Waterbury Democrat., 1901-10-01
BLOW YE WINDS!
Shamrock and Columbia Almost
 Becalmed To-Day.
GOOD SPANKING BREEZE

Anxious Public-The Start Was
 Made To-day at Just Eleven O'clock Columbia Led, and Then the
 Shamrock Was In the Lea, and Thus
 the Two Boats Sea-sawed Over the
 Course.
 New York, Oct IA fifteen-knot breeze from the north-northeast was ruttiing the ocean when the crews ot the Columbia and the British challen- ger turned out with the sun this. morning. There was a snap of early autumn ill the air and overhead an unspotted blue sky gave promise of an ideal day for the second race De tween the big flyers. The crews of the yachts were early astir. Break fast was over by o'clock and half an hour later the men were on board their respective vessels. Sail covers were taken off the main sails at once and jibs and stay sails were sent up in stops. Both yachts were ready for a start by S:30. The mooring chains had been unshackled and they were holding only by a slip line.
 All night the wind blew strongly from the northwest. but it began to subside at sunrise and the weather wise shook their heads dubiously and predicted that the beautiful 15-knot wind would not hold long enough to get the race fairly started. The wind shifted around to the north northeast, but the sea owing to the offshore wind of the past day or two seemed to have subsided and there was very little surf on the Jersey coast. Out to sea a number of coasters and pilot boats had little difficulty in standing along under all sail and appeared to roll very light.
 The members of the committee stated last night that it was their earnest desire to send the yachts to the windward leg of ten miles from the start, so that in case the wind should shift the yachts would at least have a beat in some portion of the race. But ten miles from Sandy Hook lightship would have brought the yachts upon the Long Island shore, and in order to give them a beat of ten miles in that direction it looked this morning as if the com mittee would have to shift the start ing point to very close to the Jersey shefe HeaB -Seahright,5 U
 At g o'clock the observer at Sandy Hook reported the wind at fourteen miles from the northeast and the sea smooth.
 The Columbia was the first to start for the lightship The tug Flint puffed up to her a few minutes before nine and passing line to the defend CT started out around the Hook, fol lowed a few moments later by the Shamrock
 At that time the lower bay pre- sented a prettier and more animated sight than it had on either of the pre- vious race days.
 New York, Oct 1.-There was a large fleet of pleasure craft lowering about and a noticeable increase in the number of sailing yachts. In the yicin- lty of Sir Thomas Lipton's big yacht, the Erin, was the old schooner yacht America, which fifty years ago brought to these shores the silver trophy for which the Columbia and Shamrock are
  arise her mainsai1 as she rounded the point, but continued in tow.
 As the yachts drew down toward the starting line the wind was decreas- ing perceptibly. When they were about three miles from the lightshir the vanguard of the patrol boats md committee boat hove in sight and away up the narr6ws a growing cloud Of black smoke heralded the coming of the great excursion fleet The close race of Saturday and the beautiful weather which prevailed in the cary morning to-day drew an attendance considerably in excess of either of the preceding race days
 By 10 o'clock the racers were at the hghtship and the skirrhish line of the excursion fleet was sweeping around the Hook. It was the usual fleet of miscellaneous craft. showing almos1 every type of vessel from noisy little tugs to seagoing passenger ships while palatial steam yachts with fiut Terlng streams of bunting rolled along side by side with big sidewheeI. excur. sion steamers.
 Sir Thomas Lipton's steam yacht Erin was we'll to the front of the flee with distinguished party on board The big dent in her port ouarter made by the revenue cutter Gresham In collision on Saturday, had beer strengthened out and a coat of greet paint covered all outer marks of tn. accident. Meantime both tile Colum bia and the Shamrock were makins sail and swarms of nimble footed sail ors were busy on their decks.
 A few minutes after 10 o'clock +ht Shamrock had set her clubtopsail ant staysail and jib in addition to her mair sails and minute or two after tn Columbia followed suit. The sail. nlled fairly well as they came abou 10 the wind but the breeze appeared 70 be rather fitfuI Then both tht racers dropped their tow lines anf stood off, while the judges boat tocE position somewhat to the north o1 tho hghtship
 The White Star liner Cymric. out bound, passed the yachts abou
 U;5O saiuting them as she went by
 fter conference on board the con, mittee boat signals were set for course as follows: The first leg du. Feast, a beat; the second, south-soufh west. one-half wesz, broad reach or * ae port tack, and the third north
 orfb west one half west. close fetcl
 the 14ish on the starboar1 tack.