The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-08
And in Which Both Yachts Sailed Far
on the Course Into Water Occu-
pied by Excursion Boats.
PRETTY RACE TO OUTER MARK
WHICH THE FOREIGNER ROUNDED
AHEAD OF THE AMERICAN,
But Lost All Advantage Through the
Daring of the Yankee Sailors
Incidents Of the Fizzle.

NEW YORK, Oct. 7.-Old Boreas again
to-day played battledore and shuttlecock
with the great single stickers and the third
attempt to sail the first race Of the Colum-
bia-Shamrock series for the international
trophy ended in failure. The race was de-
clared off fifteen minutes before the time
limit expired with the yachts still five
miles from the finish. But the vast throngs
who went down to the sea to witness the
battle We're in a measure compensated by
seeing a magnificent light weather duel. In
the end the disappointment of the patriots
was sharpened, perhaps, by the fact that
when the race was abandoned the Columbia
was in the lead and improving her position,
and, had it been finished to-day, the Amer
lean champion might have had one race to
her credit.
After the three trials the experts are
about as much mystified as they were at
the beginning concerning the merits of the
two boats. Nothing but a spanking whole
sale breeze will furnish a true test. To-day,
as on the two previous days, the course
was laid fifteen miles dead before the wind
and return. So evenly matched were the
beautiful, clean-limbed racers that they
rounded the outer mark like thoroughbreds,
almost neck and neck, and finished after a
three-hour thresh to windward with the Co
lumbia'S white, shark-like nose half q
length In front and in the weather position,
but so close was her green rival that the
black shadow of the Shamrock's looming
sails was silhouetted against the Yankees
snowy canvas.
AS result of to-day's struggle and those
of Tuesday and Thursday the ''sharps'' are
q good deal confounded. Some of them diff
fer as to the merits of the two boats, but
they seem unanimous upon two things-that
the Shamrock is the abiest boat that ever
crossed the western ocean to lift the mug
and, what is still more important, that she
is more ably handled than the defender. The
superior seamanship Of Captain Hogarth
ard his crew was demonstrated at several
critical points in the race to-day. Though
to Captain Barr and the nervy managing
owner of the Yankee sloop belong the credit
of executing as brilliant and daring a piece
of seamanship as was ever witnessed I'm
yacht race, its recklessness caused great
deal of nervousness and anxiety; its accom-
plishment, therefore. made the pulses of the
Americans beat higher with pride. 1t was
the spectacular feature Of the day and for
tune favored the brave.
SOhOMDlA . fOlNI.
The Irish boat did undenibaly better work
to windward. She carved her way up into
the wind In astonishing style. But here
again the Columbia seemed to be able to
more than make up in footing what she lost
in pointing, and the ability of a sailing
vessel is determined by her power to make
headway against an adverse wind, she is the
better boat by that test.
The early morning was full of promise for
a strong breeze. The heart of the seafaring
folk who went down to the water front
was gladdened by stiff twenty-knot blast
straight out from the northeast that COW
cred the upper and lower bay with a
smother of whitecaps. And the excursion
fleet went out to the stakeboat with high
hopes Of a splendid days sport. But be-
fore the fleet had reached the open the
breeze began to moderate and the tumbling
seas to spill less Of their froth. Overhead
the sky was unlocked, vault as blue as
turquoise, and so clear was the atmosphere
that every foot of the course was visible
to the thousands who were watching on
the Jersey hills from Navesink highlands
to Long Branch and Asbury Park. From
the shore every movement Of the race was
followed by the sharps with glasses, and
the result was known there long before it
was flashed by wire from the cable boats.
Outside the long ground swell rolling in
from the Atlantic with its tidings of the
gale that had swept up the coast yesterday,
piled up what the old salts called a lumpy
sea. 1t brought grief to many of the sight
seers af1oat. Many of them sought the Sc
clusion of their cabins before the vessels
on which they had embarked to witness the
race had weathe,ed Sandy Hook. And all
remainder kept suspiciously near the rails
Of the steamers.
A FURRY AMONG THE SHIPS.
The Columbia had all the better Of the
start. She bounded across the line like a
race horse, with mainsail, club topsail and
| staysail drawing, spinnaker down to star
board, ready for the race before the wind,
and ten seconds afterward her balloon jib
broke out like cloudburst. The Irish boat
went over seventeen seconds later with the
same rig. The patriots were mad with de-
| light, but their enthusiasm was short-lived.
The willy English skipper luffed up to run
through the Yankees lee for the weather
gauge. Captain Barr tried to head OF this
move by lufiing also. This sent both boats
OF at almost right angles 10 the course,
| straight in for the Jersey coast and straight
for the mob OF 500 vessels gathered to the
right of the line for the rundown. The tor
pedo boats charged down upon them like a
squad Of cavalry to clear the way for the
yachts. Never was there such a scamper-
ing of ships. Bells In the engine room jim
| gled full speed ahead and full speed astern
as some fed and others tried to back out Of
the tangle. Several serious collisions were
narrowly averted. But the fleet was scat
| tered like a flock Of wild ducks after the
discharge of a gun.
The Shamrock got the best Of the luning
match. blanketing her rival ana getting 20