New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-10-04

Up the wind and down the wind the Column
bia chased or led the English boat all day. and
as relentlessly as the Indian hunter runs the
red deer to a standstill. There no question
of want of wind, or lack of a clear course, or
the disadvantages of bad start or the detr1-
ments OF the long range blanket. Barr simply
gave Sycamore good long start and then went
out and knocked the head off him. Except in
the first twenty minutes. when the shamrock
may have been holding her own. she was never
the leading boat at any time. In this first part
of the broad reaching to the windward mark
the benefit of the doubt be given TO her.
when the contrary. perhaps cannot be proved
and il was only toward the last three miles
OF the first leg that the Columbia could be seen
TO pick up on the bronze craft in front But In
all the rest of the time the situation was not
open to doubt, for the timing at the first and
second and third marks told the story better
than the eye interpreted it.
The Watson design had lost twenty-five sec
onds at the first mark. and thirty seconds
further at the second mark. while the wind
ward work OF the third leg the Columbia
gained an additional two minutes. This record
of continuous loss was partly due to the fact
that in the first two broad reaches which ex-
tended for twenty miles. with the wind on both
legs two and half points abaft abeam Syca-
more did not set much sail as Barr The
Columbia carried her No. jbtopsail, and the
Shamrock carried an intermediate sail of a size
between her No . and the baby. This did not
extend as far down the stay by eight or ten
feet as that the Columbia. which was really
a large sail and did splendid lifting work for
her throughout the whole twenty miles. 1t
also helped materially TO steer the active Co
lumbia which frequently took the bit in her
teeth like an unframed mustang and bolted in
spite of all Barr could do to keep her down to
her right course.
It was an old story for the racing for the
Cup that the English boat did not crack on
enough sail when she got the chance in fair
and driving wind. and the only explanation
that seems possible is that Sycamore was afraid
of his mast.
The splendid showing of the Columbia won the
unconceaed admiration of the English con-
tingent Before her magnificent performance
questions of nationality waned. weakened and
fell down and from the English there was moth
ing but congra tulation that such superb craft
existed even though she was American.
THE SHAMROCK GETS BEST OF START.
soon after 10 o'clock the Columbia arrived at
the Sandy Hook Lightship and began hosting
her mainsai The Shamrock was close behind
her in tow with all sails down. The wind was
then north-northwest. blowing about eight miles
having decreased considerably. The Shamrock
remained in tow of her tug while she hoisted her
mainsail being pulled slowly to windWard all
the time The Columbia was sending up her
clubtopsaiI at 1910 and shortly afterward both
Yachts got under way. The Shamrock let go her
tug and broke out her jib with her cluotopsah
set at 1929 AS she paid off easteriy she
broke out her working topsail, and lay over al
most TO her rail as she gained way.
The committee then sent up signals that the
.h,u+,- vile cou-se would be triangular giving
the boats two broad reaches on the first two
legs and a beat to windward on the last leg
When the preliminary gun was fired, at lo:4o
the Columbi was coming down toward the line
before The wind and the Shamrock was lying
hove to to the windward of the Navigator. When
the TO- 10 gun was fired they were both passing
eastward along the lee side of the line. The
challenger then began pinching out 10 the wind
ward and the Columbia came up in the wind as
if TO stay but held along the same tack and to
windward of the Shamrock. The challenger then
paid off to get more way on; the Columbia
followed Instead of gybing, the Shamrock
came in STAYS at 1888 and Tapped up the
length of her bowsprt on the weather side of
the Columbia's BOOM
There was less than minute ana haii no"
to go before the gun, and the Columbia paiu
aWay TO the windward end of the Navigator,
leaving lots of room for the Shamrock to make
her turn around the Navigator's bow The
Shamrock then came around, and was close TO
the line when the gun was fired, when she made