The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-01


E. P. Morgan, while highly pl>ased
over the result Of the race. had little |
comment to make: I'VE beat fairly"
he said, Although the wind cond tions
were not all that could have been de-
sired, after turning the outer max we
were confident Of bringing the cslum-
bia home a winner. 1 will ventu-e no
predictions as to the outcome o. the
future races. We have carefully avoid
ed boasting, but shall put forth our
best endeavors to keep the Ame-ica's
cup ON this side of the Atlantic.p
Captain Barr also was much grs1fied
over the victory. 1T was a close race,
but a clean one,'' he said. "Wind
conditions were perhaps not all that
could have been desired, but as they
were our boat was never in danger, l
believe, at any point
HOW THE RACE WAS SAILED.
When the two yachts were towel out
to Sandy light ship there was q fine
strong breeze blowing nine knots from
a little south of east, with a possible
promise of becoming more southery as
the day progressed. The long greasy
swell. always a forerunner of a s:orm,
came in with considerable force and the
roll of the sea from southwark caused
by the disturbance down the coast
made it unpleasant for those not ac-
customed to ocean waves.
The wind had freshened a bit when
the tug Navigator with the regatta
committee aboard anchored at the
southeasterly end of the line with San
dy Hook lightship forming the other
extremity. Soon afterwads signals were
hoisted on the committee tug denotinS
| that the course would be east by south,
fifteen miles to windward and return.
The preparatory gun was fired at
| 10:45. The Columbia had secured
| meanwhile berth to windward of the
| leeward. Captain Sycamore was at the
| tiller down on the leeward side as usual.
| On the Columbia Skipper Barr was at
| the wheel.
| The force of the wind was now fully
| nine knots an hour. 1t was sometimes
| puffy and occasionally reached the di-
| mensions of scupper breeze when the
| yachts heeled to it's strength.
The warning gun was fired at 1885
! and at that time both yachts had work
| ed to windward of the line with the
| Shamrock now in the weather position.
At the warning signal both yachts bore
! down and came to leeward.
| THE START.
At 1888 the Columbia went on the
| starboard tack, this manoeuvre being
| repeated by her rival. The Shamrock
| luffed I'D to windward Of the Columbia
| and when the starting gun came had a
| splendid position and went over the
| line two second ahead of her rival and
| we'll placed in the windward berth. For
| once the doughty Charlie Barr had met
| his equal in the starting trick. The
| Columbia tried in vain to work out
| through the lee of her opponent Sew
| eral short tacks were taken, but, in
| spite of all efforts, she could not get
| clear.
SHAMROCK 800 YARDS AHEAD.
At 1O:4O the Shamrock had a good
lead of nearly 300 yards. When the
| vessels were on the port tack they en-
countered a pretty hard head sea.
While on the starboard tack the sea
| smote them abeam. The Shamrock ap-
peared to splash more against the nose
| enders than the Columbia, but the
| splashing did not retard her speed IN
| the least. Not a tremor could be de-
| tected in the luffs of the sails of either
racer. Both were handled to perfection
and were given a good clean full, not
the least culver being allowed to make
| itself manifested in a single cloth.
At 1854 both boats on the port tack
were heading for the outer mark, which
on this occasion was the tug Edgar F.
Luckenbach, the raft which she carried
having failed to right itself when put
overheard. The wind now was the
freshest of the day.
SHAMROCK LEADS AT THE TURN.
The Shamrock had a lead of at least
400 yards, and as she approached the
mark it was seen that she had handily
beaten the old defender in the wind
ward work. She turned in excellent
to port, the spinnaker boom was lower
ed to starboard. The Columbia made
an equally good turn. The official time
at the mark was as follows: Sham
rock 1:25:12. Columbia 1:25 So. The
Shamrock in the beat to windward had
thus gained 80 seconds. She had beaten
the Columbia boat for boat, but had not
overcome the handicap of 43 seconds
time allowance which. under the rules
of the New York Yacht Club, she was
compelled to concede.
There was considerable delay in seq
ting spinnakers. The Shamrock waited
apparently for the Columbia and luff-
ing out in order to prevent a blanket.
Finally at 1:32 the Columbia broke out
her spinnaker and at the same time a
tremendous balloon jib. The Shamrock
smartly followed suit.