The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-29
COLUMBIA AGAIN
BEATS DEFENDER
Race From BrentOnS
Reef to New London.
SHOWS WlNDWARD POINTS
ENTHUSIASTIC OVER EXHIBI-
TON OF THE NEW BOAT.
The Weather Was Very Bad, but the
Columbia Floated Like
Cork on Heavy
Seas.
SHOWS WlNDWARD POINTS
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NEW LONDON, June 2S.-In a thir-
ty-mile beat to windward to-day, the
new yacht Columbia beat the old cup
champion, Defender, eight minutes, be
sides giving her a two-minute handi-
cap. Yachtsmen from New York and
hereabouts are jubilant, for the yachts
sterling qualitie~ must come out in
race to windward The race was from
Brentons Reef Lightship, off Newport,
to New London, a good thirty eight
miles. The Defender was given two
minute start Thirty-tWo miles of the
long stretch of water was beat to
windward, with such a stiff breeze
blowing that neither yacht cared to
carry a working topsG1l, and 1t was IN
this kind of work that the Columbia
gained such a long lead. averaging
more than a quarter of a minute faster
each mile than the Defender. The
water was very rough, but the new
boat rode very easily, and did not buffet
the waves as much as the Defender.
a stiff breeze from the southwest KICK
ed up quite a squau outside this morn
ing and put white crests on the waves
in the inner harbor. The Defender
hoisted anchor shortly after 10 o'clock
and ran down the east passage under
her lib. Her mainSail was hOlSted on
the way out and Captain Rhodes sawed
down as far as Castle Hill to get look
at the weather outside and knocked
about the bay while awaiting the CO.
lumbia.
The crew of the Columbia hauled
anchor at 11:15 o'clock, and she was
towed down as far as Castle Hill,
where the haWser was cast off and the
yacht beat out to sea under three lower
sails. The Defender was inside Bren-
tons Reef lightship, loafing along under
a lib and mainsail waiting for her
rival. There was a pretty heavy sea,
and as the two yachts plunged along
clouds of spray were thrown into the
air from under their bows and fell
away to leeward The weather was
rather threatening at the start ana
light rain compelled the crews OF the
two yachts to don thir ollSklnS. Inc
showers We're not heavy but lasted
nearly all day. The Columbia ran up
to the Defender rapidly and continued
ON the starboard tack until the light
ship was passed. The Columbia Tas at
that time 300 yards to the leeward of
the Defender and half her length
ahead. At II o'clock both boats tackled
around the lightship. They continued
along in this stretch for about hVe
minutes. the Columbia luff1ng up 10
take a haul on the jib halyards. AT
sail and the race was on, with the De
fender 10 the windward At 1890 both
ships tackled to port. heading toward
Point Judith and footing very fast. AT
first the Defender gained trlfie, but
as they continued on this hitch the
Columbia crawled up slowly and but
for a shift of the wind more to the
south would have crossed the De
tenders bow on the next tack.
The shift in the wind helped the De
fender considerably and when at L
o'clock the Columbia tackled to star
board. about a mile off the Point Judith
whistling buoy, she could nave almost
forced the Defender about, but the lat
fer tackled within hundred feet of the
former under her lee bow Captain
Barr could not stand having his wind
taken by the Defender long, so he
fetched about at 1:05 and stood up
along shore on the port tack. Then the
Columbia began to gain slowly on the
Defender and at the same time got
into the wind better. In twenty-five
minutes the new boat had worked
across the Defenders bow and was to
the windward of her. With plenty OF
wind the Columbia and Defender held
down the shore on the port tack, the
former continuing to gain. Off Noyes
Point, at 2:20, the Columbia was over
half a mile ahead and steadily in
creased her lead and when she finally
came about off the end of Fishers Is
land. the distance between the two was
nearly a mile. At 1928 the Columbia
took her final port hitch, this time
fetching we'll by Race Rock. The De-
fender held on the starboard tack and
then turned in after the leader. The
boats proceeded up the harbor and