Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-10-19
Yankee Defender Columbia
Scored a Great Victory
Over Shamrock.
10 MINUTES, 5 SECONDS.
The Corrected Time Elapsed Botween tn @
Finish of the Two Boats Columbia
Led Her Rival by Mile and
Half-Outgeneral d tho sham
rock at the Start.

| NEW VI M OCl. lO-lhl a. BIOilp Wllplt-
sale breeze, over a windward and leeward
course of thirty miles, the Yankee defen-
! der Columbia to-day scored against the
| Shamrock the first race of the 1899 series
| for the Americas cup. The Columbia
/ bounded across the finish line fully a mile
| and a half ahead of the challenger, de-
/ foatng her by ten minutes and II seconds
! actual time. or ten minutes and eight sec
| ondS corrected time, after allowing the six
seconds handicap. which the Columbia
must conCede to the challenger on account
OF her longer water line. 1t was magni-
hcent race skillfully sailed and decisive
ly won. Opinion as to the merits of tho
two boats has been somewhat divided as
q result of the fluky racing The past two
weeks, but no nautical expert expected
! that the Shamrock would be so over
whelmingly Vanqushed as she was in to-
days contest The Yankee boat outgen-
eralled her at the start, beat her hope
! lessly in windward work to the outer
/ mark and gained % seconds in the run
| home before the wind. No excuses can he
| offered for the Shamrocks deficiency
| there was q good strong ten to twelve
! knot breeze and it held throughout the
/ race, true the needle to the pole. The
regatta committee, a result of the
showing made by the defender to-day de-
cided that the cup is safe. Blow high,
blow low, Columbia it is believed by har
manager, Mr. Iscln, can take the measure
of her rival. Sir Thomas Upton confess
ed after the race that he had been fairly
and squarely beaten He had no apologies
to make, saying that he would die game
and race the series.
/ To-day's race was a magnificent duel,
and made up for the repeated disappoint-
ments the sightseers had suffered. wet
dry veil IF vdpor hung over the sea when
Sir Thomas Upton opened the dripping
| portfolios Of the Erin this morning to take
| his first look at the weather. The pros
~,trA
| Wreaths were carried along by a good ten
| knot breeze from the east and the old
shelbackS said there was more wind
where that came from. But the eXcur-
sonists who went down the bay were not
very hopeful until they got outside. The
low. lcaden clouds overcast the sky. The
wall of vapor plotted out the horizon The
mist had made everything look ghost hFe
and indstinct The only color in the dun
| scene was furnished by the ensigns and
flags which adorned the excursion fleet,
and the dash Of red from the big hulk of
the lightship. Outside the wind was fresh
er and whipped some foam out of the
waves. Both yachts were lowed out from
the anchorages and raised mainsails be-
fore casting off. Mrs. !selin was a con-
spicuous figure on the deck of the Column
bia wrapped up in big yellow oilskin.
No large assemblage was on hand to wit
ness the start. \ few sidewheeers, the
regular fleet of ocean-going tugs and a
score or two Of steam yachts were about
all. Many more, however, got out in time
to the finish. Promptly at 10 O'Clock
the committee boat signalled the course.
Immediately a tug steamed out parallel
with the Long Island shore to set the
outer mark. Eoth yachts set No. > club
topsails. Just as the warning gun boom
ed, a driving mist swept in from the east,
eating into the faces of some of the ex-
cursionists and adding to their discomfort
Nt-ls ly~ip h.4hi
the line before the start. and the Yankee
boat got the better of it. She out-man-
oeuvred her rival. eventually forcing her
over the line first by half a length, but
leaving the Columbia in the weather posi-
ton Close hauled on the starboard tack
the yachts plunged seward, heelng to
the u knot breeze.
The first few minutes of the race were
the most interesting The yachts made
beautiful picture rs they raced away.
; Their sails to the nautical eye were per-
fection in fit. The crews were piled up
on the weather rail as the yachts smashed
into the head seas pounding the spray
from their bows. Plenty of smother came
over hut neither shipped crests forward
It was soon apparent that the Columbia
was forging ahead The clear water be-
gan to show between them The Column
bia not only seemed to outfoot the chal-
lenger but also pointed higher 1t was
astonishing how she sliced her way up
into the wind Within fifteen minutes she
had established a lead of five lengths and
from that time on the race was hers. The
patriots were iubilant and the bands be-
gan plaving The Columbia seemed more
tender than the FOREIGNER showing wards
of her bronze underbody as she leaned
away with her lee rail almost awash
Steadily she continued to beat ahead I'M
til within half an hour. having demon
, strated her superiority in windward work
II became only a question of how much
the Columbia would beat the shamrock
to the outer mark.
As tho Yachts GOT farther ont tho eoos
hocamn moro turs,u,nnt and the snrav
snurtnd higher from tboir howe No,,v ov-
. c,reinriste co,1o 70 oriaf 40 so,,,a af ~
tue. boote nl,ro,ro thro,,c,, tha hoad COS
; were eoodad FROM etar, 10 sto,n rba
VOL, Of Tho ,1otroI eo,t ,,,a., norfo,t tn,