The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-09
FIGURES ON SHAMROCK WINNING.
An English Critic Takes n Rosy View
of the Coming Gun COntcst.

The London Yachting World In the issue
Of July 2S devotes its leading editorial to
the comparison of the cup defender Column
ba and the challenging yacht, Shamrock.
rather rosy view is taken of the situa-
ton. and it Is declared there is good ground
for the belief that Sir Thomas Lipton's boat
Will capture the cup. The comparison was
made after the Shamrock had been twice
ptted against the Prince Of Waes's Britain
mia, and the Columbia had undergone Sc
rlcs of tests with the Defender Vouminous
reports OF which were cabled TO the other
side. The editorial says:
Early in May, when the Shamrock existed
only disjointed collection of plates ana
frames, We noted the growing confidence III
every one on this side with regard to the
prospects of the challenger, and detailed
number OF facts which in our opinion went
far to Justify that attitude. Since then, TINS
feeling of confidence has become more wide
spread and more firmly rooted, and what
may be regarded as final justification OF 1t
has been supplied by the racing trials OF the
challenger and defender, which were held
last week.
THE voluminous reports furnished from
the other side enable US to form fairly ac-
curate estimate of the sailing powers of the
Columbia. She has been matched in Il sue
cession Of trials against the Defender. ana
none OF the scores OF yachting writer's who
witnessed the contests discovered anything
which gave the slightest indication that the
new yacht was being held back. There has,
indeed, been n good deal Of spread eagleism
written regarding the miraculous sailing of
the new yacht, but Things are stubborn
things in yacht racing, and a careful COM
parson of all the Things OF the races which
have been held gives tho Columbia an ave-
rage superiority over the Defender of three
minutes in thirty miles. The narrowncss
OF this margin is almost sufficient OF itself
to prove that the Columbia was being sailed
for all the speed which could be got out Of
her, for no skipper with only three minutes in
hand and the uncertainty of the weather to
face, can afford to throw away any chances
II h" wants to win Shamrock's trials do not
unfortunately, give SO clear an indication OF
the capabilities OF the yacht
To work out a comparison between Bri-
tannia and Columbia It is necessary to go
back to the Britannia's matches with the Vi
gilant."
The Yachting World figures that the
Prince of Wales's cutter proved the better
boat, but for the sake OF argument Is will
ing to call the Niglant the equal OF Bril-
tanna. The editorial goes on to say:
Yachting authorities on the other side
put Defenders superiority over Nigilant
at six minutes on the cup-Course of thirty
miles. BY adding this six minutes to the three
minutes, which Is the Columbia's estimated
superiority over the Defender on the same
course, 1t appears that the Columbia is nine
minutes faster than the Britannia in thirty
miles The final question is, therefore, whc-
Their the Shamrock can beat the Britannia
by more than nine minutes over a thirty
mile course.
THE new cutter answered this in very
emphatic manner last week. In the first
trial her jaCkyard-topsail gaff was sprung
in the setting and she was compelled to use
only her small jib- headed topsal in what
was only good sailing breeze. They start
ed to windward and the first two boards
proved that Britannia had not the slightest
chance Of holding her. Before they had
gone four miles to w!ndward Shamrock was
over five minutes ahead, and 1t was then
apparent that Shamrock was held back.
Down wind the absence of the big tOpsail
told more severely, and ShamroCkS people
were In no hurry to set or trim the proper
canvas. Even with short sail and leisure
ly handling, however, she made over three
minutes on the run, and after turning made
a minute a mile on the short beat home.
She won by over thirteen minutes, but with
full racing canvas, and sailed as she Will
be sailed later on, this difference would
have been doubled.
There was much calm and huky weather
in the next trial and the only real test
was beat In steady wind from Cowes to
the Noman fort, distance OF about nine
miles. On this distance it was apparent
that Britannia and Shamrock were both
pushed their hardest, and the result was
that the Shamrock beat the Princes yacht
by about twelve minutes on the distance.
Things taken and comparisons made on
these trials work out showing that in a
moderate breeze Shamrock could beat Bri-
tannia from twenty-five to twenty eight mi
nutes on thirty-mile course. The time al
lowance due to the smaller boat is estimat-
ed at eight to ten minutes. leaving Sham
rocks net estimated superiority something
between fifteen and twenty minutes on the
cup-course.
Some interested writer's among our
friends on the other side have endeavored
to discount the result OF the Shamrock's
trials by stating that Britannia could not
be In good racing fettle after lying up for
two years, but Capt Carter effectively dis
poses OF this contention by stating that
during these trials Britannia was at least
ms fit as when she met and defeated Vigil
liant "