New-York tribune., 1901-09-27

required several minutes TO set the sail to suit
Captain Barr. but when it was done the fore
sail. the iib and the jibtopsail followed in short
order, and the defender. cut loose from her tug.
fell off before the wind and was ready for work
In dead earnest.
THE CHALLENGER CUT ADRIFT
Meantime the chaIenger's tug had brought
her we'll down to the Ightship and cut her adrift
Rapidly her crew shook out the headsails. Cap
tain Sycamore put his wheel hard over and the
Shamrock bore away for the Hshtshp.
The Columbia had cast off az 1884 o'clock and
the Shamrock ten minutes later. but as the de-
fender was further from the line than her rival
they arrived at the starting line at about the
same moment AS the two racers swept grace
fully into the free water above the Iightship
thousands of glasses we're fixed upon them-
Hundreds Of the watchers had seen the two fly
ers before. but more had not and it was a crit
fcal, collective gaze that swept the racers as
stripped for the contest, they jockeyed about
the line. 1t the general verdict that the
visitor from across the the prettier
boat. AS she dipped To the swell and careened
gracefully to the fresh breeze. she showed her
FURNISHED sides of manganese bronze, and they
Slittered brightly through the clear September
sunshine. while high above that incom-
parable suit of sails. the finest of Ratsey's
handiwork. that filed smoothly in the breeze
fitted upon many graceful feminine hands,
The mellow. slightly creamy color of the canvas
seemed ia blend with singular fitness with the
FURNISHED bronze of the hull. and. all told. the
Shamrock looked the prettiest racer that ever
came over the high seas take the Cup away.
HANDSOME is THAT HANDSOME DOES"
That Sir Thomass boat outIooked the defender
must be frankly confessed. Somebody told e
d. Morgan that fact the other day, and he re-
torted, "Oh. we'll. handsome is that handsome
does the truth of which remark needs no DEM
onstration at this late hour. The Columbia's
sails were glittering white and they fitted
her WELL but there here and there slight
wrinkls in the leech. while on her rnainsaii down
the boom. appeared her class letter and
number which did not improve her appearance.
in the layInRns eyes. at least.
At 1880 o'clock the committee boat had taken
up its position opposite the Iightshp. and as
the wind held east by north Course CO. was
sigEa!led. which meant fifteen miles 10 wind
ward and return. the oUt@r mark being stationed
about riile and three quarters of the Long
Island coast. The feet of revenue cutters TO
which had been given the responsibility of pa
trolling the course had done it's work so well
that none of the observation feet encroached
upon the Territory needed by the yachts for their
preparatory evoutiOrs. The Gresham the Sem
mole. the OnOndasa. the Dallas the Algonquin
the Duquesne, the Dexter and several steam
yachts appointed for the purpose discharged the
patrol duty. and well that no fault could be
found with their work Each yacht had all the
searoom she could possibly require. both before
the start and while The race was on
While the two racers were circling about all
the other countless craft lay head TO the Iurnpy
sea and watched. Suddenly. at 1885 o'clock a
puff of blue smoke shot from the committee
boat Navigator. followed by sharp report 1t
was the preparatory gun. fifteen minutes be-
fore the starting gun II the intervening time
the Columbia bore down 10 the Navigator
crossed the line and came around the Iightship
but the challenger remained TO Ieeward of the
Navigator
THE WARNING GUN
At 90 o'clock came the warming gun, and
only five minutes more remained before the
start. Cautiously the big yachts drew near the
line pointing up to the wind and falling Off
before IT, according TO the distance and the time
remaining each skipper with his eye upon his
watch. 1t was close and clever work, and. so
far appeared. Captain Sycamore worked with
view putting the Columbia over the line
before the final gun. without going over him.
self. In this. however. he failed. He put the
Columbia over. indeed. but he had TO go over
himself. and second so later the starting
sun fired Both yachts had TO come about
and across the line and in this maneuvre the
Columbia bit the faster. she got across
at IL 1919 O'Clock. while the Shamrock's off,
cial starting time was 11:1l:O1
Soon after the start each yacht went about
on the port tack and stood off 10 the southward
away from the observation fleet Just how the
gain was achieved could be seen from the
fleet. but when the two boats came about again
the Columbia seemed 10 have secured an ap-
preciable lead lead which increased so
that when the American boat again came about
she crossed about two hundred yards in front OF
the challenger. After this the yachts stuck
10 each other tack for tack until there came
that bit of luck already described
Captain Barr generally criticised for leav-
ing the Shamrock when he had the advantage
Of her. but he made up for this mistake after
he had thereby lost the lead by sailing the
Columbia in such a mastertul fashion that he
lee and secure the weather berth again. and
when that had been gained the Columbia OUT
pointed her rival in decisive manner
WIND RISING AND FALLING.
The wind was constantly falling and then
gently rising. and the observation fleet was
forced again to lie by while the racers worked
out before them. that at times il hard
to tell which boat sailing the faster but
when the two Strengthened out the last tack
and bore away for the mark, which could be
glistening in the distance. IL was seen that
the Columbia good half mile ahead She
held this advantage to the mark which she
rounded at 3:O5:32. dousing her jihtopsail as she
came up into the wind and breaking OUT her
balloon Jib for the reach home. The big sail
was splendidIy handled. and as the defender
made the turn there was great chorus OF