Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-07-25
SIMPLY SUPERB,
Constitution Walks Away from
Everything in Race.
Brilliant Display Of Workmanship but
Disaster Narrowly Merted.
Barr Shows that He Can Handle Yachts. but
Takes Desperate Chance.

New London. Conn, July 24.-In
fine southwest breeze over the 30 mile
course from New Haven Breakwater to
Sarah's ledge at the mouth of New
London harbor, the Constitution once
| again showed what superb racing
craft she is i'm light weather and
smooth water. She beat the Columbia,
today. boat for boat. minutes and %
seconds fully and squarely There
We're no fiukes, the wind holding
| throughout and steady with the ex-
| ception Of a shift Of a couple Of points
after two thirds of the distance had
been covered.
Sailing dead before the wind is by no
, means exciting, all the sensational ele
ments of a sturdy stretch to windward
being lacking. The breeze at no time
was of sufficient strength to raise
single white cap on the waves and the
sea being smooth the yachts glided
along with great speed.
Not a single mishap occurred to any
yacht, but the Constitution and the
Columbia very narrowly escaped q col
lision as they crossed the line. col
lision which might have wrecked one
or both of the yachts.
As they We're maneuvering for the
weather gauge just before the start.
Barr got the windward position with
the Constitution close under his lee.
The steam yacht Narada, which was
acting as the committee boat, was an
chored at the weather end of the line.
The Constitution luffed up charply
leaving narrow p"ssage hatwaa" "0''-
self and the Narada, passage which
nine CAPTAINS out of ten would have
thought unsafe to tackle, but Barr
nothing daunted, ran his bowsprit into
il in what seemed the most reckless
manner.
hard steerer, and although Captain
Rhodes put his helm up, it was some
little time before she paid off. When
she at last swung off the bowsprit of
the Columbia was nearly grazing the
side of the Narada.
Cant. Barr. to escape a collision with
the Constitution such as happened
when the Vaikyrie fouled the Defend
er. put his helm up and gybed the Co
lumbia or else the end Of her main
boom would have struck the topmast
rigging of the Constitution and the
collapse of her mast might have fol-
lowed.
He barely cleared her. and then luf-
fling up. the Columbia shot ahead and
to windward. blanketing the Consti-
tuition and luffing out under the stern
of the Narada as she stood on her
course 100 yards in the lead.
1t was brilliant and dramatic dis
play of craftsmanship but it came
perilously near disa ster. Those on the
Narada say that the Columbia was
only p feet away from the committee
boat and 10 feet from the Constitution
The race between the two 90-footers
was contested every inch. The Consti-
tuition came out winner in luffing
match. bearing away on her course
nearly n quarter Of mile in the lead.
At 1870 the Constitution had gone
about II miles. Soon after she set her
spinnaker to starboard, carrying it un-
til Cornfield lightshp was reached
when ii was taken in again for few
minutes and then reset for the run to
the finish.
The Constitution kept mile closer
to the Long Island shore than her riv-
al until Bartlett's reef was reached and
she finished n good mile in the lead.
having gone the 80 miles in hours. 81
minutes. % seconds. while it took the
Columbia to go over the same distance
44O.50
Yachtsmen are now convinced that the
Constitution is faster than the Columbia
on every point of sailing in light wealth
er. but in a heavy blow and a rough and
Continued on page 3D.