New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-18
AID CLOSE AT HAND,

Shamrock's crew had the kite down behind the
mainsail and they clearing away some Of
the rigging that held the broken topmast The
Regatta Committee steamer Of the New-York
Yacht Club had gone over beside the chal-
lenger and there was evidently some talk eX-
changed between the boats
Twenty minutes after the breakage the Sham
rock was alone on the ocean. with her soil
tary tug. which however had not given he any
line. From this it was thought the Shar cock
might continue on in the race after clearing
away the rattle on the chance OF the Columbia
breaking down also. Men could be seen at the
masthead Of the Shamrock and there was one
man out at the end Of her gait trying TO cleave
the gafftopsail sheet. The topsail still hang
ing in the air and lying against the starboard
side OF the mainsail at II 40 and It looked as
If they could not get the sail down without first
lowering the mainsail. At II :43 the broken top
mast down and cleared Of rigging. The top
sail down on deck. and the men were strip
ping the canvas from the spars The club Of the
topsail was stl hanging in the air, the gaftop-
sail sheet having apparently fouled in some way.
so that they could not get that spar down, and
II reached about half way up the mainsail
TOWED Rack TO THE HOOK.
Having cleared away the wreckage about 10
]
renee and towed back to Sandy Hook
The steam yacht Erin followed the Shamrock
back to Sandy Hook while she towed by
her tender, the tug James a. Law. ence. on her
way In the Erin was passed by the steam yacht
| Oneida Commodore T. c. Benedict on the
| bridge He hailed Sir Thomas Upton through
! the megaphone. and said: Il am very sorry 10
! see the accident. and / am also sorry that the
! race IS TO be won this way. We should all be
more pleased TO see the yachts sail it out" Sir
! Thomas thanked him ana passed on in his
yacht
SHAMROCK TO LEEWARD AND LEADING
The Shamrock was the leading boat at the
time she broke down. She was q little 10 lee
ward but If she had tackled before she broke
down she would have crossed the bows Of the
Columbia.
The Columbia, having lowered her jibtopsai
proceeded easily but with good speed in her
beating to the outer mark. taking long lacks
and keeping the guide vessel in sight AL
| though the Shamrock had disappeared from the
race it was stiH incumbent on the Columbia
to complete the thirty-mile course before 30
O'Clock, and she was making the best time pos
sible in order to place the race to her credit.
AT THE OUTER MARK
The official time of the Columbia's turn at the
outer mark was i 39:2s and there were few
boats at the buoy when she rounded. After
rounding she footed off southwest half south
al good pace for the second mark the boom
being well off and she seemed to be doing about
ten miles an hour at least There was nothing
60 record about this passage except that she set
a long foresail at lib on calculation Of the
time occupied by her in beating the first leg Of
ten knots dead to windward it was found that
she had made the distance in hour 80 minutes
| ! seconds
The Columbia went around the second mark
at 1927 having made the ten mile reach in
% minutes. 30 seconds.
SWINGING ALONG FOR HOME.
After gybing the Columbia set a balloon Jill
In a lesurely way and started home on a course
north northwest at good pace The breeze
freshened up bit. and the yacht came swing
ing along in the lengthy roll Of the ocean. cut
ting out a pace that some Of the steamers found
hard to keep up with, but she closed in tow
( ard the finish line at the Sandy Hook Lightshir
a number Of vessels added to the fleets
that had gone around the course. These add
J tions were vessels which had come out late ir
the day to the finish and there goodlS
crowd gathered TO whistle their approval to th'
: boat that finishing the race
The Columbia crossed the finish line. Off
cany timed at 2:3717 having made the las
o ten mile run In one hour three minutes and fifty
. seconds She received a greeting of a steam
! whistle kind from all the vessels that were gath
4 cred at the lightshp. and much admired a
q | she swept in on the last hundred yards Of he
days race. Five minutes after she had crosse'
her headsails and club gafftopsail had disap
;. peared and the people on the returning
steamers passed her and cheered there wer
many who expressed their regret that the rae
. could not be sailed again in order to give tn
= Shamrock a better trial with the American boat
& The Columbia completed the whole course o
d thirty knots in three hours and thirty -seve
If minutes.
n NEW TOPMAST BEING MADE.
y As the steamers were returning from the light
ship after the finish of the Columbia the Sham
/ rock was overhauled as she was being towed u
: the ship channel to the Erie Basin for repairs
- 1t was then seen on close examination that III
" masthead all right and that the topmas
:. had carried away Just at the lower masthead
l." Contrary to general supposition, the Shamroc
ID has no other topmast which she was willing I
p use for the third race. and one is no'
"a being made. AS soon as she arrived at the Fri
Basin n gang Of carpenters was put 10 worl
.s HOW THE BOATS STOOD
h As there was some discussion last night t
n which boat was ahead when the Shamrock brot
III down It may be said that the opinion anon
IN the pilots the steamer Dolphin was that
II the Shamrock had gone about before she brok
II down she could have crossed the Columbia
u bow with something 10 spare As II was whe
IL the br6akage came she hung along in her dl
ablcd condition for perhaps minute or mol
before she hove UP into the wind and the c.
lumbia then went about to get out Of her VA
No The Shamrock some lengths ahead an
slightly to lceward When she rounded up ahea
q of the Columbia her true position was sheWn.
- The Shamrock's breakdown occurred at n
most interesting moment that has been so Fl
known in the sailing between the boats.
this long port tack the real supremacy betwec
the boats was being shown. and the one thu
failed here almost certain to 90 ben
beaten all through the race. The Shamroc
was. for the first time since she came to Amer