The record-union., 1899-10-17

lumbia had swung off again, the two
boats came into close quarters There
began game at jockeying for the
windward position. Both trimmed
sheets fiat aft, and slowly the chal-
lenger forged out into the lead and
the Columbia had to pass under her
stern. For a moment it looked as
though the challenger was to get the
better of the start, but Barr was equal
TO the occasion, and allowed the Sham
rock to wear off to port. Both boats
were heading toward the committee tug
and were about half a mile away when
| the warning gun was fired, at 1885.
The contestants worked slowly to-
ward the line. Captain Barr allowed
| the Shamrock to get a couple of lengths
| ahead and a short distance to wind
ward. Neither boat was in a hurry to
get to the line, and the crews were kept
| busy getting the jib topsails hoisted in
place, in readiness to break out when
the starting gun was fired.
| Promptly at IL o'clock the starting
gun was fired, and Immediately the Co
| lumbia's jib topsail was broken out
The racers were then close to the line,
and as he trimmed his main sail aft
|
across the Shamrock's stern and was
in the better position
1t was a feather in Captain Bars
cap, and showed he was as good as
the three expert shippers on the Sham
rock, when it came to playing for a
windward position The Shamrock was
so close to the line that it was impos-
sible for her to drop back and try to
/ tn tIo win rly of
so Captain Hogarth did the best thing
he could do to shove his boat across
the line far enough ahead to prevent
| the Columbia from breaking up his
wind.
The helm was put down hard, and
| with a lively move on, the challenger
shot across at 11:01:03. The Columbia
was on the Shamrock's quarter moving
a bit the faster, and as soon as she saw
the Shamrock heading over the line
Captain Barr headed across also. With
the greater speed the Columbia was
almost mast and mast with the chal-
lenger and to windward. Her time was
11:01 :06, or three seconds behind that
of the Shamrock. 1t was a wonder
fully close start, and the honors be-
| longed to Captain Barr.
The official time of the start was:
Shamrock 11:O1 :03, Columbia IL :01 06.
Both yachts now We're close hauled
on the starboard tack, and were carry
ing exactly the same sail-mainsail,
club tOpsail, jib foresail and baby jib
topsail. AS soon as sheets were trim
med, all hands, except the men sta
toned at the head sheets, jumped from
the weather side and huddled down to
the starboard rail while the shippers
watched each other like hawks
There We're not many yachts or ex-
cursion steamers out in time to see the
start. Those on board the small fleet
had a splendid view of the start. The
first ten minutes were anxious ones for
the friends of both yachts After that
time it was all over but the shouting.
In five minutes the Columbia had wild.
ened the distance to windward between
herself and the Shamrock fully a
length. She heeled more than the lat
! ter boat, but her sails were all full
and she was pointing higher from the
moment she started. Captain Hogarth.
thinking that his boat would be. able
TO outfOot the Columbia sufficiently to
tack across her bow, a little later gave
her good rap full The green boat
responded nobly, and TO some it ap-
peared that she was passing the Co
| lumbia very fast. So she was. but she
was losing outward ground every min
ute.
When the Shamrock tackled to port at
11:15 and the Columbia thirty seconds
later, it was seen that Barr had SO
placed his boat on the weather bow of
the Shamrock as to spill the back wind
into the Shamrock's sails. Hogartb
was obliged to keep broad off about
thirty seconds to get out from under
the Columbia's lee. BY 11:20 the Bris-
tol boat was quite an eighth Of a mile
TO windward, and outfooting and out
pointing her rival all the time
Captain Hogarth, finding that the
Shamrock would not point as high as
the Columbia, 1attened down his sheets
as hard as he dared, and had to be
contented with giving her a good full
and letting her go at that.
! The Shamrock went about to star
board at 11:33:30 and the Columbia
five seconds later. At 11:45:30, when
the Shamrock again tackled to port the
Columbia was fully quarter of a
mile to windward of her. The latter
tackled five seconds later.
Captain Hogarth was getting desper-
ate now, and he resorted to his short
tacking, in the hope that his boat
would forereach sufficiently to make a
material gain to windward. At the
conclusion of the marine duel Hogarth
| found himself further to leeward than
ever, the Columbia having been. if anv-
Ihlng' quicker in stays and better
, forereacher
At ll:10:13, when the Shamrock SET
/ tied down again to business on the
port tack, and the Columbia. after
standing on two minutes longer came
, about to the same tack, it was found
, that the Bristol boat was half a mile
dead to windward of her rival. In three
more tacks the Columbia still increas-
ed her windward lead The Shamrock
) people at 12:25 took in her baby iir
topsail. hoping that she might point
! better, but it was in vain. for in fen
, minutes they set the sail again. II
> was taken in twenty minutes later fo,
few minutes.
Each yacht made twelve tacks in tbe
windward work. and in all these tbe
shamrock took the initiative. Captair
t Barr waited for Hogarth to tack and
win out one or two exceptions he nut
r the columbia about within thirty SEQ
; onds of the other boat.
2 The last half dozen tacks made ware
longer than the others. The outer mark
t which had been obscured by fog was
! visible to the yachts soon after 20
, The wind became lighter as they an.
/ preached, but it increased a little II
force as the Col,,r,h;o ,,,oa