Evening journal., 1901-10-04
PRIZE CUP NOW
SEEMS SHCURR
Columbia Won by 3 Minutes
and 5S Seconds
LipiOn Saws He Vas Licked Morgan
Believes Columbia Best Racing
Yacht in World

whole sail breeze. which heeled the big
cup contestants down until their lee
rails were awash in the foaming seas,
Herreshoff's white wonder. the Colum.
bia, yesterday beat Watsons British
creation over a triangular course OF
80 miles by two minutes and 81 sec.
onds actual time. With the 43 sec
onds which the Irish sloop must allow
the American boat on account of her
larger sail plan, the Columbia WOE
the second race of the series by 8
minutes 35 seconds.
The fastest race ever sailed in a cup
contest, 1t was not only a royal strug-
gle from a spectacular point of view,
but it was absolutely decisive as to
the merits OF the two racing machines.
There is not a yachting sharp who
| witnessed the race yesterday who is
not firmly convinced that the defender
is the abler boat, blow high or blow
low. beating, reaching or running, and
that Sir Thomas and his merry British
tars are doomed to return home empty
handed.
Again the ancient piece Of silverware
brought across the western ocean so
years ago is safe. Again American
supremacy in marine architecture has
been vindicated. Sir Thomas has been
wishing for a breeze that would bury
Shamrock's lee rail, and yesterday he
had It, just as he had a similar breeze
in the concluding race two years ago
when Columbia in driving finish beat
the first Shamrock over minutes.
Barr's Crafty Manouvering.
The wind yesterday was strong and
true, blowing around IS knots out of
the northwest, and at every point of
sailing, except perhaps running before
the wind, in which the defender has
already taken the measure of the chal-
lenger the Yankee sloop proved her
self ADLER than the Watson model
From the time she crossed the starting
line. 1 minute and "a seconds behind
the mug hunter. until she picked up
and passed the Irish boat, three miles
after rounding the second mark, Co
lumbia's pace was faster and she be-
haved better than her rival.
The Yankee victory began with the
start when the crafty Barr by a sys-
TEN of manoeuvering convinced his
| adversary that he was trying to cross
the line first. Captain Sycamore
promptly took the bait and rushing his
boat into position sent her away al
most in the smoke of the gun. There
upon, Captain Barr having accom-
plished his purpose tackled about back
of the line and held off for more than
a minute. Then with a flying start he
went over just before the handicap gun
was fired.
Some of the patriots were disap-
pointed until the experts acknowledged
that there was no windward berth in
reach where the boats could lay their
course straight for the mark and that
the position astern where Barr could
keep his eye on every move of his
rival was the commanding one. He
could watch Sycamore like hawk
knowing that when the gap between
them was closed the race was his, For
the first Is minutes no human eye
could tell which ship. if either, was
gaining so closely were they matched.
But gradually it became apparent that
the Columbia was overhauling the fly
ing challenger. Slowly, inch by inch
and foot by foot the white boat gained
Both were going at a terrific pace. The
excursion fleet had hard work keeping
the racers in sight,
Sir THOMAS Was Game.
Leaving the first mark on the star
board hand the racers gybed over their
big booms and went careening for
the second mark, the Columbia gain
ing slowly but surely. They had COW
cred the first 10 miles in a little over
80 minutes. When they swung around
the second stake they took in their
baby jib topsails and hauled their wind
for the beat home Both yachts heel
ed until their underbodies were lifted
high over the water and their lee rails
dipped a foot into the swirling pillows
In minutes after rounding the second
mark it was apparent that the Column
bis was footing faster and pointing
higher. She went through Shamrocks
lee like a quarter horse. The rush OF
the leviathans on the final task was
magnificent.
The excursion boats, black with peo-
pie from gunwale to pilot house. gath
cred about the finish in a great horse
shoe, AS the white flyer came on with
a big bone in her teeth we'll in the
lead. the patriotic shippers with their
hands on their whistle cords could
hardly restrain themselves. AS she
swept across the finish the din was
soul-destroying Whistles split the ear
and steam sirens walled drowning tho
crash of the bands and the cheers OF
the people.
Sir Thomas in the Erin did not ap-
proach within half q mile Of the finish
line. He had seen his high hopes
blasted and presumably did not care
TO ho in q, the iubilation over the
defeat Of his champion But like a
/ good game sportsman after the Co