Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-07
SILVER CUP IS SAFE
Speed of Columbia Fills Yachtsmen with
Assurance of Victory.
DEFENDER BEATEN NEARLY FOUR MINUTES
Triangular Course is Covered Running Ten
Miles on Each Leg.
lew BOAT LABoRS UNDER HEAVY HANDICAP
Sails Do Not Set Properly and Spill Wind in
Stiff Breese,
WEATHER IS UNFAvoRABlE FOR THE TEST
Lumpy Sea and Approaching suuRIi,
However. DO Not Deter Crowd of
Enthusiasts from Following
the Racing Craft.

NEW YORK, July 6.-Ry the race between
the new defender Columbia and the old
| Defender, sailed today over triangular
course OF thirty miles, ten miles TO leg,
1t has been plainly demonstrated that no
matter how skillfully constructed yacht
| may be its sailing and ability to go 20
windward may be killed by imperfectly set
ting sails.
The Columbia won the race by margin
of 1858 (unofficial time). There is no doubt
1t would have won by larger margin IL
its sails had fitted as we'll as the Defenders.
In the windward work, while the wind was
strong Columbia was unable to outfoot or
to outpoint the Defender chiefly on account
of the bad set of its club topsail, jib topsail
and forestry sail. 1t covered the first leg
of ten miles to windward three minutes
faster than the Defender but one minute OF
that gain was made when the wind was light
On the second leg the Columbia gained
fifty eight seconds 1t was a reach. both
yachts carrying large mot balloon) jib top
sails On the last leg, close hauled in
| light breeze it lost five seconds to the De-
fender, probably by reason of shift of
| wind Still based upon the showing it
made as a better boat than the Defender
under adverse conditions, the nautical
sharps are strongly convinced that Sir
| Thomas will sail home without the silver
| mug, IHt puss'SSSlOH VI WHICH mas given us
the yachting supremacy of the world since
| 1851.
But todays race was unsatisfactory
one. Shifting winds and bad. lumpy sea-
with dirty rain squalls, made the condi-
! tions anything but ideal for yacht racing
! The billows of mist which enshrouded the
Jersey shore prevented crowds on the high
land of Navesink from viewing the race,
but the growing haze only added picturesque
ness for those who went outside to see the
! sport. To them the world was blotted out
and through the gray sea under a dull
sky, the yachts raced with nothing but
| themselves and the attendant train of fol-
lowing boats TO witness the contest.
In windward work the Columbia, with
sails drawing badly, demonstrated it's su-
poriorty. and in a long reach with sheets
eased it outfootcd the Vanderbilt boat. The
sudden shifting OF the wind prevented a
/ trial at running with spinnakers. In light
weather, close hauled it can be said it is
undoubtedly the Defenders superior, but
what it can do in piping breeze remains
| to be seen
! Haze Obscurcs the Harbor.
thick haze hung over the harbor this
morning when the two superb yachts left
their anchorages at Tompkinsvlle behind
two proudly putting tugs for the scene of
. bdltIt' us NOluluDld DIS IL passed out was
saluted by every steamcraft. The large fleet
of followers included sidewheeers, swift
steam pleasure yachts, scab-nosed tugboats
and craft of all descriptions.
Fortunately most of the followers kept
their distance and few of them bothered
the racers with washing waves. The breeze
had freshed the yachts got outside and
! what the old salts term lumpy sea was
running.
After Commodore Morgans flagship the
Corsair, with Commodore Morgan. Chester
! Griswold, Rear Admiral Frances Higgins
and Irving Grinnell and large party of
guests aboard, had signaled the course and
the racers had cast off their lines, sharp
rain squalls killed the breeze. But the
squall was brief and half hour later a
! steady twelve-knot breeze was blowing
from the southwest. The Corsair signaled
the first log to windward, down the Jersey
coast and the yachts began to jockey for
position.
Captain Barr had the tllier of the Co
lumbia and aboard with him were C. Oliver
lsein, Mrs lselin, Newberry Thorne, Will
liam f. Dilin, Herbert w. Leeds and Wood
bury Kane, Captain Rhodes had the helm
of the Defender Butler Duncan, Mrs. Dun
| can and John G.. Botsford were aboard
| Defender Has Head start.
80 bhc "alHlHS gun was HItu, lne 60
| lumbia, without waiting for the starting
gun, rounded Sandy Hook lightshp and
| headed across the line; either it was a bad
! blunder on the part of Captain Barr or II
was designedly done to give the Defender
a start equal to its time allowance, which
| Is figured at about two minutes. Just as
the starting gun doomed the Defender
crossed on the port tack.
Meantime the Columbia jibbed and turn
| ing about headed for the line, crossing II
exactly two minutes after the Defender
Both yachts carried four staysails, lib.
baby jib topsails and cubtopsails The
beat to the windward made a beautiful race.
| The interest was intense for the first few
minutes, as the big racers, with everything
! close hauled entered on their test OF speed
The Defender had the weather gauge by a
| head
At first the Columbia seemed 10 outfoot
its rival and nautical experts were mbI-
! liant. Then both yachts went over on the
starboard tack for long leg. They heeled
| until yards OF their bronze bodies were
| exposed. The Columbia seemed more ten
der than the Defender-more tender but
perhaps more stately as 1t lay down TO
its work. 1t heeed enough to let the seas
swirl and bubble along its leadrails. and
when 1t cut a big wave into tatters Il
shipped some water.
CoIumbia's sail Spills Wind.
Then the talent began to get nervous
| Gradually but surely the Defender was
! drawing away, and it was also apparent
that it was pointing higher than the Column
! bia. II did not take the yachtsmen long
! to discover the cause. The Defenders
sails fit to perfection and every inch OF
| canvas drew. The club topsail OF the
Columbia was loose and Mapped in the wind
! the foresail did not draw and might as well
have been slowed in the locker
BY this time the breeze was blowing
! about ten knots an hour and while II CON
! tinued at that clip the Defender continued
10 gain very slowly, but also very surely.
! Half an hour later the wind sank TO about