The labor world., 1899-07-08

the Silver Mug Trophy.
NEW YORK July Cover a triangular
course of 80 miles in comparatively light
winds, the new Iselin- Morgan yacht
Columbia today vanquished the Wander
bilt yacht Defender and convinced the
yachtsmen who saw the royal struggle
that she was worthy of defending the
precious trophy which Sir Thomas Upton
and his merry tars hope to take back
with them in the Shamrock next fall.
The Columbia's forestaysail and club top
sail are anything but perfect and in a
general way she will need good deal of
tuning up. Yet, based on the showing
she made as a better boat than the De-
fender under adverse conditions the
nautical sharps are str0ngely convinced
that Sir Thomas will sail home without
the silver mug, the possession of which
has given US the yachting supremacy Of
the world since 1851.
But today's race was an unsatisfactory
one. Shifting, battling winds and bad
lumpy sea with dirty rain squalls made
the conditions anything but ideal for
yachting. The bilrows of mist which en-
shrouded the Jersey shore prevented the
crew on the highlands of Navesing and
Sandy Hook from seeing the race but the
haze only added picturesques-
ness to the contest for those who went
outside in fancy. craft 10 see it. ! For them
the world was blotted out and over the
dim, gray sea under the dull sky, the
yachts raced with nothing but themselves
and The attendant. train Of following
In windward work the. Columbi Sswith
sails drawing badly, demonstrated her
superiority. and in long reach IL with
sheets >ease6. she outfooted the yanders
biltr boat. The sudden shifting Of the
wind dSiprevented a trial at running with
Espinnakers. In light weather; close
hauled, therefore, it can be said that she
is undoubtedly the Defenders superior
but what; she can do lin a piping breeze
remains to be seen. 4, ~. >s..ss 9y. .l.e.
81 A thick haze hung over The harbor this
morning when the two superb yachts left
their anchorages off Tompkinsville astern
Of two proudly putting tugs for the arena
of today's battle. AS the Columbia passed
out she was saluted by every steam craft
in The lower bay. so gentle were the
pulsations Of the waves In the harbor
that many craft OF many kinds yentured
out. S555F S5St /. 4 a3s,s.ft:. ..i ;$5s
The large fleet included side wheelers,
swift steam pleasure yachts, snub nosed
tug boats and sailing craft of all descrip-
.tions. They led, followed and accom-
panied the racers. Small stickers, sloops
and .schooners there were in profusion.
Fortunately most of them kept their dis
tance and few Of them bothered the
racers with wash or swell. -
There was considerable delay at the
start. The breeze had freshehed as the
yachts got outside and what the old
salts term lumpsy sea was hunning.
After. Commodore Morgan's flagship, the
orsair. with commodore Morgan; Chester
Grixwold, ex-Commodore Nicholson Kane,
Rear Admiral Francis Higginson, Irving
Grinnell and a large. party of guests
aboard, had signalled the course and the
racers HAD cast off their lines, sharp
rain squall killed the breeze. But the
squall was brief and half hour later a
steady u knot breeze was blowing from
the southwest. .ar +
The Corsair signalled the first leg to
windward, down the Jersey coast and the
yachts began to jockey for positions.
Captain Barr had the tiller of the Columbia
and aboard with him were G. Oliver
Iselin, Mrs. Iselin, Newbery Thorne, Will
liam z. Iselin, Herbert W.tLeeds and
Woodbury. Kane. Captain Rhodes had the
helm Of the Defender. William Butler
and John G. Beresford were abroad OF
her.
AS the warning gun was fired, the
Columbia, without waiting for the start
ing gun, rounded Sandy Hook light ship
and hadd across the line. Either 1t was
bad blunder on the part Of Captain
Barr or it was Gesignedly done to give
the Defender start equal to her time
allowance, which is figured at about two
minutes. Just as the starting gua
doomed, the Defender crossed on the port
track. Meantime, the Columbia jibed and,
returning, came about and headed for the
line, crossing it exactly two minutes after
the Defender. Both yachts carried four
staysails, jibs, baby jib topsails and club
topsails.
The beat to windward mace a beautiful
race The interest was intense for the
first few minutes as the big racers, with
everything close hauled, entered upon
their test of speed. The Defender had
the weather guage by a Hundred yards
and was several lengths ahead.
+ At first the Columbia seemed to out
foot her rival. and there seemed to be
no perceplible difference in their ability
to hug the wind. Nautical experts were
jubilant. Then both yachts went over On
the starboard tack for a long leg. They
heeled until yards of their bronze bodies
were exposed.
The Columbia seemed more tender than
the Defender-more tender but perhaps
more stately as she lay down to her
work. She heeled enough to let the sees
swirl and bubble along her lee rail, and
sometimes when she smashed a big wave
into tatters, she shipped some water for
ward. Miniature cataracts poured from
her glistening decks when the water
spurted 20 feet high from her bows, but
as she lifted beautifully she looked like
q huge gull rising from the water. Then
| the talent began to get nervous.
Gradually but surely the Defender wa:
drawing ahead, and it was also apparent