The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-06-08
THE MARIS WON FIRST RACE.
Continued from Eighth Page)

the breeze continued. Then it fell away,
rbut the Maris had a good start. Fully 500
yards separated the two when they were
opposite Wilmington Island pier, the Dra-
COON being On the west and the Marris
on the east bank of the river. Reefs were
let out by both boats as the wind died
away. and not once during the rest of
the race were any taken, though down
in Warsaw sound the wind blew more
strongly than at the start. Danger of
squalls had passed though, for the wealth
er cleared not long after the start.
Drifted for an Hour.
For an hour the wind was distressingly
light and the boats drifted along. What
little wind there was seemed to work to
the advantage of the Dragon, and she
made up some Of the distance between
her and the Maris, reducing it to perhaps
200 yards. The following craft soldiered
HstlesSly along, all The Dragons sym
pathizers knowing not that it would have
made no difference, save in the Maris
favor, longing for a breeze.
Gradually the breeze came. remaining
light, though steady, for an hour. 1t was
off Skidaway Island that it began to
make itself felt, coming from the south
east. The boats began 10 tack. the Maris
being the first to come about. 1t did not
take the experts long TO see that, in
tackins the Maris pointed" She ORA
COON. Indeed before the race was over
that the Maris could outsail the Dragon
with the wind from any quarter and of
and velocity
The stock of the Dragoon went up once
during the race. That was during couple
of miles sailing near and off Joe's Cut
where the stakeboat was Dropped by The
Tybee. The Savannah boat seemed to gain
some advantage through position the
sweep of the tide, which as then coming
in, and the boats were within a short
distance of each other for awhile. The
Maris' superiority soon asserted itself
though, and off Cabbage Island she was
making her former lead good.
Just there the river widens into Warsaw
sound, and the rising wind and the ocean
swell combined 10 make the water rough.
| The attending boats could see the Maris
and the Dragon ride the waves in spleu-
| did style, especially the former, which had
an advantage in lightness, The wind, too,
was fresh enough to make the Savannah
yachtsmen watch for any indicat ton of the
predicted shake the Dragon was to give
the Maris when the weather was rough,
| but the gap showed, instead of evidence
of decreasing, strong tendency to grow.
Around the First StaI<eboat.
Now critical point in the race was ap-
preaching. This was the rounding of the
first stakeboat, that which had been
chored off Cabbage Island. AS the Maris
had beaten the Dragon on the run down,
the two boats having sailed close-ha uled
or lacking all the way. it was hoped that,
on the run back before the wind or with
it over the quarter, the Dragon would
show the Maris points First, though, it
was desired to catch the time they
rounded the stekeboat. The statement
aboVe shows the time when this and the
other boats were rounded, and it may be
seen that the Maris was four minutes in
the lead. The race was not half over yet
she had nearly given the Dragon her
time allowance
One minute after the Maris rounded the
boat she had her balloon jib drawing
finely and was racing for the Joe's Cut
boat. The Dragon broke out her balloon
jib forty-five seconds after coming around
the boat but she took in her main jiD.
Just here the only criticism on the sailing
Of the Dragon was offered. Though
Capt. Barnard probably knew the points
of his boat better than the crowd, it was
yet freely said that he should have flown
mainsail, main jib, balloon jib and spin
maker for that is what the Mars soon
did, running clear before the wind with
perfect mountain of canvas spread.
Five and one-quarter minutes after the
Maris, the Dragon rounded the Joe's
| Cut etakeooat, having LOSE one and one
| quarter minutes on the run. Beating
/ back to the Cabbage Island stakeboat
again, she lost still more rounding it
nine minutes after the Maris. Then the
Sclll ilOlIeWdIu STARTED, ana tne DTaSOOn
wanted to try the example of the Maris.
Accordingly, she too broke out her bal
loon jib and her spinnaker. running free
under all her sails. She did better then.
for on the run home from the Cabbage
Island stake boat, she lost but two minutes
and fifty-tive seconds, whereas, on the
short stretch from stakebOat to stakeboat
before. she had lost one minute and fif-
teen seconds.
The Maris' .'Promenade."
The return home was a "cinch" for the
Maris 1t reminded one of the promenade
of the British to Pretoria. The Tybee sped
on in front of the returning fleet, and
the Maris looked a thing of beauty as she
pushed her way homeward, Not a rift in
the bellying sails, not place where the
wind could beat its way through, could
be seen. Her tremendous sail area was
making itself felt, and the boat was TAX
ing her course in a way that made
Charlestohians glow with pride. The ORA
COON, too, came on at a good pace but
the Maris had the race, and no one
doubted it from the time the Joe's Cut
boat was rounded The only chance for
the Dragon would have been for some
thing to carry away on the Maris. and
that seemed as unlikely as hat she should
sink in the sound.
The Tybee reached the prolongation of
the starting line, and the timers pre-
pared to catch the Maris as she crossed.
| a winner. 1t was to an accompaniment of
! cheers and blasts from the whistles of the
steam craft that had kept the pace up
the river that she passed over, and then
she dropped her sails, was again taken
care of by the Winona, and all hands
waited the coming of The Dragon, which
was off Wilmington pier as the Maris
crossed the line. The Dragon was COM
ing at a spanking rate, too, and soon she
was over the line.
Then the procession to the Yacht Club
started, where most OF the boats landed
their passengers Some of the spectators
took the water route back to the city but
! the majority came back by the cars. A
| special service was put on. and the crowd
was handled very satisfactorily and OK
peditously.
The second race will be sailed to-day
Savanpahians seem TO have lost hope, and
il is pretty generally conceded that this
will be the last day. II is feared that
there will be no third day. The agree
ment was for the best two in three. but
a third may not be necessary. II the
weather is clear. there may be quite as
large a crowd to witness to-days race
even though there seems but small chance
for the Dragon.
a THRIFTY LITTLE CITY.