The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-06-28
DEFENDER STILL VERY FAST
COLUMBIA HARD PRESSED IN TWO
 SHARP BRUSHES.
Admirers of the New Sloop Somewhat Depressed by the Old Boats Excellent Showing Defender Held Her Own in short Reach With Rooms q Third Out.

Newport, R. l. June 27-The yachts
 men who saw the brushes between the new sloop yacht Columbia and the De- l fender the champion of 1895, to-day are
 not so enthusiastic this evening over the | speed of the new boat as they were af- | ter the short skirmish off Jamestown on
 Sunday forenoon. To-day the two great
 racers met under different conditions than those whoch prevailed on the first trying out. Instead of light air that
 scarcely heeled the two boats, the wind
 to-day was good whole sail breeze from the southwest which compelled the chews of the racers to lie out wind- ward in real racing fashion, and under these conditions the Defender made aI
 most excellent showing, and her per-
 formance this afternoon somewhat de- pressed the owners and admirers of
 the Columbia. This morning both boats
 sailed dead to the windward for ten
 miles from Brenton's reef lightship and
 allowing for the lead which the Colunl-
 bia had from the start, the new sloop gained about one and half minutes in fully an hour and a quarter of steady sailing under equal conditions. During the mornings brush the Defender held her own in the short reach toward Point Judith with booms a third out.
 This afternoon the tryout revealed the fact that the Columbia in her present
 condition is not going to have an easy time with the older boat when they get together over the measured course and with stiff breeze blowing. Yachtsmen and others, however, need not wOrrNs about the Columbia's speed, for she Is a fast craft. This afternoons skirmish was started on equal terms with al strong breeze blowing from the cOuth- west, fairly smooth sea and no yachts to bother either boat. The racers start- ed side by side, the Defender to tha windward about one hundred yards away, and after beating out to sea for about four miles in direct line from Brenton's reef lightship or about six miles tack and tack, the Colulnbia gained about twenty seconds, not enough to prevent the Defender from forcing her about had Captain Rhodes desired to claim that right. The De- fender had the right of way on the Co., lumbia and had she not relinquished this to serve as an illustration of how cloHe the two boats were to each other, Cap- tain Rhodes craft would have met the Columbia just about amidships, A few seconds before, however, the Columbia parted her top sail sheet and seeing this x the Defender eased up and the race waa over.
 The parting of the top sail sheet on the Columbia caused tear in the can- vas, but the hole was not very large one and can be quickly repaired. Both the Columbia and Defender will start for New London tomorrow morning and will undoubtedly race all the way. MT. Iselin said, however, that the chances of a race depended considerably upon the weather and whether the top- sail could be repaired in time, otherwise the Columbia would go over under easy sail After the race MT. Iselin express ed himself as fully satisfied with the Columbia and said he would be content if she could beat the Defender five min- utes in thirty mile course.