The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-07

made the conditions anything but ideal
for yacht racing The pillows of mist
which enshrOuded the Jersey shore pre-
vented the crowd on the highlands OF
Navesink and Sandy Hook from seeing
the race but the envelOping haze only
added pIcturesqueness to the contest for
those who went outside in fancy craft
to see it. For them the world was blot
ted out. and over the dim, gray sea IN
der the dull sky the yachts raced with
nothing but themselves and the attend
ant train of following boats to witness
the contest
In windward work the Columbia, with
sails drawing badly, demonstrated her
superiority. and in q long reach with
sheets eased, she out footed the Van
derbilt boat. The sudden shifting of the
wind prevented a trial at running with
spinnakerS. In light weather, close
hauled it can be said that she is IN
dOubtedIy the Defenders superior but
what she can do in a piping breeze re-
mains 20 be seen. A thick haze hung
over the harbOr when the two superb
yachts left their anchorage on 1hOmp-
kinsviue astern of two proudly putting
tugs for the arena Of battle As the
Column bia passed out she was Saluted by
every steam craft in the lower bay So
gentle was the pulsauOns Of the waves
in the harbors that many craft of many
kinds yentured out to witness the race.
The large feet including side wheeIers,
swift steam pleasure yachts, SnuhnOsed
tug boats and sailing craft of all de-
scriptiOns. They led. followed and ac-
cOmpanied the racers Small stickers,
slOOps and schoOners there we're in pro-
fusion Fortunately most Of them kept
their distance and few of them bothered
the racers with wash or swell There
was considerable delay at the start The
breeze had freShened as the yachts got
outside and what the old salts term a
lumpy sea was running. After COmmO-
dOre MOrgans flagship, the COrSair,
with Commodore Morgan. Chester Girls
void, aX-COnmOdOre Nicholson Kane.
Rear Admiral Francis Higgins0n, r.
wing GrinneI and a large party of guests
aboard had signaIled the course and
they cast of their lines. a sharp rain
SQuaIl killed the breeze. but the SQuall
was brief and a half hour later. a steady
twelve knot breeze was blowing from
the southwest The COrsair signaIled
the first leg to windward. down the
Jersey coast, and the yachts began to
jockey for position.
Captain Barr had the ti1ler of the Col
| umbia and aboard with him were c.
Oliver ISelin. Mrs. IseIin, New berry
/ ThOrne. William z. Iselin, Herbert W.
/ Leeds and Woodbury. Kane Captain
] Rhodes had the helm of the Defender
William Butler Duncan. Mrs. Duncan
I and John G. BeresfOrd were aboard Of
her.
As the warning gun was fired the
, Columbia, without waiting for the
/ starting gun. rounded Sandy Hook
/ hghtship and headed across the line
/ Either il was a bad blunder on the part
! OF Captain Barr or it was designedly
I 0D4LG 10 give the DeLeuQeT a start equ al
! 10 her time allowance, which is figured
/ at about two minutes. Just as the start
| ing gun doomed. the Defender crossed
I on the port tack Meantime the Colum-
] bia ubed and returning came about
| and headed for the line. crossing it ex-
/ actly two minutes after the Defender.
I Both yachts carried four stay sails, jibs,
! baby jib, tOpsails and club tOpsaiIs-
/ The boat to windward made g beau
/ tfu1 race The interest was intense for
! the first few minutes as the big racers