The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-09-05
COLUMBIA The DEFENDER.
The Old Champion Chosen to Race
With Shamrock III.
Decision Reached by the Challenge
Committee After Two Hours
Discussion at NewpOFt-FOT3ra No
ticc Posted at the Yacht Club.

II
Discussion at Newport-For9ra No
tice Posted at the Yacht Club.
NEWPORT. r. l.. Sept. 5.-The yacht
Columbia, champion Of $50, has been
chosen To race against the Shamrock II
in defence Of the Americas Cup. This dc
cision was reached at noon today after
conference of two hours between the
members Of the challenge committee on
board the schooner Corona, flagship Of the
New York Yacht Club.
All the members of the committee were
present Commodore Lewis Cass Ledyard
presided. Rear Commodore Robinson. eX-
Commodore E. II Brown. c. Oliver Ise-
lin: Archibald Rogers, Secretary J. V. 5.
Oddie ana J. Malcolm Forbes were the
other members at the conference.
The discussion was exhaustive. The
performances Of the two boats We're gone
over systematically and critically COM
pared. The conclusion was that the be
havior Of the Columbia was far more con-
sistent than that Of the Constitution. and
that under the circumstances. there was
no other alternative than to name her as
the defender Of the Cup II was held
that, while the decision might be disap-
pointing 10 the syndicate headed by Au-
gust Belmont, which owns the Constitu-
tion, the committee with all conditions in
mind, wer> compelled to choose the Co
lumbia. whose races have shown none Of
the errauc form manifested by her rival
The formal notice announcing the Sc
lection OF the Columbia was posted AT the
yacht club station shortly after z o'clock.
1t read as follows:
AT a meeting Of the committee on
challenge OF the Royal Ulster Yacht
Club, held on the flagship AT l1:5a a.
n. the Columbia was selected TO rep
resent the New York Yacht Club.
y. V. s ODDiE,
Secretary
As the conditions today weresperfect for
yacht racing there are many disappointed
Individuals here. They had looked for i
contest between Columbia and Constitu-
/ tuition each day during the week. The
bulletin board announcement this morn
ing To the effect that there would be no
race today foreshadowed the decision Of
Z
defender.
The Constitutions encouraging per
formance Of Yesterday continues 20 ex-
cite discussion and it had been expected
that the showing of the new yacht under
difficulties would At LEASE delay the choice
OF the defender.
With an elapsed time of ffty-four- sec
ouds less than her rivals over thirty
mile course. added 10 the twenty-five sec
OHds which she lost at the start and the
loss caused by the splitting Of her bal
loon jtb. there seems 10 doubt that had
both yachts started across the line to-
gether and had no accident happened, the
Constitution would have beaten the Co
/ lu'nbia by a safe margin over the time al
3 lowance.
/ Anything more thrilling in the way Of a
yacht race than the last three .ailes Of
yesterdays run has seldom been seen on
/ the course OF Brenton's Reef Lightship
or even in the Cup races themselves For
a long time the yachts were swallowed
up in fog. Finally. just the CLINT Of their
headsails could be seen where they lifted
themselves up into the thinner mist. so
that the IOw-Iying sun shone squarely
upon them. Presently. the whole shining
length Of the balloon jibs and Spiuuakers
. flashed out Of the haze At the same mo-
ment both racers found that they had
drifted away TO leeward Of the course and
they luffcd up and those at the finish line
could see the white clouds Of their spin
makers collapse as they were taken in.
The yachts seemed neck TO neck with
| high white collars foaming up in front
| Of the "dOlphin-siicers" Then a dark
shadow swept in from the sea. Both rae
ers were bent low and CONSTITUTIONS s
great balloon burst and threshed in
shreds across her bow. Still, the new
boat kept on as though conscious of her
responsibility and a moment later CO.
lumbia's balloon shriveled as the hall
yards parted and her crew smartly gath
| cred the great canvas in. Thus. with
wings clipped and broken and vet leap
/ ing on In the twe!ve-knot wind. the rae
/ ers dashed on across the line, the wound
ed Constitution hanging on TO Columbia 8
quarter Ike a thing alive.