The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-06
ANOTHER DRIFTING MATCH.
YACHT RACE AGAIN DISAPPOINTED
THE SIGHTsEERs.

start. soon Died Down-Columbia
and Shamrock both Had Turns in
the Lend-Interesting Incident at
the Close.
New York. Oct Again to-day the sea
refused the Shamrock and Columbia field
of conflict again to-day the multitude
which went out to watch the contestants
for the yachting championship of the
world returned disappointed, and not
little dsgusted.
The question of supremacy of the two
great yachts is stlll as much an open
question as before they first met, as the
contest to-day was in some respects more
of a fuke than that of Tuesday. It was
drifting match almost from start to fin
ish.
The yachts crossed the line with
breeze of five knots. and the wind never
blew more than six knots. most of the
time less than three, and part of the time
not a breath of air was stirring.
After sailing four hours and forty-three
minutes the yachts having covered only
twelve miles of the course to the outer
mark, the regatta committee declared the
race off. as 1t was manifestly impossible.
with the breeze then. blowing, for the
boats to round the stake before the time
limit expired, much less to get back home
again.
During the time In which the yachts
were at it, the wind, which carried them
dead before 1t over the line, had hauled
around until at the finish they were beat
ing into its teeth.
While the wind held astern the Colum-
bia steadily outfooted her rival until she
was fully half a mile ahead, but in the
shifting of the battling winds that follow
ed during the last three hours with the
great single stickers tac1lng and beating,
and gybbing to catch every streak OF
wind with fortune helping one about as
much as the other, the Shamrock gradual
ly worked her way up until, when the race
was declared off the two boats were about
on even terms, the Shamrock perhaps half
length ahead, but so close was the Co
lumbia that Capt. Barr could have thrown
a biscuit to the foreigner.
COIumbia's Advantage
The only lesson learned by the nautical
sharps from to-day's trial of the abilities
of the two boats was that IN light weather
conditions the Columbia is the superior In
running and reaching and the Shamrock
slightly better in beating. There has vet
been no indication of what either boat can
do in piping, wholesale breeze
So gentle were the crestIess. pulsatlng
seas that any sort of harbor or river craft
from a steamer to row boat could ven
ture out with mpunity, and a vast colony
of excursion boats, ocean-going steamers
yachts, tugs, sidewheelers and sailing
vessels gathered around the red hulk of
the Sandy Hook lightshlp seven miles
from the entrance TO the lower bay 10
watch the start. A heavy haze hung over
the sea and land and shut off the view OF
the thousands waiting on the highlands of
Navesink and the Long Island shore.
The torpedo boats. guarding the course,
threaded their way in and out through the |
acres of boats like needles their wakes a
thread of foam. warning the excursion
shippers to keep their distance. But little !
difficulty was experienced to-day, as Capt
Evans interviews threatening dire conse- |
quences to offending shippers had had a
wholesome effect.
Crowd Was Disappointed.
Already the crowd was disappointed |
Each one had come down praying for |
stiff breeze and had found instead that
there was hardly wind enough 10 keep the |
flags iutering. What there was was from |
northwest by north from over the land. |
The preparations We're made aboard both |
yachts for the lghtest airs before the start |
The Columbia discarded her heavy steel |
topsaifyaTd for a lighter and longer pine |
one, and the Irish boat sent aloft the /
largest club topsail ever seen on her. larg- |
er by yards than any used In her trials
on this side.
Mrs. Isehn, wife of the managing owner
of The Yankee hoat, and who never fails
to be aboard during race, was snugly
ensconced in the companionway Of the
Columbia, atiired In jaunty white fannei
yachting costume, with a red streamer
around her hat.
As soon as the committee boat had hoist
ed the signal letter %" making the
course IS miles southeast by south, before |
the wind, and return, a putting tug steam
ed straight our to sea to plant the outer
mark which neither Of the racers was
destined to round to-day. There was some
pretty maneuvering behind the line before
the start, each breaking out her bailon tlb
and lowering her spnnaker boom as they
jockeyed for position. Both got across IN
the smoke Of the .ast gun, the white beau
ty length ahead, and in the windward
berth
The official time of the start was: Co
lumbia 1l90:53; Shamrock, 1l:0105
start of the Yachts.
rhe wind was blowing hardly five knots.
As she crossed the green boat broke out
her spinnaker. which was In stops II is
an English fashion TO hoist this sail from
the boom, and the Shamrock in her trials
clung 10 the English way, but since her
arrival she has learned many tricks and
breaking out the spinnaker IS one Of them.
The cup defender was a little Sow in
gei ting her big osldying sail out and this
somewhat dampened the ardor vi tiie pa
Irlotic throng Of Americans, who love
nothing so much as forehandedness and
snap but sky seconds later both boats
were on even terms fleeing before the
gentle breeze wug and wing, spnnaker
mainsa and bulging balloon lib
drawing forward. The bells In the engine
rooms Of the excursion fleet c'auged and
The carcening hubs started forward in pur-
suit. But they slowed down almost imme-
iately and then stopped The light breeze
was carrying The big yachts down the
y ind az snaifs pace. They drifted along
ike two lazy clouds Of smoke upon the
surface Of the water. For almost an hour
Inc spectators on the excursion boais