The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-01
WON A CLEAN VICTORY.
Columbia, SpIendidIy Handled. Beat
Constitution Four Minutes.

constitution Four Minutes.
Newport, r. l., Aug. 31.-The Column
bia, splendidly handled, beat the Con-
stitution to-day four minutes and nine
teen seconds, corrected time, over
a course of fifteen miles to windward
and back in the first of the trial races
to select the cup defender.
The defeat was decisive and admirers
of the Constitution are at their wits
end to make apologies and excuses for
her bad behavior. She was fresh from
the Herreshoff shipyard, where her
bottom was, FURNISHED until it glistened
like plate glass in the sunlight. Her
sails fitted her admirably, with the
exception of the balloon jib topsail,
which she set on the homeward reach.
Thus she had no physical drawback to
act as detriment to her speed. More
over, Nat Herreshoff, designer and
builder of the yacht, was aboard.
All, however. was of no avail. The
Constitution was beaten fairly and
squarely on her merits, and unless she
sails better on Monday and Wednes-
day the committee which has the mat
ter in charge may decide upon select
ing the Columbia to meet Shamrock
II. The only possible excuse that the
hackers of the Constitution have to
offer is that the Constitution got the
worst of the start, being handicapped
several seconds: This is quite true.
She got the worst of the. start, because
her skipper was out-generaled and
outclassed. But the few seconds she
Arf hxy ha
distorted to account for the signal de-
feat administered to her by the Co
lumbia.
The warning gun was fired at 1875
o'clock. The skipper of the Columbia
planted his craft on the weather side
of his rival and hampered him in the
usual manner, keeping him under his
lee. The boats stood for the line and n
their efforts to beat each other, both
crossed the line on the starboard tack
a few seconds before the starting gun
was fired. Three short blasts of the
whistles recalled both boats.
The Columbia turned round smartIy
on her heel and coming round again on
the starboard tack, shot over the lire
we'll to windward of the Constitution,
whose skipper seemed to be remarkably
SLOW. Both yachts went about on the
Fort tack Immediately after crossing
the line. The Constitution was
kept broad off the breeze,
her skipper hoping thereby to
avoid the back wind of the Column
bia. 1t was marvellous to see the Con-
stitution gradually sag off to leeward
in weather that was supposed to be
Just picked out for her. The wind, aft
er the yachts had been about three
quarters of an hour, hauled to the east
ward and the Columbia getting il
first, being in the lead, was about to
huff to it before the Constitution came
within its influence. The force of the
wind was about nine miles at the start
and it freshened a little later on.
After rounding the outer mark the
Columbia set her balloon jib topsail
The Constitution set her balloon lib
topsail 80 seconds after she made the
turn, beating the Columbia by five
seconds. This is the first time in her
history that her crew has shown any
real smartness. Next. both craft set
balloon staysails, and with the wind
on the starboard quarter, steered for
Brenton's reef lightship, the home
mark.
Little by little the Columbia forged
ahead, inch by inch, increasing the gap
of blue water between herself and her
rival. White caps crested the waves
under the influence of the freshening
breeze, and the followers of the Con-
stitution were disappointed to see her
fall astern. Columbia had her badly
beaten. When she crossed the line a
victor she was vigorously saluted