Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-10-18

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Columbia's position was fully wo<hun-
dred yards dead TO windward OF the
Shamrock, the latter being at that time
slightly forward of the Columbia's lee
beam.
CAPTAIN BARR
evidently meant to continue on the port
tack to Liverpool, if necessary, until
the Shamrock came about That never
happened, however, for as the breeze
freshened and both yachts began to put
their lee rails down harder, it seemed,
looking at the Shamrocks top mast
from astern, as if it were sprung. At
ll:24, with crash that could be heard
far off to leeward, the Shamrock's top
mast broke at point close to the cap,
and the great club top sail, with its
long spars, went flying down to lee
ward of the main sail. Swinging the
long tiller across her stern TO port,
Captain Hogarth Immediately put the
Shamrock before the wind, and, finding
that no one on board was hurt, he
gybed her, and all hands began clearing
away the wreck. The fore sail was
taken in first and men were sent aloft
! to overhaul the club top sail sheets and
halyards and clear away the top mast
back stays and other gear. 1t was
some fifteen minutes before they were
able to get the club top sail down on
, deck
1t was found that the direct cause of
the accident was the parting of the
| fore top mast shroud in the nip" that
is the portion of this steel wire rope
| resting in the spreader which extends
out board from the hounds of the low
er mast. The strands of the wire east
ly chafe and rust at that point espec-
tally when the shroud Is Stacked by
reason of being to leeward.
THAT ENDED THE RACE
SO far as the Shamrock was concerned.
Columbia took in her baby jib top
! sail and continued her course, lacking
TO starboard at lips, for it had been
especially agreed a few days prior to
the date set for the first race that in
, the event of an accident to either yacht
the uniniured vessel was to complete
the course. This agreement was sign
ed by Mr.. Iselin and Sir Thomas Lip
ton. 1t was great pity, of course,
that such an accident should have oc-
| Cured at such a time, when every
thing looked promising for a good tri-
angular race.
At the time of the accident, the Co
lumbia was about an eighth of mile
to windward of the Shamrock.
The steam yacht Erin, with Sir
1 Thomas Upton and party on board, fol-
| lowed the Shamrock back to Sandy
Hook, while she was towed by her ten
der. On her way in the Erin was
passed by the steam yacht Oneida
Former Commodore e. C. Benedict was
on the bridge. He hailed Sir Thomas
Upton through the megaphone and
said:
Il am very sorry to see the accident,
and | am also sorry that the race is to
be won this way. We should all be
more pleased to see the yachts sail it
out"
Sir Thomas thanked him, and passed
on in his yacht.
For 3S minutes and As seconds the
Columbia continued on the starboard
tack. She had taken in her jib top sail
soon after the accident to the Sham
rock, so as to relieve the top mast of
any unnecessary strain. In % minutes
she went about again to starboard and
II minutes later she made her last tack
for the first mark. In three minutes
and half she was up to the mark and
keeping off round it. After she eased
sheets to starboard No. jib top sail
was broken out and the white yacht be-
gan her ten mile reach for the second
mark.
HER OFFICIAL TINE
at the turn was II: 1928, showing that
she had covered the distance to wind
ward about fourteen miles, in l hour
SO minutes and II seconds.
The reach to the second mark was
devoid of interest, for the Columbia
simply sailed her course of southwest
half south straight as die only chang
ing her fore stay sail for a ballooner at
lib. She continued to carry her jib
top sail until the second mark was
nearly reached. The second mark was
gybed around at 1:33:27. Her elapsed
time for this leg was SO minutes 80 sec
onds-a lettle better than ten miles an
hour.
Setting the balloon jib top sail few
minutes after rounding this mark Co.
lumbia headed north northwest for the
home mark. On this last leg of ten
miles the wind lightened considerably
and the yachts speed was not as great
as on the previous leg. 1t took her
1 hour, minutes and so seconds to
cover the distance. The wind hauled
a little to the westward as she APP
preached the finish line so the balloon
lib top sail was taken in and the small
iib top sail set At 2:37:17 the Column
bia crossed the finish line between the
red ligbtship and the committee boat a
winner of the second race of the inter-
national series. She was greeted by
the usual steam whistles applause and
was soon after towed to her moorings
in the Horseshoe, back of Sandy Hook.
When the committee boat arrived IN
Sandy Hook bay the regatta committee
found that the Shamrock had been
towed to Erie basin, where she is to be
fitted with
A NEW TOP MAST
and remeasured. The committee at
once paid visit to Sir Thomas Upton
and to Commodore Morgan. who were
there with his steam yacht Corsair, all
so to Mr. Iselin. On the Columbias
deck a consultation was held. which
Continued on Seventh Page.