The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-26
DEFENDER ON THE ROCKS
CONSTITUTION STRUCK TWICE IN
YESTERDAYS RACE
Columbia Beat the New Boat to the
Finish, but the Accident May
Have Had Something to Do
With the Result.

NEWPORT, r. l., July 25.-The ColuEa-
bia today, in a rafting threSh to wind
ward, from New London to Newport,
gave the Constitution a great beating,
the latter finishing good third of a mile
astern of her antagonist, and being de-
feated two minutes and five seconds. The
victory was surprising, for the race was
sailed in weather that, as a rule, has just
suited the Constitution, the wind never
exceeding six knots and the sea being
comparatively smooth. 1t was not until
Newport was reached that an intelligent
account Of her good drubbing could be
learned The Constitution following In
the wake of the Columbia, the leading
yacht in the big sloop class. struck twice
near the Race Rock lighthouse. There
was a substantial bump on each occasion,
and after this accident the Constitution
behaved like a lame duck. All her old
time smartness was lacking, Her speed
was diminished and she dragged off to
ieeward. Mr.. Duncan, who is in COM
mand, said this evening that he believed
some Of the plates ON the keel were
wrenched off by the force of the impact
on the hard rocks, and these plates from
the fin acted as a drag and made her In
capable Of showing her usual racing
form. A diver was sent down shortly
after the Constitution was moored to-
night but he was unable to make sat
isfactory examination, and Mr.. Duncan
decided not to race the boat further until
she had been hauled out and opportunity
given for a thorough investigation.
The Columbia had the best of the start
today, but had it not been for her streak
of i'll fortune the Constitution would have
crossed the line first and the result might
have been different. But the two boats
got on their way and she was forced to
gybe TO clear them. After passing Race
Rock the Constitution showed an inabil-
ity to point or sail fast, which was very
astonishing to those who have watched
her from her launch down to date. The
Columbia, beautifully handled on the
dead nose-ender" from Race Rock to
Beckon's Reef lightShip, got the ConSti-
tuition under her lee and keep here there
TO the finish line. About fifty tacks were
made between Race ROCK and BeckonS
Reef and many miles of blue water were
wasted in keeping the Constitution blank
eted. Capt. Barr did not care whether
any other vessel in the fleet, no matter
how sluggish, beat him. His antagonist
was the Constitution, and he pegged at
her hammers and tongS in puffy breeZeS
until one-third Of a mile from the finish
line, when, being that distance in the
lead, he gave her chance to get free
and overtake the Columbia if she could.
The wind was from the northeast and
blowing a ten-knot gait at the Start.
When the yachts passed Race Rock 1t
blew due east, almost dead in the teeth
cf the fleet from that point to the finish.
After Race Rock was passed it blew
puffy, and the foremost of the schooner
Muriel snapped in two places and made
a wreck of the yacht. The main topmaSt
also parted about eight feet from the
masthead.
The revenue cutter Gresham came to
the rescue and toWed her back to New
London for repairs. She is owned By Mr..
Charles SmitherS. The Rainbow also, not
long after the Muriel, was dismasted,
and broke her peak halyards Her owner,
Mr.. Cornelius Vanderbilt, set a signal of
distress and the tug Lady Goldiva towed
the crippled yacht to Newport
In order to show more clearly the
wide eXpanse of ocean covering in the
Iorty-mile run between the Columbia
and Constitution, it is only necessary to
say that the victorious yawl Vigilant
finished the race before Columbia. cover
ing the course in 7:O0:3S, while the Column
bia took 6:56:26 to go the same distance
Following is the official time of the two
ninety-footers:
Elapsed
,,..,.., Start. Finish. Time.
Constitution. n:25:45 6:24:16 6:5S:I
Columbia. 11:25:29 6:21 80 6:56:26
The other winners in their respective
classes We're the Vigilant, Virginia Isol-
de, Alkair Katrina and FInina