The record-union., 1899-06-26
The Columbia Spreads Her Sails on
Trial.
Beats the Old defender" in a Mile
Spin.
She Was Much the Faster and 1t
Will Have to be a Flyer That
Can Take the Cup Away From
These Shores-The Shamrock
Must Show Marvellous Speed In
Order to Win the Coming Race.


Order to Win the Coming Race.
NEWPORT June. 25.-The first trial
of the new Americas cup defender, CO.
lumbia, which took place in Nara
gansett Bay to-day was more success
full than either her builders or owners
had reason to Nope.
Not only did the new boat show her
self to be able in every particular, but
she met the old racer, Defender, in
friendly brush of mile to windward
and vanquished her with the greatest
ease. The race between the flyers,
which was over in five minutes, was
sailed in an iS-knot breeze under the
same conditions, each boat carrying
three lower sails with sheet we'll fiat
tened. 1t took the Columbia about
three minutes, sailing from the De-
tenders weather quarter, to blanket
her, and in five minutes she was lOD
yards ahead, going past the old cup
defender as If the latter was anchored.
Under these circumstances it would
seem as if the Columbia were from 10
to 20 seconds mile faster than the
Defender and if she can make the same
gain in a hard blow, fears for the
safety of the Americas cup will be
considerably allayed.
The trip to-day was the builders trial
and although the managing owner, c.
Oliver Iselin, and a number of his
yachting friends were on board, still the
Columbia's designer, Nat Herreshoff,
was in charge and after the sail down
the bay, the boat was towed back to
Bristol for a few minor repairs. 1t
is expected that the boat will have an
other trial Thursday and by the end of
the week she will be formally turned
over to Mr.. Iselin. In the meantime
her interior fittings will be finished and
her bowsprit, which apparently started
in the socket during to-day's brush
with Defender, will probably need some
attention. Before the Columbia left
for Bristol this evening Mr. Iselin ex-
pressed himself as being more than
satisfied with her and it was a happy
lot of yachtsmen that watched her per-
Torrance and went to Bristol With her
tonight
The Columbia lay off the Herreshoff
wharf all last night. being moored well
out in the channel, in order to avoid a
grounding. The crew We're up early
and by 6 o'clock this morning her decks
We're washed down and the big No. 1
jib sent up its stops. After an hours
interval for breakfast on the tender
ST. Michael the crew began the work
of getting up the mainsail. 1t was
a pretty difficult task for twenty-five
men to get the great stretch of canvas
we'll into the air. Such huge sail had
never been hoisted before and it was
over an hour before it was set to Cap
tain Bars satisfaction. Just before 9
o'clock Nat Herreshoff pulled off from
shore and shortly after the naphtha
launch brought Mr.. and Mrs. Iselin and
three yachting friends from the ten
der.
The weather at this time was threat
ening and the southwest breeze of the
early morning had flattened out almost
to a calm.4 At a quarter past y the
anchor broke ground and the Columbia
was off on her initial trial, beating
slowly down the bay with Nat Here
shoff at the wheel. AS the yacht stood
off the jib was broken out and her stay
sail went up, but the wind was SO light
that, after standing over on the port
tack, in order to put her about, the
naphtha launch had to be called upon
for assistance. The launch after get
ting her around. towed her well over
toward Hog Island, at the entrance to
the harbor and then the wind fresh
ened a bit, the tow line was cast off.
The boat rapidly gained Roadway as
the wind increased and after a num-
Der of sharp tacks, stood out into the
bay between Hog Island and Bristol
Point. The breeze was scarcely over
three knots an hour. yet the Columbia
slipped along, making hardly ripple,
and with all the ease of racing shell.
Even in the light wind Mr.. Herreshoff
was able to throw her around on an
average of thirty-five seconds and
later, when Captain Barr took the
wheel, he tackled in 30 % % and even
in 20 seconds, showing the new boat to
be between 10 and Il seconds faster in
stays than the Defender In the fresh
ening wind the boat made very little
fuss as she glided through the water,
as there was no perceptible wave on
her quarter. burt small wake astern
AS the wind caught the big mainsail it
filled out and set beautifully with
face or even a waver. On the other
hand, the headsails were disappoint-
ment The fore staysail seemed to be
cut very straight along the foot, while
the head of, the sail. which was too full,
tapped badly in the wind. Later the
luff on this sail was hauled down and
the sail set much better, but the jib
kept spilling out wind into it SO that it
shook nearly all day. The jib was fairly
steady but had a big bag along the
huff which shows that it could stand but
little stretching
Standing out of the harbor the CO.
lumbia was headed across the bay to
Shore Island and just before 10 o'clock
she went about and with constantly
freshening breeze from the southwest,
stood over toward Prudence Island, on
the west coast of the bay. As she
passed the Hog Island lightship the lat
!ter's crew saluted her with three
strikes of the fog bell, which salute was
answered by the tender st. Michael,
steaming along behind with the press
tug. It took just an hour to beat from
Hog Island lightshdp at the entrance Of
Bristol Harbor to Rowe Island, or