The evening times., 1899-09-08
LIGHT WINDS HER DANGER.
The Shamrock's Best Reliance Is I'm
Stiff BreeZes.

NEW YORK, Sept. S.-f Sir Thomas
Liptons cherished dream of conquest
comes to naught, it is probable that still
seas and idling zephyrs will be the cause
of his discontinue. For his yacht, the
Shamrock, weighed herself in the balance
of light winds yesterday and was found
wanting by those who followed the open
sea trial of the challenger-a marine
sauntering that was replete with grace and
beauty, but not potential with victory for
the stranger yacht if light breezes are
about when she and the Columbia meet
In her previous trials the Shamrock has
shown herself to be remarkably stiff and
speedy when winds are brisk and white
caps dot the blue But in yesterdays
sleepy seas and languid breezes the yacht
did not seem to do so well.
This should not be construed into mean
ing that the challenger did badly. What is
meant is that with the vast sail area shown
she did not fulfill expectations, did not
come up to the promise of extraordinary
speed in light winds which that great ex-
panse of canvas gave.
Pranked out in new costume cut and
fitted by Ratsey. English Worth of dainty
sailing craft, the emerald yacht, radiant
in her garb Of shimmering silk and pearly
white lay of the Hook yesterday forenoon
and waited for the wooing wind. For an
hour or more her graceful bow was drop
ping courtesies to the long, slow heave of
the Atlantic, and then came a furrying
catspaw, which filled her Stating sails and
sent her gliding away to the eastward with
faint line of bubbles rising and falling
with the smooth backed swells which rolled
lazily toward the land.
Such breeze as there was came from the
south southeast, and straight out TO sea the
yacht headed. She was then showing lug
foresail. jib. an intermediate jibtopsail, a
club topsail and mainsail. All the sails were
new except the mainsail and all who look
ed upon them pronounced ii the neaJest
fitting suit OF canvas ever worn by yacht.
The Erin, as usual, was lowering near
her consent, and on her. bridge Sir Thomas
Upton, Ratsey, her sailmaker, and Mr..
/ Fife, designer Of the Shamrock, were close
! ly noting the set of the sails and the be-
! hayior of the craft. One bell, half-past
I u o'clock was struck on board the Erin,
! and AT the same moment the Shamrock
went about, took in her big foresail and
hove to with jib sheet hauled to windward
/ The Erin's launch pumped into the water
/ at the same time. and climbing down the
/ gangway ladder, Sir Thomas sprang into
! the launch, followed by Mr.. Ratsey. Mr.
/ Fife preferred to watch the maneuvres OF
! the Shamrock from the Erin and remained
on board the latter vessel.
Preening her wings, the swanlike fabric
| awaited the arrival of her owner. and as
! soon as he was on board she filled and
! stood away on the port tack, setting g
staysail in place of the lug foresail, and
| heading southwest by west, the wind being
then south southwest.
The breeze was still light when, at two
minutes to l O'Clock, she suddenly spur
around on her heel luffed sharp up on the
starboard tack, and then, easing away hel
sheets, ran free on an east by north course
a course she held until the deep sea swell
was under foot and the Highlands asterI
| a mere line of spectral blue.
| Jybing at ten minutes to o'clock, sh'
stood on beam reach to the north ant
west, hauling in to close reach for th'
| Hook an hour later. After a return TO th'
old anchorage within the Horseshoe, rep
resentative of Sir Thomas Upton, sen
from the Erin, boarded the press boat ant
told the reporters that another test Of th
yacht would be made today, weather per
mitting. Nothing definite had then beel
decided as to whether the new mainsai
! would be tried or new booms substituted
| The doings of the day rather com
prised a trial of new sails than a ties
of speed, but the one goes with the other
and, although there was no way by whicl
the speed performances of the Shamrocl
could be accurately known, the result wa
a feeling that she will stand better shoH
of winning in a good stin wind than Sh
will if light -breeZes are. her lot