The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-10-06
RACE FIZZLR.
Not Wind Enough to Take the
Yachts Over the Course.
ANOTHER ATTEMPT TOMORROW.

At one Time Columbia was Mile
Amend. But They Quit About Even.
/ Col. Pnyue's Stenm Yacht AmphI-
| tritc Defeats Widener's Josephine.
| New York. oct 6.--Again yesterday
/ the sea refused the Shamrock and Co
/ lumbia a field of conflict; again yes
terday the multitude which went out
| to watch the contestants for the yacht
/ ing championship Of the world return
ed disappointed and not a little dis
gusted. The q-estion Of supremacy
of the two great yachts is still as much
an open question as before the first
meeting, as the contest yesterday was
/ in some respects more of a fluke than
that of Tuesday. 1t was a drifting
match almost from start to finish. The
| yachts crossed the line with a breeze
of five knots, and the wind blew more
than six knots, most of the time less
than three, and part of the time not a
| breath of air was stirring. After sail
ing four hours and 43 minutes, the
/ yachts having covered only II miles
/ of the course to the outer mark, the
regatta committee declared the race
| Off, as it was manifestly impossible,
with the breeze then blowing, for the
boats to round the stake before the
time limit expired, much less to get
back home again. The next attempt
will be made tomorrow.
During the time in which the yachts
we're at it the wind, which carried
them dead before it over the line, had
hauled around until at the finish they
we're beating into its teeth While the
wind held astern the Columbia stead
| lily outfooted her rival until she was
I fully half a mile ahead but in the
shifting, battling winds that followed
during the last three hours, with the
great single stickers tacking and beat
ing and gybing to catch every streak
of wind with fortune helping one
about as much as the other, the Sham
rock gradually worked her way un Un-
ill., when the race was declared off,
the two boats were about on even
terms, the Shamrock perhaps half a
length ahead, but so close was the
Columbia that Captain Barr could have
thrown a biscuit to the foreigner
The only lesson learned by the
nautical sharps from yesterdays trial of
the abilities Of the two boats is that
in light weather conditions the Co
| lumbia is the superior in running and
reaching and the Shamrock slightly
better in beating. There has yet been
no indication Of what either boat can
do in a piping fullsail breeze
The weather bureau had promised
good, strong wind, but the prophecy
was most dismal failure. 1t was
just an ideal lazy, hazy Indian sum
mer day a day for white duck and a
novel under some tree ashore, rather
than an overcoat and yacht race
afoat A heavy haze hung over sea
and land. The opaque curtain shut off
the view of the thousands waiting on
the Highlands of Navesink and the
Long Island snore. So gentle was the
crestless, pulsating seas that any sort
of harbor or river craft, from a steam
er to a rowboat, could venture out with
impunity, and a vast colony of excur-
sion boats, ocean going steamers,
yachts, tugs, sidewheelers and sailing
vessels gathered around the red hulk
of the Sandy Hook lightship, seven
miles from the entrance to the lower
bay, to watch the start.
The torpedo boats guarding the
course threaded their way in and out
through the acres of boats like needles,
their wakes a thread of foam, warn
ing the excursion shippers to keep
their distance. But little difficulty was
experienced yesterday, as Captain
Evans interviews threatening dire
consequences to offending shippers had
had a wholesome effect. Already the
crowd was disappointed. Each one
had come down praying for a stiff
breeze, and had found instead that
there was hardly wind enough to keep
the flags futtering What there was
was from northwest to north, from
over the land.
Outside of the ruck of the steamers
the old cup defender, Vigilant, made a
beautiful picture, leaning away through
the mist, ana the old schooner Ameri-
ca, which had brought the blue rib
| bon of the sea across the western
! ocean so years ago, attracted universal
| attention as she sailed about to see
| how her latest champion would de-
! fend it. Preparations were made
| aboard both yachts for the lightest
| airs before the start. Columbia dis
| carded her heavy steel topsail yard for
lighter and longer pine one, and the
| Irish boat sent aloft the largest club
| tOpsail ever seen on her. larger by
yards than any used in her trials on
! this side.
Besides Managing Owner c. Oliver
lselin and Mrs. Iselin there were on