The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-08
COLUMBIA MAY KEEP CUP
SIR THOMAS WILL GO HOME
BORROWING.
COLUMBIA WON BY THREE MINUTES
She Would Have Gone Much Be t., Had Her
Sails fitted as Well as Those of the
Defender. An Exciting and
Beautiful Rsce.

New York, July Cover triangular
course of thirty miles in comparatively
light winds the new Iselin- Morgan yacht
Columbia to-day vanquished the Wander
bilt yacht Defender and convinced the
yaohtsmen who saw the royal struggle
that She is worthy of defending the pre-
cious trophy which Sir Thomas Lpton
and his merry tars hope to take back
with them in the Shamrock next fall.
Based upon the showing she made as
a better boat than the Defender under
adverse conditions the nautical shalps
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.
To-day's race pliiinly demonstrated
that. no matter how skillfully constructed
a yacht may be, her sailing and ability
to go to windward may be killed by inn
perfectly setting sails.
The Columbia won the race by mar
gin Of three minutes fifty-three seconds
unofficial time.1 There is no doubt she
would have won by larger margin #
her sails had fitted as we'll as the De-
tenders.
But to-day's race was an unsatisfac
tory one. Shifting, battling winds and
bad, lumpy sea with dirty rain squalls
made the conditions anything but ideal
for yacht racing.
In windward work the Columbia with
sails drawing badly, demonstrated her
superiority, and in "a long reach with
sheets eased. she outfooted the Wander
bilt boat. Sudden shifting of the wind
prevented trial at running with
spinnakers. In light weather, close hull
ed, therefore, it can be said that she is
undoubtedly the Defenders superior, but
what she can do in a piping breeze re-
mains to be seen.
Through blrmder or by design Cap
tain Barr, OF the Columbia, gave the
Defender start equal to her time al
lOwance, about two minutes. The beat
to windward made beautiful race. The
interest was intense. The Columbia
seemed more tender than the Defender
more tender bnt perhaps more stately
as she lay down to work. Miniature
cataracts poured from her glistening
decks when the water spurted twenty
feet high from her bows, but as she
lifted beautifully she looked like huge
gull rising from the water. Then the
talent began to get nervous. Gradually
but surely, the Defender was drawing
ahead. 1t did not take the yachtsmen
long to discover the cause. The Defend
er's sails fit to perfection. while those of
the Columbia were loose and cracked in
the ten-knot breeze
Half an hour later the wind sank to
a Ipnf re- nd FOL bn
sails of THE Columbia began to draw.
and she began to gain upon her adver-
sary.
The Columbia continued to gain on
every tack, and few minutes before the
first mark was reached, she crossed the
Defenders bow on the starboard tack.
Then the nautical sharps breathed easier.
She rounded the stake exactly one min
ute ahead OF the Defender
On the long reach for the second mark.
with the wind abeam. the Columbia
gained 81 seconds. 1T was now only a
question of how much the Columbia
would beat the Defender, and many OF
the steamers and tugs headed back for
the finish. Gracefully and noiselessly
the Columbia swept over the invisible
finish line, and when she crossed She was
given a royal salute
As the Defender crossed the line she
also was greeted with demonstration
quite as enthusiastic and prolonged
Herbert Leeds. on behalf of Mr.. Iselin
said after the race that the friends of
the CollIm,na were very we'll satisfied,
and hoped to do better when their sails
We're made more TRIM
The race to-day was an informal trial
for a cup offered by the New York Yacht
Club.