Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-10-17

OE from htf EOorlnSS ana WIS taken III
tow by tug. The Shamrock started in
tow few minutes later. Covers wore on
the mainsails and club topsails to keep
them dry until the last moment. as there
was just enough fine rain to dampen them
At 10 o'clock both yachts had reached the
east end Of Gedney's channel, and at lO:lo
the Columbia's 5 crew began hoiStinS the
mainsail. II was set in five minutes. The
Shamrocks manSaiI began to so up a.
the same time. but il was fully fifteen min
uteS before the sail was set.
At 1875 Both yachts cast off their tow
lines, broke out their jibs and mast headed
their No. club topsailS. The Columbia
also sent up her baby jib topsails on the
stay. At the same time the committee
boat Walter Luckcnbach anchored due
south of the Sandy Hook lishtship and
sent up the course signal; II was east
making 1t a beat dead to windward of rt-
teen miles and u run back If the WIND Eeld
from the same quarter.
The regatta committee meant business
this morning, for few minutes later they
started the tug TO leg of the course ana
AT le:i5 the preparatory signal was made.
Both yachts then began manoeuNeilhS iur
positions and AT 1875, when the warning
signal was given, they were playing tor a
weather berth TO the northward Of the
line. the Shamrock breaking out her stay
sail at this time
When two minutes were left before the
starting signal, both yachts were heading:
a couple CT lengths apart, 10 tn. westward
with booms to port the Columbia TO wind
ward. At the one minute gun the Shamrock
| began 10 keep of for the committee. which
| was lying at the south end of the line,
| Captain Hogarth's intention apparently be
| ing to stop the Columbia. then length
or 80 astern. from getting the weather
| berth. When the starting gun was hred,
| the Shamrock had run parallel with the
| line TO nearly the center OF north. she sun
| held her course until nearly over TO the
! liShtShip before she began to luff to cross
! the line. Captain Barr, on the Columbia,
| held his yacht well in hand. being at this
time a good length astern. with she%ts nat
| aft. He began 10 luff the moment HOgarth
! did and. shooting the Columbia across tnc
Shamrpck'S wake. he sent her across the
| line more than fifty yards to wiudward of
| the challenger and with such a good over
| lap on her that. according 10 the official
| time, she was only three seconds astern.
The official time of the start was:
| Shamrock. ll;9I:05: Columbia, II :0l:v6.
Both yachts were close hauled on the
starboard tack and were carrying exactly
! the same sail-mainsail, club topsall, Jib,
| sheets We're trimmed. all hands. except
| the men stationed at the head sheets;
! jumped for the weather side and huddled
| close down to the Starboard rall. Whlle
| the shippers watched each other like
| hawks.
| There were not many yachts or excursion
! steamers out i'll time to see the start. IhoSs
on board the small fleet had u splendid
| view Of the start and the first ten minutes
after it were anxious ones for the friends
| of both yachts. After that time IL was all
| over but the shouting In five minutes the
| Columbia had widened the distance to
| windward between herself an the sham
! rock fully length. She heeled more than
| the latter boat but her sails were all full
/ and 81. was pointing higher from the mo-
! ing that his boat would he able to outfoOt
| the Columbia sufficiently to tack across
! her bow, little later gave her good
! zap f1ll. The green boat responded nobly.
passing the Columbia very fast So she
was. but she WAS losing outward ground
! every minute. When the Shamrock tackled
| 10 port, at HIS. and the Columbia thirty
seconds later, it was seen that Barr had
| 50 placed his boat on the weather bow OF
| the Shamrock a. 10 spill the back wind into
| the Shamrock : sails. Hogarth was obliged
| 10 keep broad of about thirty seconds TO
-; out from under the Coumbia's lee.
eighth OF = mile L" windward and out
| footing her rival all the time.
Captain Hogerth. finding that the Sham
| rock would not point "a high as Column
| he dared and had To be C0uteuteG with
| giving her Il good fui! and letting her go
at that. The Shamrock went about To
Starboard at ll:5S:S and Columbia five
| seconds later. At ll:f3:3o. when the Sham
rock again tackled TO port, the Columbia
| was fully quarter OF a mile 20 w!ndward
OF her. The latter lacked FIVE seconds
later. Captain Hogarth WAS getting des-
rcrate now and he reSUrtcd TO his short
lacking tactics Ill the hope that his boat
/ would fore--cach sufficiently to make a
material gain To WindTard. Al the con-
clusiOu OF the marine duel, between the
two yachts Hogarth found himself fur
ther to leeward than ever, Columbia hay
ing been. If anything. quicker in STAYS
and d better fore-reacher. At 12:5v:l5
when Shamrock settled down again to
huSineS on port tack and Columbia, after
standing on two minutes longer. came
about to the same tack, II was found that
/ the Bristol boat was half mile dead 10
| windWard OF her rival.
! In three more tacks Columbia still in
-TNssFr .p.tl -trs4 ~F.ynlr
people Al I2:25 took in her baby jib top
sails. hoping that she might point higher.
but it was in vain, for in ten. minutes they
set the sail again. II was taken in twenty
minutes later for a few minutes Each
| yacht made twenty-five tacks il the wind
ward work and in all these Shamrock took
the initiative. Captain Barr waited for
Hcgarth To tack and with but one or two
exceptions he put Columbia about within
thirty seconds of the other boat.
| The last half dozen tacks made were
longer than the others. The outer mark.
which had been obScured By the fog, was
visible nom the yachts soon after 1:3D.
The wind became lighter as they ap-
preached it, but il increased little in
force as Columbia made her last tack. She
looked very handsome as she approach d
the mark on the port tack. Smartly the
crew launched her spinnaker boom out 10
port before she had fairly made the turn
and squared away on her hOmeward
course. the great sail was broken out from
stops the same moment the main boom
swung far off to starbOard. They were
exactiy eishtv-fiye seconds ssttirsr the
spinnaker. Shamrock's men heat them
only five seconds in this work. The Off
cial time at the turn was: Columbia.
l:4S:l9: Shamrock. 1:.S:tE.
This shows that the Columbia was g
minutes and - seconds ahead. The elaps-
ed time of the Columbia for the fifteen
miles was hours, Il minutes. 13 seconds.
of the Shamrock, hours. ~ minutes. , Sec
onds. showing Columbias gain from the
actual start had been minutes. - seconds.
This was a great victory for Columbia for
both yachts had covered the distance in A
steady breeze and at no time were they lar
enough apart to benefit by any puffs of
wind
Columhia's balloon jib topsail was set i'm
mediately after the spiunaker and the head
sails hauled down. She began her fifteen
an hour. ShamroCk'S balloon iib topsaIl
was set seven minutes after rounding the
| outer mark ana for a time II seemed as
! though she was overhauHng Columbia Al
| the time, that appeared to he reasonable
| conclusion. because she being the stern
boat WAS In position L" take advantage
| however, that her apparent gain was only
imaginary and that the Columbia was not
| only holding her own. but as the figures
| showed later she was really gaining
The finish line. marked by the committee
boat ami the Sandy Hook light, was not
| visible until the yachts were within a
couple Of miles of it. Then there was a
rush Of steamers 10 reach the goal ahead
of the yachts.
, II could not he called an exciting finish
| nor was II tame one altogether So few
boats were present to witness ii and ths
weather was SO depressing that as a spaC.
tacle the finish might he called a poor one
! from picturesque standpoint Both il
limo az u III MOO n