Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-10-03
ANOTHER FLuKE IN CUP RACE.
The Yachts Were Unable to Finish With
thn Timn limit.

lnt 1htHth tttFt bhHbtt W &hhsntt t'tNsh'f
the Time Limit.
New York, Uct. 2.-More than "a, 900 peo-
pie, crowded upon excursion steamers. |
yachts and other craft, enjoyed q quiet snil |
Yesterday on the smopth sea oil the Sandy |
Hook lighiship. but they. did not see a race |
hetween Shamrock and Columbia. The
wind was even lighter than on Thursday Of
last week. and the only interesting scene OF
the day was the clever o,keying for the
start. This resulted In favor OF Capt. Barr,
who not only came out ahead, but IN the
wudward position on the starboard tack,
a point OF great advantage.
The Triangular course was LAID out due
east into the wind for 10 miles, then =. >.
w. = w. 10 miles. and home N. ". W. u
W., making the course OF 80 miles. The
wind, besides being very light, was Variable,
shifting through six points OF the compass,
and the race became simply drifting
match, In which luck had more to d., with
iha outcome than the huid Of the yachts or
the skill of the sailing masters. In the
jockeying fof position at the start both cap
thins exhibited great dehl OF nerve as we'll
as skill. Capt. Sycamore appeared, however.
to slightly misiuuge his distance from the
line, as he turned toward II on the port tack
at the critical moment. Columbia was in
his lee also making for the linu and sue
ceeded In crowdIng him over second or
two before the starting gun wns fired. sham
rock was recalled and bud to make com,
pete turn, while Columbia kept on and
| Iassed over The line ut 1l.OO.10. Capt. Barr
| immediately took the starboard thck ana
had good lead end the weather position
when Shamrock crossed the line second
| time ut Hoop.
| Columbia held this advantage, and, in
deed, increased her lead to half mile or
more in the course OF the next two hours. at
| the end of which time. 1t was apparent that
| the race could nat DO finished In time. Both
| ynchts mad gone far oil their course to the
/ ttaI nh x.Ft tt,d mi
finally CApt. Barr invited Capt. Sycamore to
return by taking the starboard tack. But
i Capt. Sycamore had nothing mole to lose
by returning, and kept on In his search for
wind. Capt. Barr could not afford TO get
fsr away, so he ngain went on the starbourd
tnck. After few minutes of idle smiling
he again invited Capt Sycamore to return
ito the course. Again the captain of the
Shamrock declined, and again Capt. RaIr
returned to the long tack southwark. But
patience was rewarded by slant Of wind
that sent him ahead of Columbia and in the
windward position,
As som DIS Columbia felt the same gentle
breeze she began TO gain on tho challenger,
md in short time was on even terms WIN
her, but Co leewnrd. a mp and tuck struggle
ensued. first one boat and then the other
being slightly In the lead.
Finally Columbia succeeded in working
out ahead of Shamrock, but to ieeward.
They were then close together. II Columbia
had simply held her course the yachts would
have been only few seconds apart ut the
first turn, but another shift of wind threat
ened to blanket Columbia, and TO avoid II
Barr drew out under Shamrock e stern. AZ
this moment the wind hauled around still
more TO the south, and for moment
Columbia appeared to be sailing back to
the lightship. Shamrock, favored By the
same breeze, was sailing In the opposite d.
Iection.
In less time than it takes to tell it, the
yachts were separated by third OF mile
before Columbia could be brought roun5 t.
ber true course. Their relative positions
, then remained unchanged until the turn,
when Shamrock was found to be minutes
seconds ahead Of Columbia, or. adding tht
II seconds lead of Columbia, 3 minutes Y
; seconds In sailing time.
In the close reach home Shamrock carried
large reaching iib topsail, while Columbi'
; held closer TO the wind with small bab!
iib topsail. Shamrock appeared 10 increas'
her lend, but she WIS sailing OIL her course
and Columbia was kept well up to wind
: ward, so that, If the race had been to
finish, the result would have been in doub
until the yachts came together.
After an hour OF this kind of sailing, IL
race was called of, as IL was impossible Il
finish. -Four and a half hours had been con
sumed in sailing about one-half of the
mile course. o
/ While the result, Shamrock being in th
, lead may depress Columbia stock, 1t Is alb
5 solutey insignificant. except that it con
firms the belief that the yachts are 80 event
matched that the slightest accident Q
Y chance puff of wind may determine VIII
!: shall be tho winner. But Shamrock mus
get three such chances to two for Columbit
a Moreover, 1t is likely that on some day {
h. least there will be wind enough to deter
mine the race on the merits OF the yachts.
For that issue purtisans OF Columbia nj
i as impatient as tho followers OF Shamrocl
! The yachts have not yet been compared
e strong breeze. hut Columbia has inyarii
& bly, shown her superiority in light air
10 where there have been no accidental Sian
"a of wind. The race over the triangulI
- course Is to be repeated tomorrow.