New-York tribune., 1901-10-05

for half an hour it was impossible 10 toll with
any accuracy how the battle was going. When
the steam craft finally got up abeam however.
IL was seen that the Shamrock had not ONLY re-
gained all that she had lost at the start but was
apparently three or four boatlengths in tha
lead and still gaining. When she had nearly
doubled this advantage the wind began to fall
off bit. and when il freshened the pursuar COT
the beneht of 1t first AS the lazy breeze was
travelling only about five knots an hour the
Coiunoia went nearly as rapidly herself and
oy the time the puff got to the Shamrock the
White yacht was nearly there with it,
Inc Irish yacht again drew slowly away how
ever until she had lead that looked to be
about one hundred and fifty yards. and there
the two boats hung. neither gaining perceptibly
over the other
ACCIDENT To DEFENDERS CANVAS
AS the racers drew near the outer mark.
which glistened brightly in the sunshine, it was
plain that. II no accident occurred, the chaI-
ienger would reach it first When the mark was
still hall mile distant the Shamrock sud-
denly took in her spinnakeT and housed her SPIN
maker boom This move too much for the
critics. and they still wondering why it was
done so soon. They had scarcely had time to
stare. however. when it seen that some
thing was the matter with the defenders can
vas She. too had started to take in her spin
| maker, and the breeze carried it forward as the
stays lCosened and fouIed it on snaphook of
| the balloon jib- whiteclad seaman was at
once sent up in boatswain's chair to clear the
big sail. but before ne could do his work the
wind had made a big rent in the spinnaker
The accident had little effect on the yachts
speed however, and she lost little distance by
the trouble
On the mark swept the Shamrock and she
rounded it at 12:4S:46 the Columbia following
at 12:49:5J. Both yachts were uproariousIy sa-
luted they skinned the mark" and rounded
to the wind for the fifteen mile beat home The
Shamrock had. according TO the official time.
gained forty-nine seconds on the Columbia on
| the out In reality. she had done better
than that, for the Columbia was first away by
considerable margin. The Shamrock stood off
to the Jersey shore the starboard tack. but
Captain Barr sent his boat 10 seaward on the
port tack. coming about afterward and
running up TO the Irish yacht. The latter was
heeling in the way her owner liked TO see
her, and was footing fast. Then Captain Syca-
more made what the experts declared TO be a
bad mistake Instead of standing in TO the
Jersey shore toward the wind. he tackled. when
he had the advantage in position. and. coming
under the Columbia's quarter. stood of to sea-
The defender stood on toward the breeze, and.
getting it first. was able to weather the sham
rock when next they came together.
HARD TO SEE WHICH WAS AHEAD
The challenger, however. got the better OF a
flaw in the wind afterward. and managd
20 eat up under the Columbias lee until she
again had the better of the position. For a long
time after that IL was hard to which boat
ahead, and il was not until Captain Barr
tried 10 the IriShman'S bows that IL
apparent that the foreigner was in the lead. for
the Columbia was forced about The two took
tack for tack then, until about $50 the CO.
lumbia came about for the last time. followed
by the Shamrock the two stood off for the line.
The Columbia drew away gradually. but the
Shamrocks end of the finish line was nearer.
and the two practically even terms to
the last. When every instant the sound of the
gun expected and nobody knew which
bowsprit was ahead. the Shamrock luffed sharp
ly fetching the line earlier by this manCeuvre.
and swept over the finish two seconds before the
white yacht.
\ great blast of steam congratulations went
up. mingled with a few cannon shots from
yachts. the population of the observation YES
sells cheered frantically for the victor and the
vanquished, and the most remarkable series OF
races ever sailed for the Americas Cup had
come to erd