The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-10-18

| -~ @A~AAnotA WAS uolhteu soon aIbef
and at $40 she cast on her tow line, hroke
out her jib and filled AWAY to starbosrd
at q point midway between Scotland and
Sandy Hook lightships. The Columbia
continued In tow until well up TO the
Sandy Hook lightshIp and at O. 25 her
crew set the mainsail In eight minutes
As soon as the sail was up, she cast of
her tow line and set what appeared to be
her No. 2 club topsail-not the largest one
she has
The club topsail that the Shamrock
began to set at $40 was apparently her
largest one, the same one which was bent
on Monday to slminum spars. Today
wooden ones were used. With a freshen-
Ing breeze from the eastward and the
ugly swell rolling In from the same quar-.
ter 1t seemed rather a risky proceeding
to swing such large topsaii aloft. Sub
sequent events proved that with a smaller
Tub topsail the Shamrock might have
finished the race. The same persons were
on BOARD the Columbia and the Shamrock
as on previous race days.
The situation at gun fire was almost
exactly the same as that between the
Defender and Valkyrie Ill, as they ap-
rroached the line on the day when the
Nalkyrie foule1 the Defender. When the
snamrock. moment after gun. fire,
rounded the lightship's stern and luffed
sharp up on the wind the Columbia,
having been unable to gain the weather
berth, bad now an overlap of half her
length on the lee side of the Shamrock
and so close were they that the Sham
rocks m ainboom end az she luffed to her
course came dangerously near Colum bias
weather shrouds and masthead runner.
BOTH yachts were closed hauled on the
starDoard tack, crossing the line on a
diagonal course. The shamrock had GER
tainly the better of the start and the Co
lumbia was placed In position that few
yachts would be able to extricate them
selves from without either keeping broad
on or fouling. IL was with intense in
terest then, that these on the ACCOMPANY
Ing yachts aud excursion boats watched
the outcome of this battle royal between
the single stickers.
One minute had not passed before the
Columbia's bowsprit began TO show out
ahead OF the Shamrock's. AT 1i.03 when
the handicap gun was rirsd, thu Column
bia was half length out from under the
lee OF her rival, and 30 seconds later when
the Shamrock tackled to port to get clear
OF the Columbia's back wind, the latt
yacht. by lacking five seconds later,
placed herself In a commanding position
on the Shanrock's weather quarter.
The official time Ct the start was:
Shamrock, II 00.15 Columbia, iI.O0.I7
The wind was east by south and
treshening by degrees as the yachts stood
along on northeast by east course. They
we're taking the easterly swells rather
hard at times, plunging their bowsprits
clear under and doubtless putting TO q
severe test all their spars and rigging.
With half an eye any californian could
see, looking at the yachts end on from
n hal fha Col hsa I'd
from half to three quarters of point
higher than the Shamrock, both apparent
ly having their ehests trimmed ali Ike on
the pert tack. The fact that the Sham
rock carried no baby jib topsail was ex-
cellent evidence that her captains were
Rfraid that II set IL would pail her head
OF more yet, so 1t was kept down, while
the Columbia's setting perfectly on Its
stay, must have helped that yacht instead
CT retarding her In the windward work.
Fifteen minutes after the start the Co.
lumbia position was fully two hundred
Took, the latter icing at that time slight
iy for ward of the Coiumbia's lee beam.
Captain Barr evident ly meant to CON-
tinue on the port tack to Liverpool II neo-
essary until the shamrock came about.
That never happened, however, for as
tie bTesze freshsned and bosh yachts
texan to put their lee rails dawn harder,
1t seemed. looking at the Shamrock's
topmast from astern, as II It vera sprung.
At ll.24 with q crash that could be
heard far of to leewari, the Shamrock's
topmast broke at point close to the cap
and the grsss club topsail, with its long
spars went flying down Co leewnrd Of
the mainsail. Swinging the long tiller
across her stern to port Captain Hogarth
immediately put the Shamrock before tue
wild and, finding that no one aboard was
hurt he gybed her and all hands tegan
clearing away the wreck. The foresail
was taken In first and men were sent
aloft TO overhaul the club topsail sheets
and hslyards and clear away the topmast
bA0kstays and other gear. 1t was some
Bftesn minutes before they were able to
get the club topsail down on deck.
1t was found that the direct cause of
the accident was the parting Of the fore
topmast shroud in ths ''nipn-that is, the
portion of this steel wire rope resting In
the spreadsr which extends cupboard
from the hounds OF the lower mast. The
strands of this wire easily chafe and rust
at that point, especially when this shroud
Is slackencd by reason OF being TO lee
ward.
That ended the race SO far as the Sham
rock was concerned.
The Colum bia took In her baby lib top
sail and continued ON ner course, lacking
TO starboard at 1.26. for i5 had been es-
pecislly sagreed few days prior to the
oau0 o1s Ash shC hAcb AhOo uuat an uA6AuNGAt
Of an accident to either yacht the un-dis-
abled vessel was to oomplsts the course.
his agreement was signed by MIR. Iselin
and Sir Thomas Upton. 1t was II great
pity, Of course, that such an accident
should have occurred at such time,
when everything looked 80 promising for
good triangular race. At the time of
the accident the Columbia was an eighth
Of mile to windward of the Shamrock.
The steam yacnt Erin with Sir Thomas
Upton and party on board followed the
Shamrock back TO Sandy Hook, whither
she was lowed by her tender, the tug
James A. Lawrence. On her way she
was passed by the steamer yacht Oneida,
with former Commodore Il. q. Benedict
on the bridge. He hailed Sir Thomas
through the megaphone and said: II am
very sorry to see the accident and 1 am
also very sorry that the race is to be won
this way. We should all be more pleased
to see the yachts sail it out"
Sir thomas thanked him and passed on
In his yacht.
Fer IS minutes and As seconds the
Columbia continued on the starboard
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