The Minneapolis journal., 1901-10-04
BEFORE THE STARTING GUN
EIghteen-KnOt Breeze Makes Every.
one Hopeful.


New York, Oct. 4.-The same strong
northwester which yesterday blew Colum-
bia to victory, prevailed this morning. A
smashing wind scurried across lower New
York bay, kicking up white caps in every
direction. 1t blew out the flags and pen
nants on board the fleet anchored inside
the Hook as straight as boards and out to
sea sent a lot of coasters down the Jer-
sey coast as a lively rate. AS was the
case yesterday, it increased steadily after
sunrise and at o'clock was blowing from
eighteen to twenty knots. In fact, it
seems to have more power than at the
same time yesterday, giving promise Of a
storm near the Bermudas.. There was
an added touch of frost in the air but
overhead a brilliant sun shone from a
clear autumn sky and wind and weather
were absolutely perfect for the days
contest.
Under the rules, to-day's race was flf-
teen miles to windward or leeward and
return, and it was a foregone conclusion
that the course would be a dead run be-
fore the wind to the first mark and If the
wind held true long beat back to the
finish. 1t was in just such race as
this that two years ago Columbia gave
Shamrock /. decisive beating of over six
minutes. 1t was again Shamrock weather
or at least what the golden yacht people
have ben asking for.
The yachting experts looked forward
with keen interest to the splendid run be-
fore the wind to-day as promising fair
test of Shamrock's ability in that direc-
tion. Yesterday the American boat dem
onstrated her superiority on both close
reach, the broad reach and the windward
work, but as yet the two racers have not
met under good conditions in a run square
before the wind While Saturdays race
was of this description, the wind was so
light and uncertain that none of the
sharps considered it as decisive. The
crews of both yachts spent the early morn
ing hours in final and thorough inspec-
tion of rigging and sails to make sure that
nothing had been sprained or weakened in
yesterdays strong wind.
Both yachts got away from their moor
ings earlier than usual this. morning.
Shamrock, instead Of waiting until she
got outside, hoisted her mainsail inside
the Hook. Columbia, however, went
out under tow with bare poles.
The splendid breeze still held true
and strong, and away out beyond the
lightship was kicking the blue water into
white caps.
The mainsail run up on Shamrock is one
not before used in her races here. 1t
wrinkled badly at first, but by the time
the lightship was reached, it was setting
splendidly. the Navigator, the committee
boat, passed about at 9:25, followed short
ly by the guard boats and the first boats
Of the excursion feet soon after passed
through the Narrows. Shortly before 10
o'clock Columbia hoisted her mainsail and
soon after dropped her tow.
BY quarter past 10 o'clock both boats
were standing off and on and around the
lightship with mainsails and club top
sails up. The wind was still going mer-
r1ly when the committee boat took up ner
position to the south Of the lightship and
hoisted signal, the letter &C." indicat-
ing that the course would be fifteen miles
south-southeast to leeward and return.
Neither Captain Barr nor Captain Syca-
more seemed to fear the wind, for both
set their No. l. or largest club topsails
though yesterday Captain Sycamore, in a
wind of the same strength, had invited
some criticism because he did not appar-
emily make the best use of the cloth at
his disposal. He used a No. 2 jib topsail
while Barr was using his No. /, and dis
tinctly lost ground in the second leg. The
excursion fleet had by this time begun to
gather back Of the line, and it was fully
as large as any Of the preceding days.
When the preparatory gun was fired at
10:45 both boats were to the windward
of the line and holding away from it, as
windward position was the coveted one,
as it gave the stern boat an opportunity
of blanketing the other. There was some
pretty jockeying for this berth, and ten
minutes later, when the warning gun
sounded both were still holding away
from the line as if it was a reef or sand
bar. Two minutes before the starting gun
was fired the boats continued to hold
away and it seemed impossible that they
could cross the line before the firing OF
the handicap gun. Both shippers held
stubbornly to their determination not to
cross first, but at last Captain Barr sent
Columbia forward, Shamrock coming right
behind him and breaking out her spinna-
ker to starboard. An instant later Colum-
bias great spinnaker doomed out to star
board and as they crossed each broke out
balloon jib topsails. 1t was now evident
that the handicap gun had fired before
Columbia, few seconds in the lead, went
over the line. She probably was fifty
yards ahead of Shamrock at this time and
both yachts were on the starboard tack.
Columbia crossed the line exactly If
teen seconds ahead, but the official
starting time, the handicap gun having
been fired, was 1902 for both boats.