The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-24
COLUMBIA WINS THE CUP
SHE DEFEATS THE SHAMROCK IN THREE
SUCCESSIVE RACES.
MOST EXCITING OF THE SERIES

utes Ahead OF the Shamrock-Thc
Boats Have n Twenty-sIne Breeze for
the THIRD Race-A splendid Contest
OF Seamanshfp The Irishman Fnfrly
Beaten.
New York. October 2a.--Throush wild
and hoary seas, in a breeze that ap-
preached the dignity OF a gale, the gal
liant sioop Columbia today yanquished
the British challenger Shamrock by s
minutes and is econds actual time, and
{ minutes and "a seconds corrected
time, thus completing the series for the
Americas cup with a magnificent
rough weather duel and a glorious yam
kee victory.
For the eleventh time, the attempt
of a foreigner to wrest from America
the yachting supremacy OF the world
has failed.
The intrinsic value OF the reward
which hundreds of thousands OF dol
lars were expended to secure is small
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 custer the precious memories OF un-
broken American triumph and the hon
or Of mastery in the noblest of sports.
To Sir Thomas Upton, whose name
is now added to the list of defeated as
pirants for the honor of carrying the
cup back across the Atlantic, the fall
ure was a crushing blow. His hope
had been high. but, like the true
Cn0rfcrnor thof hn 10 tho citing ~ dn-
feat has left no bitterness, and with
%undaunted courage he intimates that
he may be back with a better boat to
try again.
During his stay here Sir Thomas has
made himself more popular than any
previous challenger, and the yacths-
men of this country will be glad to
welcome him back
Except for the repeated fiukes and
the unfortunate accident to the chal
lenger on Tuesday, this series of races
has beer unmarried by a single unto
ward incident. The boats have had
two fair and square races, one in light
airs and the other in a heavy blow, and
Sir Thomas is perfectly satisfied that
he was beaten by the better boat.
Today's race was a glorious test OF
the rough weather qualities of the two
yachts. There was too much freshness
in the air for comfort, and it was far
too rough for landlubbers. The sky
was overcast with cold grey clouds and
the fierce flaws of a chilling blast out
Of the northeast whipped the foam out
of the racing waves until they whiten-
ed the face of the sea. Outside, the
ocean was a riot of white caps. Some
of the holiday fleet declined to brave
the perils of the harpies riding down
on the n~ortheaster, n those that did
rolled and plunged in the tumbling pill
lows, sending all but the old salts be-
low. The prayer of Sir Thomas for
wind was answered. 1t was blowing
twenty-five miles an hour at the light
~ship-enough wind and enough sea to
make any racing machine stagger.
The course, fifteen miles before the
wind, south by west, carried the yachts
straight down the Jersey coast to a
point off Long Branch, so that the race
was sailed in plain view of the thou
sands perched upon the heights of
Navesink and stretched along the shore
from Seebright to Asbury Park.
1t was blowing too hard for club top
sails and both shippers cOntented them
selves with hosting small working top
sails.
Both yachts fled across the starting
line before the twenty-five knot breeze
wing and wing, their ~spinnakers break
ing out like puffs of white smoke ant
setting hard as plaster. The Shamrock
vas wv " Il civ oitS o1Sctt1 ~
fore the defender; but this was not due
to superior seamanship. Captain Bar
, held off for that length of time after
the green boa crossed, in order tina
!, he might get the position astern, wher'
, he could have an opportunity to blan
ket his rival.
!, The yachts made a beautiful pictur
as they sped away with outstretchet
+ p~inions. The Columbia carried he
= s~pinnaker boom at an angle of almos
forty-five degrees. This allowed tn
big sail to belly far out forward an'
draw like a locomotive; but 1T wa
rather dangerous, and twice an extr
puff of wind carried the sal forwar
and up until it tumbled over the stay
but the Deer Isle sailors each time ha
it back in place in a jiffy.
The Shamrock had no such mishaI
as Hogarth carried his boom niue
lower. The Yankee trick, however, di
it's work., lifting the head of the Column
bia out of the water until she SCENE
y to be skimming over the surface.
The excursion fleet trailing down o
either side were chasing after tn
= yachts as fast as their steam woul
= carry them; but the big sloops set &
hot a pace that they left half the tn
t boats and some of the steam yacht
knot clip, the YANKEES slowly but surel,
inch by inch, ~overhauling her advel
sary. Closer and closer she drey
dead after the challenger, hoping wit
\, her mountains of canvas to shut of h,
If rivals wind.
:. When the Columbia had caught L
to within striking distance the gree
boat crowded on a little more cal
II vass, setting a baby jib topsail. ar
X for ten minutes she seemed to hold Il
American even. Both were going Ill
scared deer. A stern chase Is a lor
!. one, but as the yachts approached Il
10 outer mark the patriots, with his
bounding pulses, saw that the Colun
"a bia was again picking UP on the enem
At 1910 o'clock, half a mile from II
n mark, the Bristol boat got alongsic
, the challenger, and, neck and nee
like a spar of race horses they bowie
down for the float. Three minutes j:
ter, when they took in their spinnake
"a rrrhfn tho C.nIrr-Aln ~