Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-10-26

which hundreds of thousands of dollars
were expended to secure is small-it is
simply an antiquated piece of silver
ware which Queen Victoria offered to
the best sailing ship in the world in
the early days of her reign-but around
it cluster the precious memories of un-
broken American triumph and the
honor of mastery in one of the ncblest
of sports.
The concluding race was test of the
rough weather qualities of the yachts.
There was too much frostiness in the
air for comfort, and it was far too
rough fol land lubbers. The sky was
overcast with cold gray clouds and the
fierce flaws of a chilling blast out of
the Northwest whipped the foam out
of the waves until they whitened the
face of the'sea.
Outside the ocean was riot CT
whitecaps. Some of the holiday fleet
declined to bravo the perils OF the
harpies riding Gown on the northeaster.
and those that did SO rolled and plunged
in the tumbling billows, sending all
but the old salts below.
The prayer of Sir Thomas fors wind
was answered. lit was blowing % miles
an houl at the lightship, enough wind
and enough sea to make any racing
machine stdgger. Even the pilotboats
that can weather any gale were under
shortened sail, and the wind fairly
tore into shreds the steam from the
exhausts and the smoke from the stacks.
The course 10 miles before the wind,
| south by west, carried the yachts
straight down tho Jersey coast to n
point off Long Branch, so that the race
was sailed in plain view of the thou
sands perched upon tho heights of
Nayesink and stretched along the shore
from Seabright 10 Asbury Park
| The yachts made q beautiful picture
as they sped away with outstretched
| pinions. The Columbia carried her
spinnaker boom at an angle of almost
| As degrees. This allowed the big sail
| tc bulge far out forward and draw like
a locomotive. But 1t was rather dan
gerous. Twice an extra puff of wind
carried the sail forward and the boom
up until the canvas tumbled over the
| stay. But the Deer Isle sailors each
time had it back in place in jitfy.
The Shamrock had no such mishap,
as Hogarth carried his boom much
lower. The Yankee trick, however, did
| its work, lifting the head of the Column
bia out of the water until she seemed
| to be skimming over the sur uIface.
The excursion vessels trailing down
on each side were chasing after the
| Yachts as fast as their steam would
| carry them. But the big sloops sat so
hot pace that they left half the tug
boats and some of the steam yachts
astern. They were going at 13-knot
clip, the Columbia slowly but surely,
inch by inch, overhauling her adver-
sary. Closer and closer she drew, dead
astern of the challenger, hoping with
her mountain canvas tc shut off her
rivals wind.
At II. 10 O'Clock, half mile from
the mark. the Columbia got alongside
the challenger, and neck and neck, like
n span of race horses, they bowled down
for the float. Three minutes later,
when they took in their spinnakers
preparatory to gybing, the Columbia
was a length in the lead and footing
like mad. Tho yachts swept around
the mark, the Columbia II seconds
ahead, but so close that one chorus
from the fleet answered for both. The
Columbia had gained a minute and Is
seconds in the 5-mile run.
On very tack CT the thresh to wind
ward the American boat increased hel
lead, pointing so close to the direction
frcm which the wind came that ole
salts said she could wipe the eye o.
the wind" At Las the Columbia wa:
leading by quarter of a mile. The
situation for tine Shamrock was des
perate, and, reckless of the conse
quenoss. the British skipper decided tt