The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-07-07
WILL DEFEND The
AMERICAS CUP.
The Columbia, the New Yacht Built
to Race the Shamrock,
Sails Over a Thirt-MiIe Triangular Course
Against tho Old Defender.

Against the Old Defender.
The New Yacht Won the Race
With the Vanderbilt Craft, but
Showed a. Well That Her Sails
Need Refitting Before She Will
Be in Fit Trim to Meet the
Britisher.
NEW YORK, July 6.-By the race
between the new cup defender Column
bia and the old Defender, sailed to-day
over a triangular course of thirty miles
ten miles to leg-it has been plain
ly demonstrated that, no matter how
skillfully constructed yacht may be,
her sailing and ability to go to wind
ward may be killed by imperfectly set
ting sails.
The Columbia won the race by a mar
gin of 3 minutes So seconds (unoffcial
time). There is no doubt she would
sails had fitted as well as the Defend
er's. In the windward work, while the
wind was strong, the Columbia was
unable to either outfoot or outpoint
the Defender, chiefly on account OF
the bad set of her club topsail and
fore staysail She covered the first leg
of ten miles to windward three minutes
faster than the Defender, but one
minute of that gain was made When
the wind became light, and less than
two miles from the turning point. On
the wind leg the Columbia gained fifty
eight seconds. 1t was reach, both
yachts carrying large no balloon) jib
topsails On the last leg-close hauled
work in a light breeze-she lost five
seconds to the Defender, this probably
by reason of a shift of wind which
favored the Defender.
THE RACE DESCRIBED.
NEW YORK, July 6.-Over tri-
angular course of thirty miles. in COM
paratively light winds, the new Iselin-
Morgan yacht Columbia to-day van
pushed the Vanderbilt yacht Defender.
and convinced the yachtsmen who saw
of defending the precious trophy which
Sir Thomas Upton and his merry tars
hope to take back with them in the
Shamrock next fall. The Columbia's
forestry and club topsail are anything
but perfect, and in a general way she
will need a good deal of tuning up.
Yet, based upon the showing she made
as better boat than the Defender
under adverse conditions, the nautical
sharpers are strongly convinced that
Sir Thomas will sail home without the
silver mug, the possession of which
has given US the yachting supremacy
of the world since 1851.
But to-day's race was an unsatis-
factory one. Shifting, battling winds
and a bad, lumpy sea, with dirty rain
squalls, made the conditions anything
but ideal for yacht racing. The pillows
of mist which enshrouded the Jersey
shore prevented the crowd on the
highland of Navesink and Sandy Hook
from seeing the race, but the envelop-
ing haze only added picturesqueness to
the contest for those who went out
side in fancy crafts to see it, For them
the world was blotted out, and over
the dim, gray sea, under the dull sky,
the yachts raced with nothing but
themselves and attendant train of fol-
lowing boats to witness the contest.
In windward work the Columbia,
with sails drawing badly, demonstrated
her superiority, and in a long reach.
with sheets eased, she outfoOted the
Vanderbilt boat. The sudden shifting
of the wind prevented a trial at rum
ming with spinnakers.
In light weather it can be said that
she is undoubtedly the Defenders SUI
perior. but what she can do in piping
breeze remains to be seen.
A thick haze hung over the harbor
this morning when the two superb
yachts left their anchorages off Tomp-
kinsville astern of two putting tugs for
the arena Of to-day's battle. AS the
Columbia passed out she was saluted
by every steam craft in the lower bay.
So gentle was the pulsatfon Of the
waves in the harbor that many craft
of many kinds ventured out to witness
the race, the large fleet including side
wheelers. swift steam pleasure yachts.
snub-nosed tugboats and sailing crafts
of all description They led, followed
and accompanied the racers. Small
stickers, sloops and schooners there
were in profusion. Fortunately, most
of them kept their distance, and few
of them bothered the racers with wash
or swell.
There was considerable delay at the
start. The breeze had freshened as
the yachts got outside, and what the
liz, cno IN
ming. After Commodore Morgan's flag
ship, the Corsait, with Commodore
Morgan, Chester Griswold, ex-Commo-
dore Nicholson Kane, Rear Admiral
Francis Hogginson, Irving Grinnell and
large party of guests aboard had
signaled the course, and the racers had
cast off their lines. sharp rain squall
killed the breeze. But the sQuall was
brief. and a half-hour later a steady
breeze was blowing from
the southwest.
The Corsair signaled the first leg to
down the Jersey coast, and
the yachts began to jockey for posi-
lions. Captain Barr had the tiller of
the Columbia, and aboard with him
were c. Oliver Iselin, Newbury Thorpe,
William E. Iselin, Herbert w Leeds
and Woodbury. Kane. Captain Rhodes
had the helm of the Defender Will
lam Duncan, Mrs. Duncan and John
G. Beresford were aboard OF her.
AS the warning gun was fired the,
Columbia, without waiting for the
starting gun, rounded Sandy Hook
Iightship and headed across the line.
Either it was a bad blunsler on the
- fv~~ De-