The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-26
HER FIRST TRIAL TRIP
Columbia Shows Her heels to
the Old Defender.
CUP is PROBABLY SAFE
The New Racer Proved Great Success.
Builder and Owners Are Intensely
Pleased = A Few Minor
Changes Necessary.

Newport, r. l., June 25-The first |
trial trip of frthe new American cup de-
fender Columbia, which took place in
Narragansett bay to-day. was more
successful than either her builders or
her owners had reason to hope Not
only did the new boat show herself to
be able in every particular, but she met
the old racer, Defender, in a friendly
brush of a mile to Windward and van
quished her with the greatest ease. The
race between the flyers, which was
over in five minutes. was sailed in an
eight knot breeze, both boats carrying
three lower sails 1t took the Columbia
about three minutes, sailing from the
Defenders weather quarter, to blanket
yards ahead, going past the old cup de-
fender as if the latter was anchored.
Under these circumstances it would
seem as if the Columbia were from l5
to 20 seconds a mile faster than the
Defender, and If she can make the same
gain in d hard blow, the safety Of the
American cup is probably assured.
The trip to-day was the builders trial
and although the managing owner,
c. Oliver Iselin. and number of his
friends We're on board. still the Column
bias 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 another trial Thurs
day 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 bow
lit 4, ;,, No
sail during the days brush with the
Defender probably will need some at
tention. Before the Columbia left for
Bristol this afternoon Mr.. Iselin eX-
pressed himself as being more than sat
isfied with her and II was a happy lot
that watched her performance 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
repetition of yesterdays unfortunate
grounding. The crew We're up early
and by o'clock5this morning her decks
were washed down and the big No. l
jib sent UP it's tops. After an hours
interval for breakfast on the tender st.
Michael the crew began the work of
getting up the mainsail. 1t was
pretty difficult task for rs men to get
the great stretch of canvas well into
the air. Such a huge sail had never
been hoisted before and It was over an
hour before it was set up to Captain
Bars satisfaction. Just before
o'clock Nat HeTeshoff pulled off from
the shore, and shortly after the naptha
launch brought Mr.. and Mrs. lselin and
three yachting friends from the tender.
The weather at this time was threat
ening, and the southwest breeze of the
early morning had t1attened out to
calm. At quarter past 9, the anchor
nd a rplun1hi1
off on her initial trial, beating slow
ly down the bay with Nat Herreshoff
at the wheel. As the yacht stood on,
the lib 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
naptha launch had to be called upon
for assistance The launch. after get
ing her around. towed her well over to-
ward Hog island at the entrance to the
harbor. and then the. wind freshening
bit the tow line was cast off. The
rapidly gained headway as the wind
increased and after a number of short
tacks, stood 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 the ease of
racing shell. Even in the light wind
Mr.. Herreshoff was able to throw her
around on an average of 80 SECONDS,
and later, when Captain Barr took the
Wheel he tackled in 80, %, % and even
in 20 seconds, showing the new boat
to be between 10 and Is seconds faster
in stays than the Defender.
In the freShening wind the boat made
very little fuss as she glided through
the water, and there was no perceptible
wave on her quarter, but small wake
astern. AS the wind caught the big
fully with scarcely wrinkle in its en-
tire surface, or even waver On the
other hand, the head sails were a dis
appointment The forestay sail 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 huff on this sail was hauled
down hard and the sail set much bet
ter, but the jib kept spilling out wind
into it so that it shook nearly all day.
The lib was fairly steady, but had a
big bag along the luff, which shows
that it could stand but little stretch
ing.
Standing out of the harbor the Co
lumbia was headed across the bay to
the shore of the island and just be-
fore 10 O'Clock she went about, and
with freshening breeze from the south
west stood over toward Prudence
island on the west coast of the bay.
AS she passed the Hog island lightship
the latter's crew saluted her with three
strikes on the fog bell, which salute
was answered by the tender st. Mich
ael, steaming along behind with the
press tug. 1t took just an hour to beat
from Hog island lightship, al the en-
trance of Bristol harbOr, to Rowe
island, off Newport distance of about
nine miles, with a favorable tide.
The Columbia made five bitches on
the way down Nara gansett bay, a
long leg to the North of Prudence
island, and to the south of Sandy Point
light, about half way down the island,
third to the south of Halfway rock,
fourth to Gould island, and a fifth
to Conancut island shore, just north
of jamestown.
As the Columbia came out after the
latter tack she met the Defender and
Navahoe coming out of Newport har-
Dor. accompanied by a fleet of steam
yachts and sailing craft. The Nava-
hoe sailed up to the windward, but the
nafandar came down the wind and