Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-10-18


weather and fine whole sail breeze
greeted the shippers and crews of the
racing yachts when they turned to"
this morning. An early start was the
order and both yachts were towing out
past the point of the Hook at 8 O'Clock.
The Shamrocks main sail was hoisted
soon AFTER and at 800 she cast off her
tow line, broke out her jib and filled
away to starboard at point midway
between the Scotland and Sandy Hook
lightships. The Columbia continued in
tow until well up to Sandy Hook light
ship, and at 1925 her crew set the main
sail in eight minutes. AS soon as the
sail was up she cast off her tow line
and set what appeared TO be her No.
club topsail, not the largest one she has.
The club top sail the Shamrock began
to set at $40 was apparently her
largest one, the same one which was
bent on Monday to aluminium spars.
To-day wooden ones were used. With
a freshening breeze from the eastward
and an ugly swell rolling in from the
same quarter it seemed a rather risky
proceeding to swing such a large top
sail aloft.
Subsequent events proved that with
a smaller clup top sail the Shamrock
might have finished the race. The same
persons were on board the Columbia
and Shamrock as on previous race days,
and when the committee boat arrived
and anchored northeast of the light
ship at 1920, the yachts were ready for
the start.
The signals for a triangular course
+, were set at 1920, and one Of the COM
mittee boats was sent at once to log
off the first ten mile leg and turned
the first mark. The course for the
first leg was east by south, for the sec
ond leg southwest half south, and for
the third leg north northwest.
THE FIRST TEN MILES
was to be windward work.. the second
ten a reach with boom to starboard,
and the third a reach with boom to
port, thirty miles in all.
At 10:4 As, when the preparatory signal
was given, the yachts were manoeuvre-
ing for position while the torpedo boats
and revenue cutters were driving what
few excursion boats and yachts there
were, away from the starting line. At
the warning signal, given at 1876, the
breeze had increased perceptibly, and
there was promise of a good start in a
few minutes. The skipper of each
yacht saw to it that the main sheets
were kept well aft so that they could
quickly gybe or tack their boats. At
one minute before the starting gun the
Shamrock, which had been manoeuvre-
ing southeast of the lightship, stood
to the northwest, closing in toward it.
Her boom was to port and we'll in
board. Coming up from the northward,
also with boom to port and wind
Rbeam, the Columbia met the Sham
rock, just as Hogarth was getting
ready to huff his yacht sharp around
the lightship stern. The situation at
gun fire was almost exactly the same
as that between the Defender and
Valkyrie III, as they approached the
line on the day when the Valkyrie
fouled the Defender. When the Sham
rock, moment after gun fire, rounded
the lightship's stern and luffed sharp
up on the wind, the Columbia, having
been unable to gain the weather berth,
had now an overlap OF half her length
on the lee side of the Shamrock and
so close were they, that the Shamrock's
main boom end as she luffed to her
course came dangerously near Column
bias weather shrouds and masthead
runner Both yachts were close hauled
on the starboard tack, crossing the line
on a diagonal course.
The Shamrock had certainly the
BETTER OF THE START
and Columbia was placed in position
that few yachts would be able to eX-
tricate themselves from without either
keeping broad off or fouling. 1t was
with intense interest, then, that those
On the accompanying yachts and ex-
cursion boats watched the outcome of
the be tile royal between the single
stiekers.
One minute had not passed before
the Columbia's bowsprit began to show
out ahead of the Shamrock's. At Hop,
when the handicap gun was fired, the
Columbia was half a length out from
under the lee of her rival, and thirty
seconds later when the Shamrock tack
ed to port TO get clear of the Column
bias back wind the latter yacht by
lacking five seconds later. placed her
self in commanding position ON sham
rocks weather quarters.
The official time of the start was:
Shamrock 11:00:15; Columbia
11:00:17.
The wind was east by south. and
freshening by degrees as the yachts
stood along on a northeast course.
They were taking the easterly swells
rather hard at times. plunging their
bowsprits clear under and doubtless
putting TO a severe test all their spars
and rigging.
With half an eye any sailor man
could see, looking at the yachts end
on. from astern, that the Columbia was
lying say from half to three-quarters
OF point higher than the Shamrock,
both apparently having their sheets
trimmed alike on this port tack The
fact that the Shamrock carried no baby
jib top sail 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 Column
bias, setting perfectly on its stay.
must have helped that yacht, instead
OF retarding her in the windward work