The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-10-21
Colnmbia Tnl.en the Lead.

| vas, setting a baby jb topsail, and FOR
ten minutes she seemed to hold the
American even.
Columbia Takes the Lead.
Both were going very swiftly. AS the
(, yachts approached the outer mark it
was seen that the Columbia was again
picking up on the Shamrock. At l2:lO,
half a mile from the mark, the Bristol
boat got alongside the challenger and
neck and neck they bowed down for the
float. Three minutes later, when they
took in their spinnakers preparatory to
gybing the Columbia was length In
| the lead and footing like mad, The
yachts swept around the mark, the CO.
| lumbia seventeen seconds ahead but so
close that one chorus from the fleet an
sWered for both The Columbia had
gained a minute and eighteen seconds
in the fifteen mile run. AS they leaned
away on the starboard tack for the b5at
home the Columbia was to WndWafd
and about length ahead, With theli
sheets trimmed fiat aft, they surSed
into the head seas sending the brine
smoking high as the spreaders. They
careeneG until their lee rails were aWash
in the waves. Oceans of spray came
over and occasionally both shipped SOL
id crests of water forward. Everything
aboard was wet and dripping. Seldom
has there been such a smashing sea un-
der the bows of cup contestants.
Proof of Columbia's superiority.
The Shamrock labored more than the
Columbia Once or twice she buried her
bowsprit in the seas, wetting her head
sails. Ten minutes of this satisfied the
patriots that the defender was as much
superior to the Shamrock in rough
weather windward work as she was in
the lighter airs. She pointed almost
point higher than her rival and footed
just as fast. The Columbia had to use
her working topsail before they turned
the mark, but the Shamrock held on
until in the freshening wind it was
deemed dangerous to carry it longer |
and sailor was sent aloft to lower it. |
1t was delicate job, with the big nine |
ty-footer bucking into the jumping sea |
like bronco, but after five minutes of |
hard work it was accomplished. On |
every tack of the thrash to windward !
the Yankee increased her lead, sailing |
so close that the old salts said she could |
wipe the eye of the wind.
shamrock Crowds on sail
AT l: AS the Columbia was leading by
a quarter of a mile. The situation for
the Shamrock was desperate and the
British shippers decided to crowd on
more canvas. After some trouble they
succeeded in setting a small club top
sail. The Columbia kept on under main
SAIL stay and jib. The challenger
1ea ned OVaT 1In6pr tho 1,rpce. of |
until her decks We're at an agile of 30
degrees. Her speed was undoubtedly
but her inability to point lost
her almost as much as she gained in
footing. Then she resorted to splitting
tacks, once running close in shore UNI
der the Navesink Highlands A slight
cant in the wind favored her at this
time and she managed to close up the
gap until little more than half a mile
separated her from the Columbia. Soon
after the wind slackened a little and
thereafter the Shamrock lost rather
than gained ground, All excursion
boats at this time were bucking into
the head seas for home. But the pace
was too hot and not half the fleet was
n at the finish.
Magnificent Finish.
The rush of the racers on the final
tack was magnificent. Geysers spurted
rom the bows and drenched the sailors
ying piled up against the weather rail.
AS the Yankee shot across the finish
between the lightship and the commit
ZEE boat the whistles of the feet
;creeched loud applause. The chal-
enger raced across five minutes and
seventeen seconds later. The Shamrock
got noisier reception than the cham
oion as she finished, perhaps because
some of the belated vessels had got up.
grand spectacle followed. The victor,
lfter lowering her sails, set the Stars
md Stripes at her topmast truck, at |
10th ends of her spreader and at the
ATRIAL. Soon the whole fleet blossomed
nut in American flags. They flew from
very staff and gaff and mast