Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-04

! hard To realize that this means the
height OF an ordinary twelve-story build
! ing. and that the frail huls were bowling
along under the pressure OF 1ic90 feet OF
canvas. The twin balloons. with their
following wind lifted the Columbia
along like a great gull in the ten-knot
breeze. ard carried her in ten minutes
past the Shamrock But when the wind
died TO six knots. as IL did within a
lew minutes. the Shamrock forged stead
lily ahead. until at the end OK forty-fye
minutes she led by 200 yards. Then a
sudden haul OF the wind TO the north
northwest reached the Columbia first
The bg-beliied spinnaker was taken in.
her mainsall was smartly gybed, and
she passed the Shamrock as II the latter
had been mOOred 90 a wharf Instead OF
run, the canting OF the wind now
made It reach for the outer mark. but
the Columbia gradually edged over to-
ward the Jersey coast. with the intention
OF getting the wind astern and running
straight before ii. The manoeuvre was
successfully accomplished. after cross
ing the Shamrock's bow. but just as the
spinnaker was set aboard the Columbia
the wind canted back 10 the north
northwest, and left her with a cloud Of
canvas shivering Ike n collapsed balloon.
sHAMROCKS TACTICS.
The Shamrock had started to follow the
Columbi2's tactics Twice she lowered
her spinnaker boom an II to break out the
big sail, but as the wind held from the
new quarter she gybed her maln-boom in
stead. and reached straight for the mark
Although the manoeuvre OF the Column
bia had been successful il was a costly
one, and the boat lost several minutes BY
holding on 10 her immense canvas i'm the
vain hope that the wind would shift back
again But when she did change her sails
she made up for lost time by outfooting
her antagonist. She seemed TO skim over
the water scarcely making a ripple
where she entered it, and leaving a wake
of foam behind her. The Shamrock made
more fuss forward and dragged a wave
after her.
The Columbia was the first 10 the mark.
and as she reached the stake-bOat, tho
excursion fleet gathered there to sseet her
unbottled their enthusiasm and gave her
an ovation from a thousand whistles. The
fleet also courteously saluted the Sham
rock, as she swept around. two minutes
and one second later
THE BEAT HOME.
On tho beat home against a head wind
the Columbia showed her heels TO the
Irish boat Enthusiastically while the wind
held. Time after time the Shamrock tried
for the weather-gauge. lufing, squeezing,
and pnching until her head-sais trem-
bled. but without avail. The Columbia
not only held rs high but out-footed her,
tack after tack. The yachts made
beautiful spectacle as they beat TO wind
ward, heeling over to the breeze. the
water sliding swiftly back from their
shark-like bows Whenever they sma8h-
a. "A In b.
spurted from either side - feet into the
air.
After the Columbia had gotten a mile
ahead and the yachts were way over on
the Jersey shore. the breeze again half
failed and the Shamrock drew gradually
ahead. IL was marvellous that I'm 50
light breeze a boat could slip so swiftly
through the sea. After that the Sham
rock was never headed, but from that
time TO the finish the Columbia had no.
thing but bad luck. In addition to her
faster footing powers i'm the extremely
light air, every puff Of the capriciOus
wind seemed to strike the Shamrock and
leave the Yankee boat practically becalm-
ed. Edge as she would toward every
streak Of wind, she seemed unable TO find
It. The Shamrock gained. foot by foot
until she overhauled the Yankee, cross
ed her bows. and when the time limit was
up, was fully a quarter OF "a mile ahead.
AMERICANS THINK cup SAFE.
Taken altogether, there could not have
been a more unsatisfactory race, and yet,
as a result of It. the friends of the cup
defender seem proud Of the showing she
made. and confident that the cup is safe.
The official time OF the start was:
1851.
Columbia-ll 1920.
The Shamrock had the best Of the otart
by % seconds.