The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-03
Outfooting Shamrock in Race
for The Americas Cup.
Challenger Over Line First, Held Lead
for Six Miles, Then American
Yacht Went to the Front.

ship towards the Long Island shore on
the starboard tack. but as soon as the
Shamrock had got into position she
stood for The starting line.
The Columbia headed back to the
lightship about 10:45 and the crew
worked hard TO get the big club top
san set. The Columbia arrived back
at the lghtshiD at 1850 and found the
Shamrock standing off under her main
sail. club topsail and lib.
The Columbias mainsail apparently
peaked up higher than the Shamrock's.
The Shamrocks club topsai did not
, seem 10 fit as well as the Coumbia's
and appeared to be slack In the leech.
This and her green hull made quite a
distinguishing feature. A greater por-
ton OF the excursion fleet had by this
time arrived and the torpedo boats had
taken up their official position.
SHAMROCK FIRST OVER.
The starting gun was fired at ILLS.
right on time. and the Shamrock close
10 the line went over first, while the Co.
lumbia. as usual in her races collected
the last edition. The Shamrock in cross
ing broke out her baby jib topsail and
forestaysail which TO those on shore
seemed rather strange as the course
| was dead before the wind The Colum-
| bia on the other hand broke out her big
| balloon topsail and a minute after
| crossing her spinnaker was also set
| The Shamrock crossed at 11:15:31, off,
cial time, and Columbia at 1f:16:20.
In the first 10 minutes OF the race the
| Shamrock changed her headsails fire.
I quently. Five minutes after the start
| she took in her baby jibtopsail and set
| her spinnaker to port then she set a
big balloon forestaysail. A minute or
two afterward her big balloon jjb was
swung 10 the wind During this time the
Columbia drew up gradually on her RI
val. these frequent changes of canvas
on the part of the Shamrock proving to
the formers advantage.
For the first three miles of the run
| down the Jersey shore the Columbia
seemed to gain on her rival and at one
| time was not more than 100 yards
| astern. Every one was looking to see
| her pass the Shamrock before another
mile was passed. About this time,
| however the Shamrock got her sails
| set TO the satisfaction of those on
! board and TO the great surprise OF the
! spectators she began to draw away
| from the American boat. In the next
two miles Of the race .he Shamrock
| pulled out until she was almost half
! mile ahead and seemed to be going
/ very rapidlv while the Columbia acted
| as If lifeless.
About this time the steam yachts
| and excursion boats which during the
| first three miles had kept we'll away,
| began TO close i'm and their actions hurt
the Columbia more than the Shamrock.
The wind became puffy and the
Shamrock seemed to be getting the bet
ter of il. and this probably accounted
largely for her great gain in the fourth
fifth and sixth miles. After the beats
had sailed about six and a half miles
the Columbia gybed her mainsail over
! TO port.
The backing of the wind towards the
north was what necessitated the chang
ing of the sails on the boats. The CO.
lumbia felt the change first, and shifted
her sails quicker than those on the
Shamrock.
COLUMBIA TAKES THE LEAD.
This enabled ner to close up rapidly
The distance between her and her rival.
and at 1911 she passed the Shamrock.
and led for the first time during the
race. AT that time the boats had sailed
about six and half miles OF the fifteen
mile run
After the wind shifted It picked up
bit and as it gave the boats broad
reach the Columbia seemed to benenf
more by the change. Three minutes ar
ter the Columbia took the lead she De.-
gan TO open out on the shamrock, ana
at 1890 seemed to be about quarter
OF a mile ahead and gaining az rapidly
as did the Shamrock half hour before.
QUICK CHANGE OF POSITION.
Before the change in the wind the
shamrock appeared to be gaining rap
idlv. and Il seemed n certainty that she
would turn the outer mark first IL she
| did not win the race. The change IN
! the position Of the two boats was all
\ over inside OF 10 minutes. and must
/ have been a bitter pill for Sir Thomas
! and his friends.
ON the run down by Monmouth Beach
tho columbia pulled rapidly away from
her rival. and off that point was fully
/ half n mile ahead.
THE hoats sailed the sixth. seventh
ond eighth miles down welloff the wind.
I ard the Columbia seemed TO go faster
/ on ths bread reach than when dead be-
fore the wind.
INCREASES HER LEAD.