Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-07-12

Thursdays Race Abourds in
Surprises for Yachtsmen.
Columbia Wins, Constitution Second,
and independence a Good Third.
Question Of Supremacy Of 80. Footers Now
Delightfully."- Uncertain.

IWith the constitution second and to the
Iamazement of all yachtsmen the indie
rendence remarkably good third. The
| Boston boat sailed an exciting race
with the Herrcshoff yachts and actual
| ly led the Constitution at the outer
mark. only to be beaten by her little
over two minutes on the run to the
finish before the wind. The breeze, to-
day, however, was much stronger than
on previous days, which apparently
accounts for the fine showing OF the
| Lawson yacht, and again the Indepcn-
dence sailed the Is miles to windward
without her jbtopsal and seemed to
hold higher. at the same time footing
| just rs fast
| The result Of todays race leaves the
question of the supremacy OF the three
20 footcrs delightfully."- uncertain, the
lndepe ndence being not SO slow after
IAN, while the Constitution has yet to
prove her unquestioned superiority to
the other two yachts in anything ex-
ccpt very light airs. The hopes Of the
Boston contingent have therefore gone
upward with a bound and, tonight the
experts are trying to figure what the
'scow' boat will do when it blows still
y
exciting, especially when little less
than an hour after the start the hide
| lcndcnCe. by keeping near the Nara
| gansctt shore. forced the Constitution
about and for a few minutes was the
| leading boat in the race.
| From that point to the turning buoy
the fight between the two new yachts
| was one of the hottest contests seen
for many years
With the mark about eight miles
| dead To windward, the three flyers bat
| tied for the lead. Three times did the
licrreshoff yacht attempt to cross the
bow Of the CrowninshIcd boat only to
be beaten back and forced about.
Capt. Half kept the Constitution
| right under his lee and to every one s
amazement was able to maintain this
| commanding position through the
speed and pointing ability of the Bos-
| ton boat. even with one less sail. the
| Herreshoh boat carrying as usual her
baby jibtopsail.
| on and on sailed the rivals. the led
On hull of the Independence being al
ways on the sunny side of the milk
white Bristol yacht. While they bat
| tied however. Capt. Barr of the Co
| lumbia saw his chance and took ad-
vantage of this contest between the
other two yachts, to slip out to wind
ward and be thus reaching the mark
| nearly four minutes ahead
Astcrn of him were the independence
| and Constitution. each striving for the
buoy. the Boston boat giving blow for
blow and huff for huff in every case and
| finally swing round with the Consti-
| tutions bOwsprit right over her taft
rail. Two brief seconds after. two
! ticks of the clock, the Constitution al
so turned.
On last Saturday. the Constitution
| beat the Independence nearly an hour
| to the outer mark. On Monday the
Herreshof yacht was 40 minutes ahead
in the 10 mile beat to the windward
mark. Today the Constitution was the
last boat round. On the run home both
| the Herrcshoff boats pulled away from
| the Independence. but the gain was
| comparatively small and not at all dis
! couraginS to the followers of the Bos-
| ton yacht.
Shrouded in a dense canopy of fog
| the Columbia swept across the finish
lire Three minutes and AZ seconds
after came the Constitution and right
astern. not nine miles or even seven.
but less than half a mile sailed the
Independence defeated but not humili-
ated. Little wonder after such a race.
that TIE three crews cheercd each
| other and that the Independence tars
nearly split their throats.
The statistics: