The San Francisco call., 1901-10-02

~ " EW YORK, Oct. 1.-IO-Qay at
ss +: e. for .' &. ii;:s ss: !: s.
of the sea proved a dismal fall
ure. Between $4,000 and 10000 people VINO
crowded on the pleasure fleet off Sandy
Hook Ightship in the hope OF seeing
repetition of the thrilling sport OF last
Saturday witnessed instead more OF
drifting match than race. The Wlho
was exceedingly light and variable, at
times falling so low that the gossamer
wind pennants, which are as light as
thistledown, hung limp against the masts
of the big single-stickers. The wind, with
crews lined up on the lee rails, was not
sufficient at any time to make the racing
machines heel to their lines.
At the end of four and half hours the
two yachts covered less than one-half OF
the prescribed course of thirty miles, ana
as there was no possibility of their nm
ishing within the time limit the regatta
! committee declared the race off. When
! the gun was fired announcing this decl-
sion the challenger was about half-mile
| ahead of the defender, and to that extent
| to-day's trial was victory for the Sham
! rock.
Dangerous in Light Airs.
| But the f1uke to-day demonstrated little
! as to the question of supremacy between
| the two boats except, perhaps, that Sir
| Thomas new champion is more danger
! Gus in light airs than was supposed after
her two former meetings with the Whlte
| flyer, to which the patriots are p1nn1ng
their faith. In fiuky winds Of OF varla 1 pie
| strength, shifting as they did to-day
| through six points of the compass, luck
! cuts almost as much figure as model and
seamanship, and to-day fortune was un-
| stakably with the foreigner.
! The course was a equilateral triangle
! ten miles to the leg, the first leg being q
| beat due east into the wind The Yankee
| versary in a splendid piece of jockeying,
| crossing the line in the windward bertn
twelve seconds ahead of the Brltlsher.
This advantage the Columbia neld fr for
| off the course to the southwark looking
| for a streak of wind that would pront
! them.
Finally Barr declined longer to continue
the vanless quest He put his helm down
! and headed inshore on the starboard tack.
| The Shamrock at this time, after poth
had been sailing in the same airs, was d
beaten boat and her skipper could al
ford to take a gamblers chance with for
tune. He held doggedly on and fortune ne
got a breeze out of the south which ruf-
fled the crestless seas and waited him ike
ghost through the Columbia's weather;
| But this was not his best piece of good
fortune After this reverse the Columbia,
slipping through the seas at an astonlsh-
| ing pace, had worked out ahead Of the
! X. q.
two yachts were in this position, about
two miles from the first turn, a cant of
the wind threatened to blanket the Colum-
bia and to avoid such possibility Barr
| as he did the wind hauled around
more to the south, knocking the Column
bias head off, until to the .astonished
spectators, she seemed headed almost
back to the lightship at the starting line.
| The golden boat, favored by the same
CIT Wi
back again and when Barr got the Colum-
bia Strengthened out he was third of a
mile astern: In this position the two
| boats rounded the first mark, the Sham
rock three minutes and eight seconds be-
fore the Columbia, or a gain for the
Shamrock in the beat to windward. adding
the twelve seconds which the Columbia
beat her over the line, of three minutes
and twenty seconds.
Race Is Declared Off.
During the next hour. in a close reach
! for the second mark, the yachts were able
to cover about four or four and half
miles of the remaining twenty, and as
only fifty minutes then remained before
the expiration of the time limit, the race
was declared off.
thought the Shamrock increased her lead
slightly. This gain may, however, be ac-
counted for by the fact that she carried a
was working close to the wind with a
small baby jib topsail, a mere handker-
chief compared to the Shamrock's larger
sail.
When the excursion fleet headed back
for home the only real race Of the day oc-
Cured. 1t was the race. for New York.
Tonight both the Yankees and the for
eigners are praying for a good, stiff
breeze on Thursday, when the next race
will he sailed
When the string of signals was hoisted
course the rival racers were circling
about the lightship performing nearly
every known variety of marine maneuv-
brand new suit of light weather sails, ad-
mirably cut and OF marvellous fit. The
Columbia, however, was obliged to con-
carried her to victory on Saturday. Be
fore the start the Shamrock hoisted a
tiny jib topsail, perhaps the smallest ever
carried by cup yacht. 1t answered its
purpose capitally as a steering sail and
proved of great advantage in a day so
prolific of fukes and doldrums.
Preparatory Gun Fired.
The preparatory gun was fired at 1o:45.
At that time both yachts were on the
with the Shamrock in the lead and the
Columbia following in her wake. Ten
minutes later the bang of the warning
ing sharply round, trimmed her sails on
the other tack, the Shamrock crossing her
bows. The Columbia took good care to
secure the weather berth. and ten seconds
after the starting gun, which was fired at
the dot of H. she crossed the line on the
starboard tack ahead and we'll to wind
! ward. The Shamrock luffed over the line
a few seconds before the gun fired and
was recalled by the judges boat and had
to put back.
The official time of the start was: Co
! lumbia, IL :OO:1O; Shamrock, 11:00:22
| Luck was with the American boat at
| first, for fortunate catspaw struck her
and enabled her to head up couple of
! points higher than her opponent. This
gave her commanding lead. the Sham-
rock meanwhile scarcely moving through
the water and appearing to be dull and