The age-herald., 1899-10-13
CHANGE SUGGESTED
 FOR RAGE COURSE Repeated Failures in Contest Between
 Yachts DiSCouraSins. CROWDS ARE DISSATISFIED Fifth Successive Attempt Was Made
 Yesterday.
 AN UTTER ABSENCE OF WIND Another Effort Will be Made Today to Settle Question of Supremacy Be-
 tween the Cup Challenger and It's Defender
AN UTTER ABSENCE OF WIND

New York, October 12.-A blanket of fog over the course and the utter absence of wind caused the fifth successive fizzle when another attempt was made today to sail the first of the Shamrock series for the in- ternational trophy. The yachts will try again tomorrow.
 The repeated failures have had a most dlscouraging effect on the general public, and there was a great falling ol. in the number of excursion boats and passengers when the fleet gathered around Sandy Hook lightship today at the time set for the start The heavy fog made naiga- tion not only exceedingly difficult, but very dangerous. The ships of the fleet that did brave the perils of the fog could only crawl out to their destination, keeping double lookouts forward and their fog whistles constantly going to avoid collision. At times it was impossible to see fifty feet ahead, and it was an uncanny spectacle to have a big, ghost-like hull loom up close aboard.
 The mist lay thickest upon the surface of the water, and on the way down the bay the top royal yards of several big clippers could be made out when their hulls were invisible. The yards seemed to be suspend ed in mid air without support Down in the lower bay the fog was not so thick, and about 10 o'clock light land breeze from the west furnished rain conditions later on. So the racing sloops let go off their moorings and were lowed out to the start ing line. There they got their sails up and drlfted about, rocking in the gentle ground swell.
 10 hn nt and fh1.l lsnon 1n instead of increasing died away altogether. When the time came to signal the course the weather vane at the mast head of the committee boat, which would respond to the breath of sleeping infant, lay limp and lifeless on the staff. Shortly after 12 o'clock by mutual consent the committee boat hoisted the letter "R" on the trial stay, meaning trace is off,
 The sails were lowered and the tenders of the two yachts took them in tow back to the moorings, where the excursionists again sailed disconsolatey homeward. c. Oliver Iselin's interview in this mornings s papers protesting against the adverse criti- cism to the committee which has been liberally indulged in by some of the news papers and appealing for support for the Yankee boat and her crew until the series Is completed, evidently touched patriotic chord, for on the way back every excur- sion steamer in the fleet sailed alongside and saluted, while the passengers gave the white beauty three rousing cheers and tiger.
 The repeated fukes off Sandy Hook have led to some agitation for a change of course to Newport, R. l., where is usually breeze, or to Marblehead, off the Massa- chusetts coast, where no difficulty would be experienced in getting plenty of wind, but it is hardly likely that any change will be made. The regatta committee argue that this sort of weather cannot last long at this time of year.