The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-18
eastward and an ugly swell rolling in
from the same quarter, it seemed a

eastward and an ugly swell rolling in
from the same quarter, it seemed a
rather risky proceeding to swing such
a large topsail aloft. Subsequent
events proved that with smaller club
topsail the Shamrock might nave lin
ished the race. The same persons W ele
on board the Columbia and the sham
rock as on previous races, ana when
the committee boat arrived and ar
chored northeast of the l:ghrship at
1920, the yachts We're ready for tie
start ... as4
The signals, for a triangular course
were set at 1880, and orc Of the COM
mittee boats was sent o. once to log
off the first 10 mile leg and place The
first mark. The course for the first !eg
was east by south, for the second
southwest half south, and for the
third leg north northwest. The first
10 miles was to be windward work,
the second 10 miles b reach with bcom
to starboard and the third reach with
boom to port, 30 miles in all. At l9:45,
when the preparatory signal was given,
the yachts We're maneuvering ser po-
sition, while the torpedo boats ard
revenue cutters were driving out a few
excursion boats and yachts from the
starting point.
A Good Start.
At the warning signal given at 1855.
the breeze had increased perceptihly
and the result was q good start The
skipper of each yacht saw to it that
the main sheets were kept well aft, SO
they could quickly gybe or tack. AT
one minute before the starting cur the
Shamrock, which had been maneuver-
ing southeast Of the lightship, stood to
the northwest, closing in toward it.
Her boom was to port and well in
two All tho no I'd
also with boom to port and wind
abeam. the Columbia met the Sham
rock just as Hogarth was getting
ready to luff his yacht sharp around
the lightship's stern. When the Sham
rock, a moment after the gun fired,
rounded the lightship's stern and luff-
ed sharp up on the wind, the Columbia,
having been unable to gain the weather
berth. had now an overlap Of mai. her
length on the lee side OF the sham
rock. and so close were they that the
Shamrock's main boom, as she luff-
ed to her course, came dangerously
near Colunlbia's weather shrouds and
masthead runner. Both yachts were
close hauled on the starboard tack,
crossing the line on a diagonal course.
The Shamrock had decidedly the tet-
ter of the start.
1t was with intense interest that
those on the accompanying yachts and
excursion boats watched the outcome
of this battle royal between the singles
stickers. One minute had not passed
before the Columbia's boWsprit began
to show out ahead OF the Shamrock's.
At 11:02, when the handicap gun was
fired the Columbia was half length
out from under the lee of her rival, and
80 seconds later, when the Shamrock
tackled to port to get clear of the Co
lumba's back wind, the latter yacht.
by tacking, five seconds later placed
herself in commanding position on
the Shamrock's weather quarter. The
official time of the start was:
Shamrock. 1l:0G:l5. ,4..
Columbia, Il Uu;t- y.
Outpointed the Shamrock.
The wind was east by south and
freshening by degrees as the yachts
stood along on a northeast by east
course, They We're taking the easterly
swells rather hard, at times plunging
their boWsprits clear under and doubt
less putting to severe test all their
spars and rigging. With half an eye
any sailorman could see, looking at the
yachts end on from astern. that the Co
lumbia was laying, say from half TO
three-quarters of point higher than
the Shamrock, both apparently having
their sheets trimmed alike on the short
tack. The fact that the Shamrock car
ried no baby jib topsail was excellent
evidence that her captains were afraid
that if set it would pull her head off
more yet, so it was kept down, while
the Columbia's, setting perfectly on its
stay. must have helped that yacht in
stead of retarding her in the windward
work. Fifteen minutes after the start
the Columbia's position was fully zoe
Yards dead to windward OF the Sham
rock, the latter being at that time
81; ;,t, I'd of hn e lna
beam.
Captain Barr evidently meant to con-
tinue on the port tack to Liverpool if
necessary until the Shamrock came
about. That never happened, however,
for, as the breeze freshened and both
yachts began to put their lee rails down
hard. it seemed. looking at the Sham
were sprung At 1924, with crash
that could be heard far off to leeward,
the Shamrock's topmast broke at a
point close to the cap and the great
club topsail, with long spars. went fly
ing down toward the mainsail. Swing
ing the long tiller across her stern, Cap
tain Hogarth Immediately put the
Shamrock before the wind and. finding
that no one on board was hurt, ne
gybed her and all hands began clearing
away the wreckage The foresail was
taken in first and men We're sent aloft
to overhaul the club topsail sheets and
halyards and clear away the topmaSt
backstays and other gear 1t was some
Is minutes before they were able to get
the club topsail down on deck. 1t was
found that the direct cause OF the acci-
dent was the parting of the fore top
mast shroud in the nip" The strands
of the wire easily chafe and rust at the
point, especially when the shroud is
stacked by reason of being to leeward.
This ended the race, so far as the
Shamrock was concerned.
The Columbia took in her baby jib
topsail and continued on her course,
tacking to starboard at HIPS. for it had
been specially agreed a few days prior
to the date set for the first race that in
the event of an accident to either yacht
the uninjured vessel was to complete
the course. This agreement was signed
by Mr.. Iselin and Sir Thomas Upton,
1t was a great pity, of course, that such
an accident should have occurred at
such time. when everything looked