The San Francisco call., 1899-10-13

Nj absence OF WIND caused the HUI
successive fzzle when another at
- tempt was made to-day to sail the
first of the Columbia-Shamrock Sc
ries for the international trophy. The
yachts will try again tomorrow.
The repeated failures have had most
discouraging effect on the general pub
lie and there was a great falling of in
the number Of excursion boats as well
as the number of their passengers when
the feet gathered around Sandy Hook
lightship to-day at the time set for the
start. The heavy fog made navigation
not only exceedingly difficult but very
dangerous. The ships Of the fleet that
did brave the perils of the fog could only
crawl out TO their destination, keeping
double lOol1outs forward and their fog
whistles constantly going to avoid col
lisiOn. At times it was impossible to see
fifty feet ahead and it was an uncanny
spectacle TO have a big, ghost-like hull
loom up close aboard. The mist lay
thickest upon the surface of the water
and on the way down the bay the top
royal yards of several big clippers could
be made out when their hulls were in
visible. The yards seemed to be suspend
ed in midair without support. Down in
the lower bay the fog was not quite so
thick and about 10 o'clock a light land
breeze from the west gave a faint hope
that it would send the fog out to sea and
furnish good racing conditions later on
So the racing sloops let go of their moor
ings and were tOWed out to the starting
line. There they got their sails up and
drifted about. rocking in the gentle
ground-swell. But the haze did not lift
and the breeze instead of increasing.
died away altogether. When the time
came TO signal the course the weather
vane at the masthead of the committee
boat, which would respond to the breath
of a sleeping infant, lay limp and life
less against the staff Shortly after u
o'clock, by mutual consent, the commit
tee boat hoisted the letter "R' on the
triatic stay, meaning race is off.
The sails were lowered and the tenders
of the two yachts took them in tow back
TO the Horseshoe, while the excursionists
sailed homeward. Mr.. Iselin's interview
in this mornings papers protesting
against the savage criticism of the CO.
lumbia, which has been literally in
dulged in by some of the newspapers
and appealing for the Yankee and her
crew until the race is completed. evil
IDENTIFY touched a patriotic chord. for on
the way back every excursion steamer in
the fleet sailed alongside and saluted
while the passengers gave the white
beauty three rOusing cheers and a tiger
The repeated fiukes off Sandy Hook
have led TO some agitation for a change
or the course to Newport, where there is
usually a breeze. or to Marblehead of
the Massachusetts coast, where no diff
Guilty would be experienced in getting
plenty OF WIND, but II IS hardly likely that
any change VIII be made. The regatta
committee argues that this sort of
weather cannot last at this time of the
year.
The early morning hours at Sandy Hook
Bay gave little promise Of a race. The
weather was fairly clear for few miles
SeaWard at o'clock, and there was a
light breeze from a little south of west
but up to the nOrthward. toward the Mar
rows. the fog still hung thickly.
Malnsails We're hoisted early on both
yachIs, ana soon after o'clock they cast
on from their moorings and We're towed
out 10 Sandy Hook lghtship. Club ton
sails We're mastheaded on the way out
the Columbia setting a smaller one than
was shown on Wednesday afternoon. The
shamrock was apparently larger than
any yet seen alOtt. 1t was bent on Two
nght aluminium spars, and its narrow
q jib.
The yachts arrived off the lightship at
IO;lO a. m. Casting off their towlines and
breaking out their headsails, they circled
about the ligntship for an hour or so in
the hght southwest breeze, waiting for
the committee boat to arrive The fog
showed disposition TO clear off about
this time, but there was hardly wind
enough to give the yachts steerage wav.
For an hour after the committee boat ar
AAfSN hIANA NdS 10 more NlUQ. ana no
prospect Of any, so at 1910 o'clock. after
a consultation between those in charge of
the yachts. both agreed to call the race
OFF, gun was fired and the code signal
letter r. was hoisted. announcing that
fact to the assembled fleet. A few min
utes later, as agreed on a few days ago.
another gun was fired. calling attention
to the signal that the race would be run
Friday. The Manning and other revenue
cutters. the torpedo boat Porter and ali
other vessels having the signal letters
hoisted them, so that all the fleet might
know of the committees decision before
going back to the city
The sails Of both yachts We're taken in
as they We're tcwed back TO their moor
ings in the Horseshoe where they arrived
at 1:30. The same persons We're aboard