New-York tribune., 1899-07-13
AND NOW THE MROCK.

In her two races Mt New-York the Columbia
has given excellent proof of what she can do
with the aluminium victor Of 1895. On thirty
mile triangular course, with rails awash all the
way round. she beat the Defender three min
utes and thirteen seconds none OF the time
allowance which she will give to the Defender
being deducted or considered in this. In ten
mile beat to wlndward, in the chief part of
which the seaway was an active decider of
results. the Columbia did not do so well as the
Defender The narrow. clean sides Of the older
boat had much easier time of 1t in the on
coming seas. and as to the grace and poise or
her leap 1t could not properly be compared
with the wallowing motion Of the Columbia,
which had hard work 10 shove her extra two
feet two and half inches OF beam to wind
ward
Historically practically and along the ac-
cepted lines Of comparison this contest was
another Vigilapt- Britannia race-the narrow
English model that was copied into the Defend
or doing the same great work it always did in
first finding a windward buoy in a heavy sea.
With a similar great beam the Columbia
seemed to be repeating the old faults Of the
ylgilant as she showed them in many races
with the Britannia exhibiting the same ten
driving pressure, also a readiness 10 lie down
easily We are assured by two OF the best
experts from Boston that this showing OF the
Columbia was merely temporary, due TO the
Door setting Of new canvas and other unex-
planned causes. One of these gentlemen said:
"If the wind had been four times as hard there
would have been no doubt as to the superiority
"of the Columbia. In the Eastern waters
H1r A. ho inn
''power of the Columbia must make itself
known"
To all Of which NAV be uttered n hearty and
reverent amen. But while listening with pleas
ure TO sanguine promises we prefer to keep
strictly TO the proofs, as these are bit by bit
brought out and in the one proof we have had
Of the Coumbia's ability TO go to wndward
in heavy sea it was found that she could not
do so in company with the Defender No mat
ter how much better showing the Columbia
may subsequently make in the further races, 1t
must he admitted that there is an opening for
a cold chill in this one proof that in the SUI
premest test of a racing yacht going to wind
ward in a hard breeze and sea- the Columbia
was beaten by a boat four years old.
And now for the Shamrock Would not Fife
be disappointed in every expectation II Val
and beat him boat for boat in a rough ten
miles TO wndward? II this happened, would
he think II worth while TO come over AT all:
Now that this has happened TO the Columbia
(and the Defender and Valkyrle III were
almost exactly matched in wndward work.,
what are we to think about the Shamrocks
chances? Well. the latest reports make out the
Shamrock to be huge thing, with twenty-five
feet beam so that II will be seen that If the
Columbia has made an error in taking on too
much beam the Shamrock has gone TO n still
greater width, and may consequently get
hammered in a heavy head sea worse than the
Columbia.
The chief secret about the Shamrock Is the
shoaness Of her centre section. If her under
| body and bilges have been cut away in the de-
signing until exclusive OF the narrow fin, she
shows a practically fat bottomed boat she
stands great chance for the race. because it
| is in this point that the HerreshOffs have not
| followed the most advanced designing rs
shown in the smaller classes. In the Columbia
We have, however got n noble vessel, one that
Is a true Yacht and strong enough to carry
| flag abroad She Is the finest racing yacht
| that America ever produced and II in one way
| only she has not succeeded in beating the De
| fender Il must be remembered that the De
: fender was marvel and may. for all we
! know. be able to beat the Shamrock still worse
| under the same conditions