The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-05
THE AMERICAN CUP
 TO STAY IN AMERICA
Columbia, the Splers d Defender, Takes Last Race yfOm Sham
 rock in Bri' zsAnt Finish.

floating from her towering mastheads and the ends of her spreaders in honor of her concluding triumph in the cup races of 1901, the gallant sloop Columbia returned to her anchorage tonight under the es- cort of the entire excursion fleet She today completed her defense of the hon. pred trophy in another stirring race with the Shamrock II over leeward and wirdward race of thirty miles, crossing the. finish line two seconds behind her an- tagonist. but winning on the time allow ance conceded by Lipton's boat by forty one seconds.
 Plucky Sir Thomas Lpton. standing on the bridge of the Erin, led his guests in three hearty huzzahs for the successful defender.
 She is the better boat" he said. land she deserves to be cteered."
 The racers were sent away before the wind, each carrying a penalty for cross ing the line after the handicap guns. the Columbia's being 15 seconds and Sham rocks 30 seconds.
 At one time the Columbia seemed mile ahead, when a sudden cant of the wind allowed the Shamrock to point near CT the mark and a mile from home the challenger appeared to be leading by fully half a mile. The talent began to feel nervous. but as the yachts approached the finish, the Yankee skipper, by some miraculous legerdemain, showed his boat into the light air like a phantom ship, and one hundred yards from home, the two racers were almost on even terms. It was a pretty sight and one seldom witnessed, when they crossed rail to rail. the white yachts bowsprit just tapping the golden boats mast. The usual pam demonium that attends the final Yankee victory in a cup contest followed. Whis- ties, sirens, bells, bands and cheers united in a grand chorus of jubilation and J. P Morgan's steam yacht Corsair added to the terrific din by firing a national sa- lute of twenty-one guns.
 Sir Lipton Was Game.
 While taking his defeat gamely. Sir Thomas Lipton made no attempt to con- ceal the honest disappointment.
 "I am very much disappointed" he said. pI can't hide that. thought within fifteen minutes of the finish that we had won. When I looked around, the situation had changed, and wexhad lost. I should like j to have got one race just by waS of cons solation. It is a very hard thing to be beaten by a breath--by few beats or the pulse. The Columbia's win today was fair and square and honorable. There is nothing to protest If I wanted to pro- test
 In today's race the American boat was first to come about after the warning sig nal at 10:55. The Shamrock immediately followed and planted herself astern of the
 A. fraa hEoo Inc ant her balloon jib and letting fall her spin maker pole to starboard. It was Syca- more's game to cross last if possible. This he was able to do. but while he had the pride of position in leeward start, he found himself thirty seconds behind the handicap gun. Barr, in the meantime, had delayed breaking out his light sails and held the Columbia's sheets in flat. Thus he too, handicapped his boat in crossing.
 Both boats being handicapped. the of- 6cial time of the start was as follows: Shamrock, 11:o2:OO; Columbia, n:o2:OO.
 Hardly had the boats got over the line before 1t was seen that the Shamrock was gaining on her rival Slowly she crept up and at Il IF was on even terms. Half a minute later she showed her bow spirit ahead and from then on led the Columbia to the outer mark. The run down the wind was uneventful after the Shamrock took the lead, except at few minutes before the turn, when the Co., Iumbia, catching first fresh pun or wind, ran up on the challerger's weather nuarter The boats were then very near inc turning buoy, so that the Shamrock took in her spinnaker and balloon jib and set her jib and stay sail. As soon as these two head sails were filled with wind the British boat luffed out under the bow of the Columbia, took on new life
 hn kept her spinnaker until within two min utes of the mark, hoping with this addi- tional sail to pull up But she was un- able to do so, and had to turn forty-nine second behind her rival. The time or turning was as follows: Shamrock 12:4S.46; Columbia, 12:49:35.
 Thus. on the run straigh: down tne wind, the challenger had gained, accord ing to official time, 49 seconds, but Tn reality she had done better than this, Tor to this forty-nine seconds are to be added the fifteen seconds which the Columbia led her over the starting line.
 After turning the boats took several Jacks and the wind soon became fiukey. first one boat getting it in puffs and then the other. At 1:30 the boats were stand ing along one port tack, but wide apart. The Columbia was wei to wordward the distance estimated by some of the yacht ing sharps at nearly a mile, but at the same time she was slightly astern.
 A Series of Short Tacks.
 A series of short tacks was then begun bv both racers and in these the Shamrock showed evident gains, being aided by friendly slants of wind. For half an hour these short Jacks continued and when at o'clock the boats came together near enough to afford comparison it was seen that the challenger had made up a large part if not all her loss. Instead of being a good test of sailing, the race now became a matter of luck in getting In and good seamanship in meeting the vary ing puffs At the same time it became A very close affair and there was intense excitement in the sightseeing fleet
 A few minutes after 2 o'clock Barr put the Columbia about on the starboard tack and headed for the Jersey shore. minute later the Shamrock followed and it was then seen beyond possibility or doubt that the American boat was not only to windward, but was slightly ahead. Again the two racers went Into short reaches and again the challenger came out with gains to her credit, so that at 2:2O she took the lead. It became any body's race and the excitement increased. A few more short tacks and the British boat added to her lead by favoring puffs. Barr nursed his craft along in the light airs in a wonderful manner and at every moment had a sharp eye out for any change of wind. Shortly after 2:30 both boats went on long port tack and then at 3:17 the Shamrock put about to meet the Columbia 1t was evident that she still had a slight lead. for She forced the defender about Having done this. the Shamrock again went about on the port