID. Evans, at the en- the
day, had not taken the name of a Single
steamer for disobedience of orders.
1