New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-03
THE START OF THE RACE.
HOW THE YACHTS WERE MOVING WHEN
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.

Newport R L. Aug 2-There was good fresh
breeze from the southwest when, at 9:47 o'clock,
the Columbia slipped her mooring and hiled
away on the port tack. She made her frst tack
near the jamestown shore eight minutes AFTER
and began her beat out to the starting point on
Brentons Reef nghtship. The Defender was un-
der way four minutes after the new sloop
1t took them only half an hour to reach the
llghtship cables length from which John X.
Drexers steam yacht Sultana. acting as the
judges boat had anchored. At few minutes
before II o'clock up went the course signal-two
square white flags bearing the letters "A on
one and "B" on the other. meaning You are TO
sail to Block Island bell buoy. 2612 miles and
return"
PLAYING for windward place at the start
brought out some keen work between Shippers
Barr ~ the Columbia and Rhodes Of the De-
fender They were allowed ten minutes 10 pre-
mare after the first signal. at II o'clock, and
then seven minutes to cross the imaginary line
between the lightship and the steam yacht Sui
tana The last two minutes of the seven was
handicap time.
Roth Yachts nanpuvred to the westward Of
the rshtship when the ten minutes had expired.
and IN the next three. both having booms 10
mort and sheets well in. passed ahead Of the
ligbtship that is to the westward Of her Both
kent broad off now. Defender Gyoed first, be-
fore Columbia. both coming clear around ana
hack to their port tacks, using up two more
minutes Rhodes let the Defender 60 too far
N leeward before rounding up Barr held
Columbia close to the lightship. keeping or just
AZ the right moment lufing her close arouhd
its stern then capturing the wind"ard positioh'
The Columbia crossed the line AT ll;lo'h' the
Defender six lengths TO leeward at ll:lo:19'
Rhodes finding himself in the worst posltloh ne
dovyned helm and put her about right on tne
line The Columbia followed suit at once piac-
,ng The Defender quite dozen lengths on her
lee beam.
For FIVE minutes and fftys'x SECONDS SKIPPER
Rarr kent the Columbia on the port tack 0he
.oa,ad dsrgerouslv near the rocks off Maria
gansett Pier when he let her SWING aiou"u -
tho onsbore tack Captain Rhodes stood on lot
,u,o ,otn,,tes then brought the Defenoer apout.
This nIace6 her 10 windward of the Coiunpld
uake hut far astern of her. TO overcome thIs
nine minutes later Barr Hldue "''''
shore Of one minute 49, 80
As soon as the Columbia filled away on the on
shore tack again her tib topsall was taheis III.
Mr. Isen explained latep, 10 ,a np steadily
ON the other The sail was set again III 'eh
minutes when the Defender pesan W CO..
The uubia's average time in stays so ia
hsS 49, 16 seconds The Defender tacKeu
inshore al l2:O1:35. the Columbia twenty H nv
seconds later, and this was their last tao a, tho
fore the accident Mr.. Iselin estimated that .ne
Columbia was leading by three minutes "heh
II occurred. $3.50, ,, 1salin
The reason for the ACCIDENT Mr; ISt IN
states. lis easily explained IN ma eantre ~
topmast from the forward side 10 the centre vi
the mast the lead Of the topmast shrouu "a a
changed so that II was not In a stralsht M
II ought TO be. That brought uhu1e ~ hrask
the spreader and was the cause OF the prtaN;
We knew the lead was not. right put We pu Ne
the topmast forward as far as posslple rnI
morning. hoping It would stand the strain untu
we could put the turn buckle In the proper
place"