The San Francisco call., 1899-10-04

nj EW YORK. Oct 3.-In her first
NJ effort 10 lift" The Americas cup
sir Thomas Upton yacht sham
rock yesterday had 2 lead Of about
one hundred yards over the Columbia,
the cup defender. when the time limit
expired. and the contestants were still
TWO miles from The starting line There
We're only light winds most OF the day.
The result was no race" but the per
fo-uauce Of the challenger caused
much surprise. Al the forecasts
showed thar the Shamrock would be al
a.disadvantag in light winds The re-
verse proved 10 be the case c Oliver
IseI.n said that the event was no tesl
of.the relative merits Of the two boats.
and that he was as confident as ever OF
the ColUubIa's ability 70 defend the
cap. SIR Thomas Upton agreed that
10 real test had been had. but he felt
more confident than every OF winning
The cup.
The contest was an end-on race-flI-
teen miles 70 leeward and q beat back
against light winds. The Columbia,
starting forty-three seconds after the
Shamrock. rounded the mark TWO min
u-es and one second ahead. The sham
rock gained on the beat back. passed
the defender. and held the lead 10 the
end. a'lthough The Columbia was gain
:1g when the sigma! gun announced
that the time limit had expired.
. Probably the largest fotIla Of excur-
sion boats and yachts on record fol
lowed -Ee racers Il is estimated that
nearly TWO hundred and fifty vessels.
carrying upward Of $1,000 persons, wit
messed the contest al close range. But
there was no Interference with the
race. Captain hley D. Evans with
i've revenue cutters and five torpedo
boats. policzd The course adnira bly,
. His work was highly praised both by
visiting and local sr1--smen. h or
Gered that washington b. notified Of
three excursion steamships and one
yacht which were not disposed 70 keep
OUT q the way, and viii recommend
that the license q their masters and
PILOT be suspended.
The betting on the cup races shifted
tonight. Instead OF odds Of IL 10 s on
the Columbia even money ruled in
uearly all Of the wagers that were laid.
Wide interest was shown both ashore
and a1oat n the reports Of the race
sent by Signor Marconi TO the Herald
ard The Call. The system OF wireless
telegraphy worked admirably. the news
. Of The contest at every important point
being received in the Herald Office
within sixty seconds from the time Il
was flashed from the steamship Ponce
on which Sigror 8IRrcOai conducted his
operations About twenty-five hun
cred words were sent from the Ponce
and important stock quotations and
the decision in the Venezuelan dispute
We're received by those aboard the
Ponce IS she followed the yachts along
the course. Sigcor Marc0ni was cheered
Frequently by the spectators.
The next race viii be sailed Thurs
day.
BY the Narconi system Of wireless
telegraQhy and the Herald-Cau dis
patch boat came & message saying:
. Say farewell. Nj. Yankee, 70 the
aagon Of the Queen" Not yet. hut for
z time near the close OF to-day's ex-
citing race II looked that way. looked
all ShamrOck-looked as though the
Irish racer must inevitably beat her
American rival across the finish line.
But before either could reach it the
time limit cut IN and the race was of
And everybody drew long breath and
said: Who'd have thought it?" Rv
fukes and Gains and Upton luck" the
emerald yacht came very nearly scor-
ing victory over the Columbia and
such q theory -upsetting, prediction
smashing victory that would have been.
For this race was run in Columbia"
weather with light winds and sr,oo-l,
seas, which her adherents have wished
for and IN which il was prophesied she
would show her heels 10 the Shamrock
from start 10 finish
The race was an end-on tilt TO an
outer mgia-t anchored fifteen miles 10
leewaTd q the starting line, and a beat
back against light winds and a lumpy