Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-05
COLUMBIA TRIES NEW SAIL
American Cup Racer Takes Short Trial
Spin Outside Sandy Hook,
SIR THOMAS Upton NOT WORRYING
Confident that His Craft VIII Give n
Good Account of Itself No Matter
What Kind of n Breeze
There Is.

was busy one after all for the sailor men
on the two cup racers Mr.. Iselin and Sir
Thomas Upton, however employed their
hours in different ways. The Columbia went
out for short trial spin outside Sandy
Hook shortly afternoon today, principally
to try a new clubtopsail, which its man.
aging owner, c, Oliver 1selin, wished to have
stretched and ready for tomorrow's race.
Under mainsail and jib the yacht sailed
away from its moorlng and under the in
fluence OF a fresh southwest breeze it was
soon passing the point of Sandy Hook. Cap
tain Barr soon brought the yacht around
TO wind, when the new top was ready to
hoist and in few moments the big sky
reaching sail was mast-headed. 1t is one
of Hathaway's latest and best productions
and when laced to the topmast and gaff it
set like a taior-made gown on a pretty
woman.
After setting taut and tacking several
times to get the sails well stretched the
Columbia was headed back for its mooring
buoy in Sandy Hook bay, where it arrived
about p. m. The mansail was slowed
and all hands sent to supper on board the
tender st. Michaes.
c. Oliver Iselin, who with Mrs. Iselin
and their guests, Woodbury. Kane, Herbert
Leeds and Newbury Thorne, is quartered
on tne Sl. MlCnaelS, Sdlu 10 al ASsuCld'eu
Press representative this afternoon:
Iselin Satisfied with Columbia.
"I am satisfied with Columba's work
during the race, but not with the weather
conditions. None of lis could tell where
the wind was coming from, not even the
sailing master. In all my yachting I do
not know when I've seen flukier day than
yesterday. With all that we had over
+hn For
when the race was called off. 1t could not
have crossed our bow If it had gone about
at that time. Our crew worked well from
start to finish
Asked what he thought the weather would
be for tomorrow's race, Mr.. Iselin said:
81 think we shall have good breeze from
the southwest. I hope so, anyway, for
should like to get one race off my hands
and know where We stand
Regarding the criticism that the leach of
the Columbias mainsail was slack in yes
terday's race, the Columbas manager
said: THAT has been fixed. 1t was little
slack but not enough to affect the yachts
sailing"
It has been understood in some quarters
that Captain Rhodes of the Defender would
i've on board the Columbia in its race to
look after the trimming of the sails and in
an advisers capacity. On board the st.
Mjchaes a member of the crew said tonight:
Captain Rhodes has not been with us yet,
but we all wish he was along He may
come yet and If he does he will be welcome" ;"
Sandy the Columbia's mascot, is the
same yellow dog that helped to pilot the
Defender to Victory He is wel-fed, slick
looking and carefully guarded by the stew
ard. The crew, to man, feel that Sandy is
indispensable to the success of the yacht.
.1a ie ut JyO led
about the result OF the races. He sticks to
his original assertion that the Columbia Is
the fastest single stick yacht afoat and
that in windward or any other work 1t is
more than a match for the Shamrock
Sir Thomas Not Worrying.
Sir Thomas Upton is not worrying over
tomorrow's race one bit. On the contrary,
when seen today on the Erin, he felt conf
dent that his craft would give good ac-
count OF itself, no matter what kind of a
breeze there is. He wants good fresh
breeze however, so that the relative speed
Of the defender and the challenger can be
thoroughly demonstrated. He had just re-
turned from visit to the Shamrock late
this afternoon when seen by the Associated
Press representative.
After taking a cup OF Yea and a little
toast. Sir Thomas spoke about his sail on
tn6 Ola SCnOOueT yacht, AnerlCd, lne DOdL
that caused all the trouble" to quote Sir
Thomas. He said he had a splendid sail
around the bay for about two hours and
that from the speed the old boat made in
the stiff southwesterly breeze, he did not
wonder that it had lifted" the cup on the
other side nearly fifty years ago
Sir Thomas did not care to make any
statement about tomorrow's race, except
that the Shamrock would carry exactly the
same sails as 1t did in yesterdays contest
and that Its crew would do their best to
cross the finish line first. The English
challenger is in the best Of condition for
the coming race. Not piece of wire in
its rigging nor piece of canvas was found
to be damaged in the least degree when
it's crew looked 1t over this morning. The
members OF the crew are quite as confident
as the Shamrock's owner that It will prove
a winner and some OF them are ready 10
lay a few guneas II they get the chance.
Sir Thomas received hundreds of cable
grams today from all parts OF the world,
congratulating him on the splendid show
ing his boat made in light air against the
defender.
Some OF the cables,' said Sir Thomas,
| "are from people l do not know person
| ally, but that only goes to show what a
great interest Is being taken in these races.
! One OF them read this: Tommy, don't make
room for your uncle "
/ In speaking about the manner in which
the course was kept clear Sir Thomas said
Il can't get over the great organization
| that has been here to keep the course clear.
Yesterdays was the clearest we ever had,
| or the clearest I ever saw in England, and
! only proves what | said before / came to
America, that in all previous races the
| best boat has always won. / may as we'll
say now that the Shamrock is the fastest
! boat ever built in Britain and the work
| manship was the best that money could
! buy. | cannot tell what its cost was, but
! 1t is probably more than you have any idea
| of. II cost as much as six Valkyries. The
estimates already given are away below the
| mark"
Chevalier de Martino, the marine artist
who has been commissioned by Sir Thomas
TO paint a series OF pictures OF the races
was one of the party that enjoyed a sail
| on the America. He said he was delighted
with the old champion and admired boats
! built OF wood more than any others The
| chevalier has not yet commenced any OF
his pictures but is making rough sketches
which with the aid OF snapshots will give
him material for his big painting which