Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-09-30
Story of the Race.

Story of the Race.
NEW YORK. Sept. 2s.-Thick fog and no
wind gave a most discouraging outlook
/ at dawn for good racing conditions. But
| the sun had not been above the horizon
many minutes before the fog began to
melt BY o'clock it had lifted entirely
while out of the northeast came a pun
of wind full of promise and by O'Clock
it had increased to u knots.
As the morning wore on the sky became
/ extremely overcast, some of the lower
| clouds seeming to have considerable speed
and the weather-wise predicted the COM
ing Of enough wind to suit either the
J Shamrock or Columbia.
The crews of the Shamrock ana Column
bia busied themselves with the work OF
preparation.
The yachts were sent away within a
minute of the appointed time Shamrock
took the honors of todays start, the Of
fetal time of the crossing being:
Shamrock, 11:0014.
Columbia, IL :0O:16.
The Shamrock occupied the weather
berth. Both boats bore down from the
weather side of the line on the port tack,
with the American boat to windward
The Shamrock came about for the line
first She was a trife quicker in stays,
apparently. and got away more rapidly
than the Columbia. This gave the Sham
rock a chance to take the windward
berth from the Columbia, and the foreign
er went to leeward of the committee
boat away back to the line.
The American skipper thought to over
come the disadvantage under which he
had been placed and went to windward of
the mark boat. 1t was too late, however,
and as the yachts again came together
behind the line the Shamrock caught him
in an awkward, portion. The Yankee evil
IDENTIFY saw his fix and made the best OF 1t,
bearing for the line as the starting gun
was finished to the leeward of the sham
rock and a little to the rear. Both crossed
the line with booms to port on the star
board tack.
At HIS the Columbia was distinctly
ahead. Both boats were responding to the
increasing wind. but the Columbia seemed
to be increasing her lead.
The yachts had now sailed an hour, and
II had been close work for every yard OF
the course. The Columbia was close under
the Shamrock's lee and appeared to be
reaching faster than the challenger, but
the Shamrock was still ahead. The Column
bia tackled to port in an attempt to cross
the bow of the Shamrock, but was unable
to reach her, and 80 seconds later came
about again on the starboard tack.
Precisely at noon the Shamrock went
about on the port tack, followed immedi-
ately by the Columbia.
Admittedly the Columbia had gained
considerably in the last ten minutes of
sailing. They were both close hauled ana
each seemed to be holding his own, the
ADVANTAGE If any, being With the Sham
rock. The wind held true about 10 knots.
Both yachts were sailing with difficulty,
the Columbia having worked little TO
windward. but astern of the British boat.
Captain Sycamore seemed to be working
the Shamrock, slowly from under the Co
lumbia's lee.
Both yachts squared away for home
running before the wind. and seven min
utes aftet the turn both broke out their
spinnakers. - 50
For brief time the boats sped home
ward apparently without a change IN
their relative positions but about 2:lO 1t
was seen that the Columbia was over
hauling the Shamrock. Slowly, very
slowly, she crawled up foot by foot. and
at 2:l2 she had reached her flying rival.
Two minutes later and she had poked
her bowsprit ahead of the Shamrock and
established a lead.
AS the yachts drew in toward the light
ship they met a large number of outward
bound foreign steamers, but all of these
large vessels eonformed to the rules and
sheered away. re
The Columbia gained steadily in spite
Of every effort of the Shamrock to regain
her lost advantage. Both shippers tried
every known means to secure the advan-
tage, and at times changed the station or
the crews to different parts of the boat
But try as he would the British skipper
could not overtake his flying rival, and
little by little the Columbia reached out
until at 2:3l she had a full three lengths
of clear water between her stem and the
bow of her pursuer The crews were
rapidly reaching the finish and some OF
the excursion fleet began to speed up for
the lightship in order to get good place
to witness the conclusion.
On the other hand they seemed con-
tent to keep mainsails and club topsails
drawing to their fullest extent, with the
balloon jbs helping now.
With these conditions the Columbia still
gained and very slowly Increased her
lead. The wind was blowing about 8
knots, and neither yacht had any other
sails they could set with any hope of be-
ing of service.
When four miles from the finish the ex-
cursion feet began to steam up and head
in toward the apex of the triangle. The
fleet around the lightship constantly grew
until at 3 o'clock there were IS or so steam
vessels and as many more sailing craft
clustered about the ship.
None of the vessels had any difficulty in
keeping up with the racers, so slowly
did they sail dead before the wind.
The smoke, however, chased along ahead
of the steamers and II looked like a mill
city for half an hour after the yachts
| neared the finish line. t-.
The Columbia won by IS seconds.