The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-18
BRITISH YACHT
MET With MISHAP
Continued From First Page.

peared to be her No. club topsail-not
the largest one she has
The club topsail the Shamrock be-
gan to set at $40 was apparently her
largest one, the same one which was bent
on Monday to aluminium spars. Today
wooden spars were used. While fresh
ening breeze came from the eastward
and an ugly swell rolled in from the
same quarter it seemed a rather risky
proceeding TO swing such a large topsail
aloft Subsequent events proved that
with a smaller club topsail the Shamrock
might have finished the race.
The same persons were on board the
Columbia and the Shamrock as on pre-
vious race days, and when the committee
boat arrived and anchored northeast of
the lightship, at 1920 the yachts We're
all ready for the start. The signals for
a triangular course were set at 1890 a.
m. and one of the committee boats was
sent at once to log off the first ten-mile
leg and post the mark. The course of
the first leg was east by south; that of
the second leg southwest half south, and
for the third leg north northwest. The
first ten miles was to be windward work,
the second ten a reach with boom to star
board, and the third a reach with boom
TO port. thirty miles in all.
MANEUVERING FOR POSITION.
AL lU.40, WTen In6 preparatory SlBndl
was given. the yachts were maneuvering
for position, while the torpedo boats and
revenue cutters were driving what few
excursion boats and yachts there were
away from the starting line. At the
warning signal, given at 10:55, the breeze
had increased perceptibly, and there was
promise of a good start In a few minutes.
The skipper of each yacht saw to it that
the main sheets were kept well aft, so
hot hay If
boats.
AT one minute before the starting gun
the Shamrock, which had been maneu-
vering southeast of the lightship, stood
to the northwest, closing in towards 1t.
Her boom was to port and well in board.
Coming out to the northward, also with
boom TO port and wind abeam, the Co
lumbia met the Shamrock just as Ho-
garth was getting ready to huff his yacht
sharp around the lightship's stern. The
situation at gun fire was almost exactly
the same as that between Defender and
Valkyrie III. as they approached the line
on the day when the Valkyrie fouled
the Defender.
When the Shamrock, a moment after
gun fire, rounded the lightship's stern and
iufTed sharp up on the wind, the Column
bia having been unable to gain the
weather berth, had now an overlap of half
her length on the lee side of the Sham
rock, and so close were they that the
Shamrock's main boom end, as she luffed
to he- course, came dangerously near
Coluf1bia's weather shrouds and mast
head runner Both yachts We're close
hauled on the starboard tack, crossing
the line on a diagonal course.
SHAMROCKS ADVANTAGE.
The Shamrock had certainly the better
Of the start and the Columbia was placed
in a position that few yachts would be
E,ble to eXtricate themselves from without
either keeping broad off or fCulng. 1t
was with intense interest that the accom-
panying yachts and excursion boats
watched the outcome of This battle royal
between The single-stickers. One minute
had not passed before the Columbias
bowsprit baGan to show out ahead of the
Shamroclls $. At Il ;02, when the handicap
gun was fired. the Columbia was half
length out from under the lee of her rival
and thirty seconds later, when the Sham
rock tackled to port to get clear of the
Columbia's back wind the latter yacht
by lacking five seconds later, placed her
self in n commanding position on the
SIamrocI,s weather quarter. The official
time of the start was:
Shamrock, 11Ge:15.
Columbia II COLI.
The wind was east by south and fresh
ening by degrees as the yachts stood
They We're taking the easterly sw ellis rath-
er hard at times, plunging their bowsprits
clear under and doubtless putting to d