Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-10-07


Iselin Satisfied With His Boat
but Not With Tuesdays Weather
Conditions - Skipper Barr Still
Sanguine -Lipton Pays Big Trib-
ute to Captain Evans - Course
Clcarest He Ever Saw-ShamrOck
Fastest Boat Britain Ever Built.
New York, Oct. 5.-The reported odds
on Columbia have not developed. Where
snail bets had been made at 10 toS, 10 to
: and at greater odds, some to l, there
is nothing better than even money. The
uptown hotels recorded but few bets
and none for large amounts. The larg-
est amount wagered was $2CO even be-
tween a visiting Chicagoan and we'll
known New York yachtsman.
Where, in 1895. several commission
firms had in hand foreign orders to place
sums ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 upon
Valkyrie III, there have been no such
opportunities this year for the bettors
against Shamrock. There is only one
house in the street" which is the de-
pository of British money. A prominent
Broad street broker declined an offer to
cover $1,000 bet on Shamrock, and yet
he was warm partisan of Columbia.
1t Is believed that Captain Ben Parker
of the German emperor's yacht is here:
that he assisted in sailing Shamrock on
Tuesday, and that he will be on board
Shamrock today.
Mr.. Iselin had this to say about Tues
days race: Il am satisfied With Co
lumbias work during the race, but not
with the weather conditions. None of
us could tell where the wind was COM
ing from, not even the sailing master.
In all my yachting I don't remember
when I've seen Il hukier day. With all
that, however, we had oVerhauled
Shamrock for the third time when the
race was called off. She could not have
crossed our bow IL she had gone about
at that time. Our crew worked well
from start to finish"
Mr.. Iselin remarked that Shamrock
was u fast yacht. but he did not care to
express any opinion on the result of the
races. He was particularly pleased with
the way the excursion fleet behaved.
1--WE were not bothered at any stage Of
the race" said he. except for few
moments at the start before the boats
had been directed how to proceed"
Regarding the criticism that the leach
of Columbia's mairsail was slack in
Tuesdays race, Mr.. Iselin said: That
has been fixed. 1t was a little slack, but
not enough to affect the yachts sailing"
Skipper Barr is not worried a bit about
the result of the races. He sticks to, his
original assertion that Columbia is the
fastest single stick yacht afloat, and
that in windward or any other work she
is more than match for Shamrock.
Sir Thomas Upton is not worrying over
today's race one bit. He said he felt
confident that his craft would give
good account of herself, no matter what
kind of a breeze there Is blowing. He
wants a good fresh breeze, however. so
that the relative speed of the defender
and the challenger can be thoroughly
demonstrated. He had just returned
from a visit to Shamrock when seen by
a press Representatives.
Sir Thomas spoke about his sail on the
grand old schooner yacht America. He
said that he had had splendid sail
around the bay on her for about two
hours, and that from the speed the old
boat made in the stiff southwesterly
breeze he did not wonder that she had
lifted" the cup on the other side nearly
50 years ago. . E..
Sir Thomas did not care to make an!
statement about today's race, except
that shamrock would carry exactly the
same sails as she did in Tuesdays con-
test. ard that her crew would do their
best to cross the finish line first. The
English challengeris in the best'o cor
iitiOn for the coming race. Not piece
OF wire in her rigging, nor an'inch of
canvas was found tO.be damaged in the
least degree when her crew looked her
over yesterday. The members of the
crew are quite as confident as Sham
rocks owner that she will prove VIM
rer, and some of them are ready to lay
q few guineas If they get the chance.
Sir Thomas has received hundreds Of
cablegrams from all parts of the world
congratulating him on the splendid
showing his boat made In light air
against the defender. Some of the
cables" said Sir Thomas, are from
people 1 do not know personally. hut
| that only goes to show that great !n-
terest Is being taken in these races. Ore
Of them read thus: Tommy, don't.
make room Tor your uncle.
In speaking about the mannerfn which
the course was kept Clear. Sir Thomas
| said: '"I can't get over the great or
gaDization that has been here to keep
the course clear Tuesday course WAS
the clearest we ever had OIL ever saw
| md only proves what F.said, before }
'ame to. America, that in all previous
.aces the best boat has always won:
| Il. may as well say now that sham.
rock Is the fastest boat ever built in
Britain, and the workmanship was the
best that money could buy. l can't tell
what her cost was but 1t Is probably
more than you have any idea of. She
| ,ost as much as six Valkyries. 1.-The
| estimates already given are away below
| the mark: '"' .. .4'
/ Today's race will be as ON Tuesday-15
miles to windward or leeward and beat
back. The agreement provides that
when tits impossible to finish contest
within the time limit. the same class of
race must be continued until decision
Is reached. Consequently. before the
two boats can meet on the three leg
3out Il will be necessary, to settle their
! capabilities on the straightaway rpn of
ID miles. III consequence VI Tue quthiS
waning daylight at this time of the year
the start was made at l0:45 a. m.
The inconclusive ending of Tuesdays
| encounter has tended mater tally to-whet
:he interest of the yachting enthusiasts
/ IN the final outcome of the battle for the
cup. The Columhia's performance on
Tuesday Is generally regarded as Prov
| ing her the hetter boat of the twQ.-.'TEe
iaoncensus of opinion Is that. given equal
conditions, that is. when there are 10
auky winds and no elements of atmos-