The Portland daily press., 1899-10-17

New York, Oct0tef l6.-ln glorious
whole sail breeze over windward and
lseward oourss Of 80 miles, the Yankee
defender Columbia today scared against
the Shamrock the first race of the 1899
series Of tho Americas cup. The Colum-
bia bounded aoross the finish line fully
q mile and half ahead of the chal-
lenger, defeating her by ten minutes and
IA seconds actual time or 10 minutes and
eight seconds corrscted time, after allow
lag the six seconds handicap, which the
Columbia must concede to the challenger
on account of her longer water line. 1t
was magnificent race, skillfuliy sailed
and decisiysly won. Opinion as to the
merits of the two boats had been some
shat divided as result of the hukes dur
ing the past two weeks, but no nautical
sharp expected that the Shamrock would
be so overwhelmingly vanquished as
she was In todsy's contest. The Yankee
boat out-generalled her at the start, beat
her heiplessly In windward werk to the
outermark and gained 20 seconds in the
run home before the wind. No excuses
.can be offered for the Shamrock's defeat.
There was a good strong ten tostwelve
knot breeze and 10 held throughout the
race true az the needle to the pole. The
regatta committee as a result of the show
ing made by the defender today are CON-
vinced that the cup is safe. Blow high,
blow low. Columbia. 1t is believed by
her manager, Mr.. Isslin, can take the
measure of her rival. Sir Thomas LIP
ton confessed after the race that he had
been fairly and squaraiy beaten. He had
no apologies to make, saying that be
would die game and race the series.
Today's race was a magnificent duel
ard made up for the repeated disapl oiDt-
ments the sight-seers have suffered. 1t
was anything but q comfortable day on
the water. A wet grey veil of vapor hung
over the sea when Sir Thomas looked
through the dripping portfolios of the
Erin this morning to take his frat look
at the weather. The prospect was not
very alluring. Stiil the miss wreaths
were carried along by good ten knot
breeze from the east ana the old she'll
backs said there was mors wind where
that came from. But the excursionisis
who went down the bay were not very
hopeful until they got outside. The low.
leaden clouds overhead shut out the sky.
The wall of vapor blotted out the hosi-
zon. The mist made everything look
gkost-like and indistinct.
The only color In the dull scene was
furnished by the ensigns and the flags
which adorned the excursion tieet and
the dash Of red from the big hulk OF the
lightship. Outside ths wind was frssher
and whipped some foam out of the
waves. Both yachts were towed out from
the anehorages and raissd mainssils be-
fore casting OIL. Mrs. Iselin was a con-
spicuous figure on this deck of the Coium-
bia, wrapped mp In a big yellow o'l-skin.
"Sandy," her dog. the old mascot of the
Defender, was Struggled mp under her
lee. The crew had on their working
suits Of white and wore watch caps Of
black and red, Isslin's private colcrs.
Several Of the Grew or ths Shamrock had
On sou westers. From the truck of the
shamrock's topmast fioated Liptnn 8
flag, a green shamrock In yellow field
The wind kept freshening all the way
out to the lightship and the seas split
more froth.
witness the start. A few sIdewheeIers,
the regular fleet OF OCEAN going tus S
and a score or two Of steam yachts were
about all. Many more. however, got ont
Ia time to sse the finish. Promptly at
10 O'Clock the committee boat signalled
the course. 10 miles dead into the eye
Of the wind TO ths Eastward and return.
Immediately a tug went out parallel
with the Long Island shore to sat the
outermark. Both yachts sat No. club
taIsAils. just as the warming gun
booined driving mist swept In from tbs
east, beating into the faces of the excur-
sIonists and adding to their discomfort.
There was some lively jockeying behind
the line before the start and the Yankee
boat got the better of it. She out
manosuyrsd her rival even TO forcing her
over the line first by half length, but
leaving the Columbia In the weather
position. Clcss hauled on the starboard
tack the yachts plunged seaward. hesling
to the 12-knot treezs. The first few
minutes OF the race were the most inter-
essing. The yachts made q beautiful
pictura as they raced away. Their sails
to the nautical eye were psrfsotion in lt
The crews were piled up on the weather
rail as the yachts sIpashsd into head
seas. poupdiuk The bpfAy from their
hsishsr shipped SissIs forward. Il was