The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-20

SO c~Ommand1ngly against all cOIHFs
over the course around the Isle of
Wight in 1851, and brought back across
the seas, will probably remain here
another year, a defiance to the world.
In a glorious breeze over a windward
to leeward course of thirty piles, the
Columbia scored against the Shamrock
today in the first race of the 1899 series
for the trophy. She bounded across the
finish line fully a mile and a half
ahead Of the challenger, defeating her
by 10 minutes and IA seconds, actual
time, or 10 minutes and s seconds, cor
rected time, after allowing the six sec
onds handicap which the Columbia
must concede to the challenger. on ac-
count of her longer water line.
1t was a decisive contest a magnif-
cent race, magnifcently sailed and
magniicertly won.
Opirior IS ito the mel it's Of the two
boats had beer somewhat divided as a
result CT the flukes during the past two
weeks. Although the ~pIeponderance OF
expert opinion never wavered in it's
loyalty to The wonderful speed and
ability Of the white flyer, no nautical
sharp expected that the Shamrock
WI u OC ~ Wv "llCAlllIllSly NollIulSLl
ed IS she was in tOday's race.
The yankee boat out generated her at
the start, b-9t her hopelessly in wind
ware work to the outer mark and gain
ed twenty-five seconds in the run HON
before the wird.
There waS a good strong, ten to
twelve knott breeze, and it held
throughout the race.
Blow high or blow low the Columbia,
it is believed by her manager, Mr.. Islin,
can peat the Shamrock.
Sir Thomas, like the true sportsman
that he is, confessed after the race that
he had been fairly beaten. He had no
apologies to make.
Today's race was a magnificent duel
and made up for the repeated disap-
pointments the sight-seers nave suf-
fered. 1t was anything but a comfort
able day on the water. The prospect
was not alluring. Still, the mist
wreaths were carried along by a good
10-knot breeze right in from the east
and the old shell backs said there was
more wind where that came from
Both yachts were flowed out from the
anchorages and raised mainsails before
casting off. From the truck of the
Shamrock's topmast floated Lipton's
flag, a green Shamrock in a yellow field.
The wind kept freshening all the way
out to the lightship. No large assem-
blage was on hand to witness the start,
the repeated flukes having made the
public very ,chary about coming out.
A few side wheelers, the regular fleet
of ocean going tugs and a score or two
or steamyachts were all.
THE COURSE SIGNALED.
Promptly at 10 o'clock the committee
boat signaled the course, fifteen miles
dead in to the eye of the wind to the
eastward and return Both yachts set
No. 2 club topsails, their shippers evil
. IDENTIFY agreeing that 1T would not be
wise carry their largest sk~yscrapers in
such a breeze. There was some lively
jockeying behind the line before the
start and the Columbia got the better
of it. She clearly Outmaneuvered her
rival, eventually forcing her over the
line first by half a length, but leaving
the Columbia in the weather position.
The official time of the start was:
Shamrock 11:01: O3. Columbia 11:01:0
" THE START.
Close hauled on the %starboard tack,
the yachts plunged seward, heeling to
the twelve not breeze. The first few
minutes of the race were the most in
teresting. They made a beautiful pict-
ure as they raced away like hounds.
The sails to the nautical eye were per-
lection in fit. They looked as if they
might lave been carved out of alabas-
ter, so firm and faultless were the
lines. 1t was soon apparent that the
white flyer was forging ahead. The
clear water began to show between
them. The Columbia not only seemed
to outfoot the challenger, but the ex-
perts saw hat she pointed higher. 1t
vas astonishing how she sliced her way
up into the wind. Within fifteen min
utes she had a lead of five lengths and
from that time On the race was hers.
Steadily the Columbia continued to
draw ahead until within half an hour,
having unequivocally demonstrated
her superiority in windward work, it
became only a question of how far the
white flyer would beat her rival to the
outer mark.
SHAMROCK'S NEW TACTICS.
The Shamrock footed valiantly, but
neither in speed nor in pointing could
she compare with the Columbia. Their
the three shippers on the challenger
put their heads together and tried new
tactics. The Shamrock made a dozer
short tacks.a Evidently her shippers
We're under the impression that she wa:
quicker on her heel, and better a
forereaching than the yankee boat, blu
the Columbia proved quite as nimblt
as the Shamrock.
When the Shamrock got through Will
this line of tactics, the Columbia hat
increased her lead until she was hal
1919 "AASSSN' l. IN S1Ao VI &AACN1A1a
half hour as the wind continued t
freshen the Shamrock took in her bah,
jib topsail, figuring that without thi
light headsail, she might be able to hu:
h win closer. The Columbia hell
on to hers and as the Shamrock di
not improve her position at the end O
ten minutes her shippers again set tn
sail.
A MILE AND A HALF ASTERN.
By1 O'clock the Shamrock was full,
a mileand a half a~stern, and the Col
umbia was a winner all over.
AROUND THE OUTER MARK.
Nothing could have been prettie
than the way in which the Columbi
swept around the outer mark, gracefu
as a swan.
a quarter of a mile on the home ru
the Columbia crossed the path of tn
shamrock still beating to windward.
The official time ct the urn was
Columbia, ~1:4S:19; Shamrock, 1:5S:0S.
THE RUN HOME.
The Columbia was already almos