Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-06
WIND SUPPLY FALLS SHORT
Yacht Race Declared OFF Before Racers
Reach the Turning Point,
BIG DISAPPOINTMENT TO SPECTATORS
Outgoing and Incoming Ocean Liners
Cross the Course During the Race
scotch sailors Are Learning
American Tricks.

refused the Shamrock and Columbia field
OF conflict again today the multitude which
went out to watch the contestants for the
championship OF the world returned disap-
pointed and not little disgusted.
The question of supremacy of the two great
yachts is still as much an open question as
before they first met, the contest today
was in some respects more of fluke than
that of Tuesday. 1t was a drifting match
almost from start to finish.
The yachts crossed the line with breeze
of FIVE knots and the wind never blew more
than six knots, most of the time less than
three and part of the time not a breath of
air was stirring After sailing four hours
and forty-three minutes, the yachts having
covered only twelve miles of the course to
the outer mark, the regatta committee de-
clared the race off, as 1t was manifestly i'm
possible with the breeze blowing for the
boats to round the stake before the time
limit expired, much less get back home
again.
During the time in which the yachts we're
at 1t the wind which carried them dead be-
fore it over the line, had hauled around
until at the finish they were beating into its
teeth.
While the wind held astern, the Columbia
steadily outfooted it's rival, until 1t was fully
| fling winds that held during the last three
hours, with the great single stickers tacSing
and beating and gybing to catch every
| streak of wind, with fortune helping one
| about much as the other, the Shamrock
! gradually worked it's way up until, when
the race was declared off, the two boats We're
about on even terms, the Shamrock, perhaps,
half length ahead, but so close was the
Columbia that Captain Barr could have
| thrown a biscuit to the foreigner
The only lesson learned by the nautical
sharps from todays trial of the abilities Of
the two boats was that in light weather con-
ditions the Columbia is the superior in
running and reaching and the Shamrock is
slightly better in beating. There has yet
been no indication of what either boat can
do in piping whole sail breeze.
Weather Prophecy a Failure.
The weather bureau had promised good
strong winds for today, but the prophecy
was a most dismal failure. 1t was just an
ideal, lazy, hazy Indian summer day, a day
for white duck and a novel under some
tree ashore, rather than overcoat and
yacht race afoat. A heavy haze hung over
sea and land The Opaque curtain shut off
! the view of the thousands waiting on the
highlands of Navesnk and the Long Island
SnOTe. Inc SKY WIS Neleu Dy d SOSSduleI
Of clouds through which the sun sifted,
| turning the sea into molten gold.
So gentle were the crestless. pulsating
seas that any sort of harbor river craft,
from a steamer to rowboat, could venture
out with impunity and a vast colony Of ex-
cursion boats, ocean going steamers,
yachts, tugs sidewheelers and SAIL
ing vessels, gathered around the
red hulk of the Sandy Hook lightship,
seven miles from the entrance to the lower
bay, to watch the start The smoke from
the stacks and the steam from the exhausts
mingled with the haze and formed an i'm
penetrable veil which transformed the craft
| in the distance into a vast fleet of phantom
ships.
Though the curtain shut out the view
OF those ashore it added to the pleasure
| of those afoat, for it made each feel him
, self personally part of the beautiful spec
tace. The torpedo boats guarding the
course threaded their way in and out
through the acres OF boats like needles,
their wakes a thread of foam, warning the
excursion shippers to keep their distance.
But little difficulty was experienced today,
| as Captain Evans interviews threatening
dire consequences to offending shippers had
had a wholesome effect. Already the crowd
was disappointed. Each one had come
down praying for a stiff breeze and had
found instead that there was hardly wind
enough to keep the flags hutterng. What
there was was from northwest by north,
over the land.
Old Defenders on Hand.
Outside of the ruck of the steamers the
old cup defender Vigilant made a beautiful
picture, leaning away through the mist
and the old schooner America, which had
brought the blue ribbon OF the sea across
the western ocean fifty years ago, attracted
universal attention as it sailed about to
see how its latest champion would de-
fend 1t.
Preparations were made aboard both
yachts for the lightest airs before the start
Columbia discarded its heavy steel top sail
yard for lighter one and the Shamrock
put aloft the largest topsail ever seen or
II, larger by yards than any used on 1t or
this side
; Mrs. Iselin, wife OF the managing owner
of the Columbia, and who never fails tc
be aboard during a race, was snugy en-
sconced in the companionway, attired in q
, jaunty white flannel yachting costume
with red streamer around her hat.
As soon as the committee boat had hostel
the signal letters, d. C. L., making the
course 10 miles southeast by south, dead be-
fore the wind and return, a putting tug
steamed straight out TO sea to plant the
outer mark which neither of the racers
was destined TO reach today. There was
, some pretty maneuvering behind the line
before the start, each breaking out its bal
r loon jib and lowering its spinnaker boom
as each jockeyed for position.
Both got across in the smoke OF the last
/ gun, the white beauty length ahead. The
wind was blowing hardly five knots. AS II
crossed the green boat broke out its
spipnaker which was in stops, 1t is ar
English fashion to hoist this sail from the
boom and the Shamrock in its trials clune
TO the English way, but since its arrival II
has learned many Yankee tricks and break
ing out the spinnaker is one OF them.
Gun Defender Little slow.
The cup defender was a title slow in get.
ting her big bellying sail out and this some.
what dampened the ardor of the patriotic
7, throng OF Americans who love nothing
more than forehandedness and snap, but sxt,
b seconds later both boats were on even terms
J. fleeing before the gentle breeze, wing ant
/; wing spinnaker balancing malnsail ant
; bulging balloon jib drawing forward Tn,
4 bells in the engine rooms OF the excursion
aaA pIa a,,It rt,,,,