New-York tribune., 1901-07-12

signal then sent UP by flag to the shore |
and in five minutes Boston knew that the
Independence was ahead and had both Herres-
hoff craft under her lee
THE INDEPENDENCE AHEAD
The Independence went first out of the bunch
and went TO port and shoreward at los fol-
lowed Immediately by the Columbia This was
the only time of the day when the breeze had
good power TO it. and here the Independence
was undeniably ahead and with every appear
ance Of sailing out and away for keeps. For
the first time at Newport she had fairly good
list, while the crew was up on the windward
side and the boat was travelling in way that
wholly denied all previous Newport perform
ances. AS the wind now freshened to eight or,
possibly, nine miles hour. the Independence
seemed TO be running into rain area. but 1t
turned out TO be fog and at l ;OS: 30 the Con-
stitution went shoreward. This brought her
with the others into the fog, and the Columbia
was doing much better since the breeze in
creased with the incoming fog. At 10 all three
were lost in the mist and il looked like bit OF
yesterdays fzzle while hope slumped. This did
not last long The Independence first appeared
at 1:12:3O, the starboard tack TO meet the
Columbia but the latter took back water and
put about to leeward. AT lis both the Inde-
pendence and the Columbia crossed the Consti-
tutions bows the Columbia, the second boat,
being about two hundred yards to windward.
It will be seen here that all the boats on
short tacks anG crossing. that there were no
advantages for any particular boat The Inde
pendence went over heading for the breakers on
Point Judith. but only for two minutes. and she
gained nothing by going to the land for on the
next tack the Columbia passed her on the port
tack and wheeled to kill her The independence
got rid of the blanket on her weather by tackns
stituton which a. 26 80 went TO port TO meet
the others. The fog was now again on them, and
with their enormous sails towering up vaguely
through the cloud that dimnled the edges OF their
highest sails and they were fairly leaping over
the huge rollers coming i'm from the open
After this there more short tacking. the
Columbia crossing the Constitution again. Barr
was trying 10 keep both the others in check.
When the Constitution came along. Barr planked
his boat To windward and Rhodes slipped away
on the other tack Then Barr tried to blanket
the Independence. but she also slipped away
and Barr left to sail by himself in the
region where he was master of the sea. II was
here that Rhodes found that his boat did not
point with the others. and he sent down the tlb-
topsail and ran a smaller one no the stay. The
truth that his boat was being outsailed in
wndward work and for him II not time
for the selecting committee OF the New-fork
Yacht Club 10 he looking The sun showed
again and horizon was seen, but at i:42 the
Independence was fog hidden. When she went
about 10 port at Al. the wind had lightened
up In a marked way. and the Independence was
falling behind the Columbia. She was also 60
ing off by herself. and she is rarely sailed at
her best when not forced by association 10 point
up 10 where she can go. Although the wind
was Tightening. the Constitution was not picking
up much on the Columbia, and at 221. when
the new boat went to starboard tack with
the windward mark I'm sight. the Columbia was
apparently over a quarter of mile dead 10
windward of her. The Independence was tack
ing over to the westward and losing little
to the Constitution although still ahead of her
This continued till the Independence and the
Columbia were coming for the mark on the star
board tack. The Columbia just fetched nicely
and turned at 2:16:23. amid much high pressure
applause But the most exciting tussle of the
day came between the other two. and II was an
anxious moment for all when the Constitution
went to the port tack to round. and was meet
iny the Independence which was coming down
on the starboard tack at good pace. Bets
wtre both WAYS but the Boston boat gave way
nothing as Rhodes threatened a collision while
on the port tack. Haff held his ship straight
along by the wind. and the Boston men cried.
Hit him. Han: hit him. Rhodes could not
fetch past. and he swung 10 starboard again
just when ne could make the mark. and by the
rules OF the road he was put out or his road
He was new down 10 leeward of the lndepen-
dence. but soon as Han put his helm down
sells one ship as they wheeled ana mace
for the mark only fifty yards away.
THE TIME AT THE MARK.
They took the mark In a rushing curve, but
the Independence got the official timing. and she
beat the boat at this end of fifteen miles TO
windward. They timed thus: The Inde-
pendence 3:01 81; the Constitution. 3:o1;23 To
the windward mark the Columbia beat the Con-
stitution 4 minutes 81 seconds. and the Inde-
pendence. minutes seconds. Hank han
lowered his spinnaker boom while the turn.
Butler Duncan was close TO Rhodes his boat
passed The Columbia broke out her spinnaker
at 2:5S:4 45 At 3O2:5 30 Haff broke out his spin
maker on the Independence Rhodes following
with his at 3:4 The balloon jbs followed at
once and all three running for home
with spinnakers top or main booms to star |
board the balloon Jlbs fling out we'll all
three Rhodes topped up the main boom his
boat 10 keep 1t out of the sea- but Han had his
lower, and ii sometimes dipped in the water
pretty well. The Constitution seemed TO roll
more than either of the others. her extra beam,
perhaps feeling the heave of the sea more than
the narrower boats. This was shown in the
head sails. where the twin balloons got more
shaken up the Constitution than on the
others. But the fact that helped her all
through the latter half of the beat and in the
run home that the wind was lighter and
more suitable TO the lifting along of her light
construction She and the Independence sailed
exactly for long the press Yacht
Wanda remained with them, but later on she
got gradually away, and the question was why
Half did not huff to wind him, seeing
that Columbia a sure winner However he
did not. and the Independence thus lost the
ability TO hold the Constitution a close finish
Through this the lead of the Constitution over
the Independence was minutes and % Sec
onds I'm the elapsed time the run back whe n
It might have been only few seconds II HaY
was waiting TO what he could do in catch
ing the Columbia he reckoned the wrong way
because Barr's elapsed time on this run was
minute 10 seconds better than his Beyond
this there nothing to record the fifteen
mile run the lightshp, where the Columbia
a much loved boat. by the way received thun-
der of congratulations she finished 4:55,
having the fifteen miles in 1884 The
Constitution looked grand boat as she finished