The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-29
BEAT The CUP CHAMPION
The Columbia Proves Her Sterl-
ing Qualities.
YACHTSMEN ARE JUBULANT
Won by Eight Minutes in Run From
Newport to New London-Most
OF It Beating to Wind
ward.

New London, Conn. June 2S.--In a go
mile, beat to Windward to-day the new
yacht Columbia beat the old cup cham
pion, Defender, eight minutes, besides
giving the old champion two minutes
handicap. Yachtsmen from New York
and hereabouts are jubilant, for the
yachts sterling quality must come out
in race to windward. The race was
from Brenton's reef lightship, off New
port, to New London. a good So miles.
The Defender was given two-minute
start Thirty-two miles of the long
stretch of WAITER was a beat to wind
ward, with such a stiff breeze blowing
that neither yacht cared to carry a
working topsail, and it was in this kind
of work that the Columbia gained such
a long lead, averaging more than a
quarter of a minute faster than the De-
fender each miles. The water was very
rough, but the new boat ran easy and
did not buffet the waves as much as the
Defender.
A stiff breeze from the southwest
kicked up quite a squall outside this
morning and put white crests on the
waves in the inner harbor. The Defen-
der hoisted anchor shortly after 10
" SioSh ealtA oil uUNl II Tie CdSl PoootiSoC
under her jib. Her mainsail was hoist
ed on the way out and Captain Rhodes
sawed down as far as Castle hill to get
look at the weather outside and
knocked about the bay while waiting
for the Columbia.
The crew of the Columbia hauled an
Choir at 11:15 and she was towed down
as far as Castle HILL where the hawser
was cast off and the yacht beat out to
sea under three lower sails The De-
fender was inside Breton's reef light
ship loafing along under jib and main
sail waiting for her rival. There was
pretty heavy sea and as the two
yachts plunged along clouds of spray
were thrown into the air from under
their bows and fell away tn leeward.
The Columbia ran up to the Defender
rapidly and continued on the starboard
tack until the lightship was passed.
The Columbia was at that time 300
yards to ieeward of the Defender and
half her length ahead. At u O'Clock
both boats tackled around the lightship.
They continued along in this stretch
for about five minutes, the Columbia
luffing up to take a haul on the jib
halyards At 1920 the Defender broke
out her staysail and the race was on,
with the Defender to the windward. At
first the Defender gained trifle but
as they continued on this hitch the Co.
lumbia crawled up slowly and but for
a. shift of the wind more to the south
would have crossedithe Defenders bow
on the next tack. The shift in the wind
helped the Defender considerably, and
when, at l o'clock, the Columbia tackled
to starboard, aboutsa mile off the Point
Judith whistling buoy, she could have
almost forced the Defender about, but
the latter tackled within a hundred feet
of the former under her lee bow.
The Columbia began to gain slowly on
the Defender. In 25 minutes the new
boat had worked across the Defenders
bow and was to the windward of her.
With plenty of wind the Columbia and
Defender held down the shore on the
port tack, the former continuing to
gain.
Off Noyes Point, at 2:2O, the Columbia
was over half mile ahead and stead
lily increasing her lead, and when she
finally came about off the end of Fish
er's island the distance between the two
was nearly a mile.
At 1923 the Columbia took her final
hitch. The Defender held onto the
starboard tack and then turned in after
the leader. The boats proceeded up the
harbor and anchored.