Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-10-05
THE CUP is SAFE,
Columbia Again Successfully
Defends Americas Trophy.
Wins Third Race by Al of H,r 43
Seconds Time Allowance.
lip.Gn Badly disappointed but Admits il Was a
Fair Beat.

New York. Oct. 4-With victory flags
floating from her towering masthead
and the ends of her spreaders in honor
OF her concluding triumph in the cup
races of 1901, the gallant sloop Column
Dia returned to her anchorage, tonight.
un1er the escort of the entire excur-
sion fleet, She, today, completed her
defence OF the honorcd trophy III an
other stirring race with the Shamrock
II over 4 ieeward and windward course
Of 20 miles, crossing the finish line two
seconds behind her antagonist. but
winning on TIE time allowance conced-
ed tE Lipton's boat by Al seconds
For the second time she has now sue
cessfully foiled the attempt of the Irish
knight TO wreSt from our possession
the cup that means the yachting su-
premacy OF the world And plucky
sir Thomas Upton on the Erin I'D his
guests in three hearty huZzahs FOR the
successful defender. she is the bet :
ter boat" he said. ''and she deserves
to De checred."
The series OF races Just closed viii
always be memorable as the closest
ever sailed for the cup. and Sir
Thomas, although defeated. viii go
home with the satisfaction OF knowing
that his golden yacht is the ablcst for
eign boat that ever crossed the
Western ocean. Sir Thomas will return
to England by far the most popular Of
all the foreigners who have challenged
for the Americans trophy.
Today's race, on paper. was the
closest Of the series. but because of the
tlukiness of the wind on the beat home
as contest of the relative merits of
the yachts, it is not TO be compared
with the magnificent. truly run and
royalty fought battles Of Saturday ana
yesterday.
The racers We're sent away before the
wind. each carrying penalty for
crossing the line after the handicap
cap gun. No official record is kept of
the time after that gun is fired, but the
experts estimated Columbias handi-
cap at Is seconds and Shamrock at
80 seconds. The big racers had every
inch of canvas spread. all their light
sails, including bulging. spinnakers and
balloon jibtopsails. and until the outer
mark was reached it was merely a
question Of holding on to all the can
vas and letting the wind do the rest.
The challenger today. gained slowly
but steadily all the way out and round
ed 49 seconds before the defender,
having actually gained | minute and
seconds. Immediately after the yachts
turned for the beat home, the breeze
moderated and turned tiuky. At one
time Columbia seemed mile ahead.
when sudden cant of the wind allow
ed the Shamrock to point nearest the
mark and a mile from home the chal-
lenger appeared to be leading by fully
half a mile.
As the yachts approached the finish
the Yankee skipper showed his boat
into the light air and 100 yards from
home the two racers were almost on
even terms 1t was pretty sight and
one seldom witnessed when they cross
ed rail to rail. the white yachts bow
spirit just tapping the golden boat $
mast. Whistles. sirens. bells, bands
and cheers united in a grand chorus
of jubilation and J. p. Morgan's steam
yacht Corsair fired a national salute of
q guns.
After the Columbia had hauled down
her sails and set her victory flag the
excursion boats crowded alongside to
cheer the Yankee sailors and the WIN
ming skipper. Nor did they forget either
Upton or his gallant craft. In turn
the crowded steamers ran alongside the
Shamrock and Erin and the vanquished
received almost as much honor as the
victor And thus with fluctuations all
around. the 18th series of races for the
old cup which the schooner America
brought over 20 years ago, ended with
the best of feeling.
While taking his defeat Eamely. Sir
Thomas Upton made no attempt to
conceal the honest disappointment
when he talk, d about the race, tonight,
on the Erin.
II am very disappointed. he said.
u can't hide that. ! thought within
Is minutes of the finish that we had
won. | was as sure as my life that We
had won. When | looked around the
situation had changed and we had lost.
1t was hard blow to be SO near WIN
ming and then to lose. I should like to
have got one race, just by way of con-