New-York tribune., 1901-09-27
GREAT FLEET WATCHES TT

along to certain victory the only thing that
prevented the yacht Columbia from defeating
Sir Thomas Lipton's challenger the Shamrock
yesterday in the first of the series of races to
be sailed for the possession OF the Americas
Cup. After the first five miles of the thirty-me
course had been sailed. the defender always
in the lead. and she increased her advantage
constantly rounding the outer mark more than
seven minutes before the challenger. and being
about mile and quarter ahead of her when
the unwelcome gun from the committees boat
announced the melancholy fact that the time
limit of five and half hours had expired and
that the contest had ended without a decision.
The Columbia at that time nearly ten miles
from the finish line.
Almost upon the report of the gun the Column
bia up into what little wind there was.
her jibtopsail fluttered to her deck. followed by
her other smaller sails; up from the attendant
fleet the defenders tender, every one of
the excursion fleet at once bore away for home,
and the first of the Cup races of 1901 had ended
in a fuke.
But for all the disappointment attendant upon
the failure of either boat to upon her
rival and the knowledge that the effort must
be made again. many a yachtsman turned his
face honeward last evening with sense of re-
lief, for it almost the unanimous Judgment
of critical observers that the cup safe for
another year.
Unless" said one veteran yachtsman. he
smilingly watched the Columbias canvas come
down-"unless the Columbia shows change of
form very much for the worse. the Shamrock
shows an improvement of remarkable quality
in her next attempt. Sir Thomas will not lift
the Cup this year" And this pronouncement
to be heard on all sides. OF course, nothing
Of the sort came from official sources. but
board the Chester w Chaplin, which carried
many members of the New-York Yacht Club and
their friends and on the Gay Head which
chartered by the Atlantic Yacht Club, there were
many echoes of this cheering belief. qualified by
provisos about the Shamrock's showing IN the
future unexpected speed in heavy weather
THE COLUMBIA'S IMPRESSIVE SHOWING.
The showing of the old defender. which had
! won the extraordinary honor of defending the
cup for the second time against the efforts of a
challenger, was all the more impressive because
it was made in the sort of weather which many
OF the critics have said was best suited to the
Shamrock and In which she most to be
feared The Columbia was known to be re-
markab BILE craft in heavy weather. and capable
of wonderful speed in rip snorter of blow,
but when it came to light airs it was feared
that the Irish boat would slide away from her.
But while there wind yesterday. after
the race started. that cOulQ De cdleu neaNS, IL
was yet noted with amazement that the CO.
lumbia left her rival faster in the light airs
than when the wind blowing at the rate or
ten knots hour. which was about as high as II
got at any time during the racing hours.
Luck which so often comes In TO snatch vic
tory from the fastest boat. played little part
in yesterdays great contest. What little there
favored the Shamrock. II was after the
yachts were about five miles from the starting
line and the wind had died away to a mere
breath that the fluke occurred The Columbia
had drawn about two hundred yards ahead. ana
Captain Barr thought il the proper time TO go
about the port tack. Captain Sycamore
instead of going with him, stood in toward
the Long Island shore in search of wind. He
was in luck, for once. and found il there, while
the Columbia found nothing but calm whittier
she had gone. The defender came about again
as soon as she that her rival had found
a breeze but the mischief had been done. and
Captain Sycamore secured perceptible lead.
and the much coveted weather berth. But
aside from this exception the sailed
under equal conditions and the superiority of
the Columbia under the prevailing circum-
stances of wind and weather seemed decisvely
demonstrated.