The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-07-12

AS two windward and leeward courses
had already been sailed the judges ar
ranged todays race as a triangular af-
fair of 80 miles, with 10 miles on leg.
but the wind being from the northeast
the judges, on reaching the lightship.
had some difficulty in layout out the
triangle.
IL has always been the intention of the
judges in these triangular races TO have
one of the legs preferably the first one
10 windward but the judges found this
morning that 10 miles to windward off
Brenton's Reef lightship would bring
the yachts up on shore, so nearly an
hour was spent in running off and on,
debating the matter, and at the same
time waiting for the yachts TO come out.
COLUMBIA FIRST OUT.
Columbia was the first to put in APP
pearance at the mouth OF the harbor,
coming down under mainsail and jib and
running out little ways toward the
Iightship, bu. finding the breeze not par
ticularly strong she headed up toward
the harbor again and set her No club
topsail
Soon after this was up the 1899 cham
pion swung off again and headed out to
the start. The independence and Con-
stitution went out of the harbor together
under exactly the same sails, mainsail.
jib and clubtopsail run down hard.
When the yachts reached the lightship
they found the committee boat signalling
a triangular course, with the first leg a
sharp reach TO the south southeast. then
a beat about northeast and run home
to the lightship, each being 10 miles.
The warning signal was fired at III
O'Clock, the preparatory at ll:05, and the
starting signal at lilo.
The Columbia was the first to reach
the line followed closely by the lnde-
pendence, while the Constitution was
well astern, and from this point II APP
peared thae she did not reach the line
until after the handicap signal was fired.
The wind at the start was blowing
fresh from the east-northeast. but the
sea had gone down.All three yachts went
across the line under three lower sails,
No. 2 jibtopsail and a large club topsaii'
For a minute after the start the Column
bia seemed 10 pull out a bit on the In
dependence, and both walked away from
the Constitution.
LOST HER TOPMAST.
Suddenly about IL 10 a hard pun struck
the Independence carrying away her top
mast the big pole breaking short off at
the head OF the mast and carrying with
Il the club topsail and the jibtopsai
Fortunately the accident did not affect
either the throat or peak halyards or
the two lower head sails so Capt Haff
after sending the boat into the wind for
a minute or two decided TO keep on and
once more swung after tho Columbia.
The Lawson boat even with the absence
OF her two light sails seemed TO hold
the two Herreshoff boats fairly well as
the wind was quite strong.
She reeled considerably. however, so
that the crew could not get I'm the wreck
of the club topssil and about II minutes
after the start the yacht was again
headed into the wind and three minutes
more lost while the crew was taking in
the sails.
COLUMBIA IN THE LEAD.
About II :S7 she was again headed after
the other boats, Capt Han showing cd'>
siderable grit in keeping his boat I'm the
race The breeze, however. did not in
crease 20 any great extent so that the
two HerreshoR boats rapidly pulled
away from the Boston yacht and at li:45
the Columbia I'm the lead was a mile and
"A half ahead. The race between the two
Herreshom yachts was a fine one and
from this point IL seemed as n the Co
lumbia pulled out some on the Constitu-