Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-10-10
THE COLUMBIA WON.
American Yacht Beats the Sham
rock In the. Second Race.
FASTEST RACE IN The CUP CONTEST
Every Yachting sharp Firmly Convinced
the Cup Defender Is the Best Yacht
and the British Will Return Home
Empty Handed.

Dig cup CODJeSldutS uOWH uhhi liicii
lee rails were awash in the f0aming
seas, Herreshoff's white wonder, the
Columbia, yesterday beat Watson's
British creation, the Shamrock H.,
over triangular course of 30 miles
by two minutes and 81 seconds actual
time. With the 43 seconds which the
Irish sloop must allow the American
boat on account Of her larger sail
plan, the Columbia won the second
race Of the series by three minutes
and IS seconds. The fastest race ever
sailed in a cup contest, it was not
only royal struggle from a spectacu-
lar point OF view, but it was absolute
" decisive as to the merits OF the two
racing machines. There is not a
yachting sharp who witnessed the
race yesterday who is not firmly con-
vinced that the defender is the ADLER
boat, blow high or blow low, beat
Ing, reaching or running, and that
Sir Thomas and his merry British
tars are doomed to return home
empty handed.
The Yankee victory began with the
start when the crafty Barr, by q
system of maneuvering, convinced his
adversary that he was trying to cross
the line first. Capt. Sycamore
promptly took the bait and rushing
his boat into position sent her away
almost in the smoke of the gun.
Thereupon Capt. Barr, having &C
complished his purpose, tackled about
back OF the line and held off for more
than minute. Then with flying
start he went over just before the
handicap gun was fired. Some Of the
patriots were disappointed until the
experts explained that there was no
windward berth in q reach where
the boats could lay their course
straight for the mark and that the
position sstern, where Barr could
keep HE eye on every move Of hin
rival, was the commanding one. He
could watch Sycamore like q hawk,
knowing that when the gap between
them was closed the race was his.
For the first Is miles no human eye
could tell which ship, II either, was
gaining, so closely were they
matched. But gradually 1t became
apparent that the Columbia was
overhauling the flying challenger.
Slowly, inch by inch and foot by foot,
the white boat gained. Both we're
going at a terrific pace. The patrol
feet to windward, steaming line
ahead at intervals of 400 yards, had
no difficulty in keeping the excursion
feet clear of the winged giants.
Everything in the fleet had to crowd
on steam to keep the racers in sight
and the gait at which they were 60
ing left the tug boats and some OF
the steam yachts astern. The guide
boat, which started 5 minutes before
the racers, dug out at full speed but
she was hardly able to log off the
distance and get the float overheard
before the racers were upon her.
While going out the bio North Ger
man Floyd liner Deutschland, out
ward bound to Cherbourg, went
through the edge of the excursion
craft half mile to the southwark.
The feet seemed anchored, so fast
she went, looking like a big, swiftly
moving summer hotel. In 20 minutes
She was hull down on the horizon.
AS the yachts approached the outer
mark u stream of signal flags were
set on the revenue cutter Gresham,
the flagship Of the patrol fleet, in
structing them in the universal Ian
guage of the sea to change direction
by the right flank. The patrol boats
swung around to line of west and
charged down upon the excursion
feet The latter, with bells changing
in the engine rooms for more speed,
turned tail and the whole fleet rushed
madly to leeward OF the last leg of
the course.
Leaving the first mark on the
starboard hand the racers gybed over
their big booms and went careening
for the second mark, the Columbia
gaining slowly but surely. They had
covered the first ten miles in a little
over 50 minutes. When they swung
around the second stake they took
in their baby iib topsails and hauled
their wind for the beat home Both
Yachts heeled until their underbodies
were lifted high over the water and
their lee rails dipped foot into the
swirling pillows.
In five minutes after rounding the
second mark it was apparent that
the Columbia was footing faster and
pointing higher. She went through
Shamrock's lee like quarter horse.
The rush of the Leviathans on the
final tack was magnificent. The ex-
cursion boats, black with people from
gunwale to pilot house, gathered
about the finish in a great horseshoe.
As the white flyer came on with big
bone in her teeth well in the lead,
the patriotic shippers with their
hands on their whistle cords could
hardly restrain themselves As she
swept across the finish the din was
soul-destroying. Whistles split the
ear and steam sirens walled, drown
ing the crash Of the bands and the
cheers of the people. The concert
Of sound was terrific. Until after the
gallant Shamrock. beaten but not
disgraced, crossed minute and Is