Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-10-20
WINDA WAS SHY
Had II Held Shamrock Would
Have Been Vauqpi>hed.
COLUMBIA WAS FAR AHEAD
Crew OF the Challenger Are Convinced
That the American Yacht Is the Tset-
ter Boat. Another Attempt VIII
be Made Today.
(Ry TclcCrapll1

CRY Telegraph
NEW YORK, Oct. 1o-Had the wind
held today, the Columbia Shamrock
series for Americas cup would have
ended in three straight wins for the dc
fender and the Irish cup hunter would
have sailed home without the trophy
beaten as decsively as any former can
didatcs. Only the failure Of the wind
saved the Shamrock from Il defeat more
singing than on Monday. Today she
was beaten or the run to the outer
mark five minutes and 81 seconds.
elapsed time, and on the leg home,
which should have been u beat but
which. owing to aShft OF the wind, was
Il broad reach. Columbia sailed away
from her like a witch. When the race
was declared off, about ten minutes be-
fore the expiration. of the time limit,
Columbia was leading by about three
miles. She was then four miles from
the finish. 5
Had the race ended Shamrock would
have been beaten by at least twenty
minutes.
SHAMROCK WOULD HAVE LOST.
Sir Thomas hard luck continued to
follow. His boat was very badly hand
led today, in spite of the aggregate
of talent aboard Of her. The two Eng
lish captains and the captain of Emper-
or Williams yacht, Meteor, failed to
handicap gun was fired and she went
into the race pcnaliZed by two seconds
on that account. The additional bal
.ast which was put into her yesterday
also seams to have been q blunder on
the part Of her managers. What sham
rock may be able to do in rough wealth
or and a reeting wind is still problemat-
lcal, but the experts are almost unani-
| nous in the belief that the Columbia
can take her measure in light airs or
a gale OF wind
KNEW THEY COULDN'T WIN.
There was no living With them,''
said one of the Yankee tars on the
Shamrock's tender Lawrence. They
did not think their boat would Win:
tthey absolutely knew it, they would not
even hear arguments. After they re-
turned from the race Monday they We're
SO sore that they would not speak to
each other. Now they are frank
enough to admit that the Columbia is
the better boat by ten minutes over Il
| thirty mile course"
The yachts viii race tomorrow and
even if Columbia wins there is Z, possi-
bility that TWO more races will be sail
Cd. y suggestion to this effect has been
| made and Sir Thomas appears anxious
that it should be carried out. He has
been greatly disappointed in the show
! ing his boat has made, but believes
she might do better over a triangular
course in 4 heavier wind. and has said
tl;.l ne "oull De Very pleased 10 SAIL
DAY WAS RADIANT
| This was q radiant day for those
| atloat and Il big holiday crowd Went out
| to witness What all supposed would he
! the last race OF the cup series The
| course today Was laid 10 miles before
the Wind southeast by south straight
out To After some pretty manoeu-
vcring behind the line. Captain Barr on
the Columbia. bested the talent aboard
.hc challenger sending the Columbia
rlEing across the line ~ seconds ahead
Of his adversary. SO badly had the
shamrock miScalcu!ated that the han,.i-
| cap gun Doomed two seconds before the
| green boat crossed and she sailed away
| With that penalty in addition to the six
| teen seconds she allows the white Won
der under the new measurement. The
| race to the outer mark was not eXcit-
ing. EotE yachts crossed with bulging
balloons. mainsails and their largest
| club tors:,ils drawing. But as the wind
| had pulled Il little to southwark after
the course had been set instead of
| Keeping away for the mark lhny made
| almost a triangular race of it. The
Columbia showed her rival Il fleet pair
u heels. gaining gradually from the
| start. For almost an hour the luifinS
match continued. carrying the yachts
four miles off their course. The Sham
rock having been badly beaten in her
attempt to get to wiadward. both snuar-
Cd away fer the mark breaking out
| their big SpinnakerS to the wind
| BREEZE DIED TO FIVE KNOTS.
The breeze gradually died down 10
| about five knots or less and the race
was degenerating into drifting match
AS the big Yachts approached the mark.
The challenger was directly astern Of
! the Columbia, trying with her noun
tains of canvas to blanket the towering
| sails of the Yankee. But Columb ia
was a wizard. Some how she managed
| to get wind enough from somewhere to
| keep her slipping through the water
and in rain Shamrock strained to over
take her. The yachts We're half an
hour covering the last half mile. Slow
| ~ Columbia wore around the mark and
| outward bound, close aboard on her
weather, she robbed her of the light
breeze and left her With dropping
wings utterly becalmed for a full min
| ute
! CHEERS FOR BOTH YACHTS.
A brass thr3ated chorus had greeted
| the Columbia as she turned and it was
ircrcated with added vigor when Sham
/ rock went around six minutes and is
seconds later. The Columbia had
gained minutes and 81 seconds in the
10 miles to leeward. About three and
a half hours had been consumed and
there appeared no chance for either
continued TO haul to the southwark it
made u fair wind for the return jour
Iney and as II freshened to ten knots
soon afterward. a faint hope of finish
ing within the time limit arose
| The Yankee sailed away from her IL
val like u ghost ship. leaving her far
astGrn increasing the distance between
them so rapdly that when tho race was
| declared off at 4:l9 she was leading
| by three miles.