The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-08
DEFEATS SHAMROCK IN LATTER'S OWN
KIND OF BREEZE.
FAIR TEST OF THE TWO BOATS
Crosses Starting Line Over a
Twenty-Five Seconds on First Leg
Catches Up With Shamrock on Sec
ond and Sails Away Fro Her On the
Home Wins by Over Three
Minutes-Third Race Today.

New York, October 3--In a glorious
WHOLESALE breeze which heeled the big
cup contestants down until their lee
rails were awash in the foaming seas
Herreshoff's white wonder, the Column
bia, today beat Watson's British crea-
ton over a triangular course of thir-
miles by 2 minutes n 50 seconds &C.
tual time. With the 43 seconds which
the Irish sloop must allow the American
boat on ccoun of her larger sail plan,
the Columbia won the second race Of
the series by 3 minutes, 80 seconds. The
fastest race ever sailed in a cup contest,
it was not only a royal struggle from
a spectacular point of view, but it was
absolutely decisive as to the merits Of
the two racing machines. There is not
a yachting sharp who witnessed the
race today who is not firmly convinced
that the defender is the ADLER boat,
blow high Or blow low, beating, racing
or running and that Sir Thimos and his
merry British tars are doomed to re-
turn home empty handed.
Again the ancient piece of Silverware
brought across the western ocean fifty
years ago is safe. Again American su-
premacy in marine architecture has
been indicated. Sir Thomas has been
wishing Tor a breeze that would bury
the Shamrock's lee rail and today he
had it. Just as he had a similar breeze
in the concluding race two years ago
when the Columbia in a driving finish
beat the first Shamrock over six min
utes.
The wind today was strong and true.
blowing around .aiOhtQnn kpnfc ont nf
the northeast, and at every point OF
sailing, except perhaps running before
the wind. in which the defender has
already taken the measure of the chal-
lenger, the Yankee Shoop proved her
self ADLER than the Watson model.
From the time she crossed the starting
line. l minute and "a seconds behind
the mughunter, until she picked up and
passed the Irish boat, three miles after
rounding the second mark, the ColuE-
bias pace was faster and she behaved
better than her rival.
Reaching for the first mark Ter
miles down the Long island shore with
the wind ahaft the beam she gained %
seconds. In the closer reach for the
second stake she gained 80 seconds and
in the thresh to windward on the leg
home she gained exactly 2 minutes.
Not perhaps as thrilling as the re-
markable contest of last Saturday, to-
N@y - ~ "oSy IL iCiOD sui AAlS9
from start to finish, and as a marine
spectacle it could hardly have been SUI
passed. 1t was an ideal October day
at sea. There was just enough frosti-
ness to clear the atmosphere and make
the whole course visible from shore
The Yankee victory began with the
start when the crafty Barr by a system
of maneuVering convinced his adVerSa-
ry that he was trying to cross the line
first. Captain Sycamore promptly took
the bait and rushing his boat into posi-
ton sent her away almost in the smoke
of the gun. Thereupon Captain Barr.
having accomplished his p tack
ed about back of the line and held off
for more than a minute. Then with a
flying start he went over just before tho
handicap gun was fired. Some of the
patriots were disappointed until the
experts explained that there was no
windward berth in a reach where the
boats could lay their course straight
for the mark and that the position as
tern where Barr could keep his eye on
every move Of his rival was the COM
handing one He could watch Syca-
more like a hawk, knowing that when
the gap between them was closed the
race was his.
For the first fifteen miles no human
eye could tell which ship, if either, was
gaining so closely were they matched;
but gradually it became apparent that
the Columbia was overhauling the fly
ing challenger. Slowly inch by inch
and foot by foot the white boat gain
ed. Both were going at a terrific pace
The patrol fleet to leeward, steaming
a line ahead at intervals Of 400 yards,
had no difficulty in keeping the course
clear. Every one had crowded on
steam to keep the racers in sight and
the gait at which they were going let
the tug boats and some Of the steam
yachts astern.
The guide boa which started fifteen
minutes before the racers, dug out at
full speed. but she was hardly able to
log off the distance and get the float
overheard before the racers, were upon
her.
AS the yachts approached the outer
mark a stream Of signal flags were set
on the revenue cutter Gresham, the
flagship of the patrol fleet. i~nstructing
them in the universal language Of the
sea to change direction by the right
flank. The patrol boats swung around
to line west n charged down upon
the excursion fleet. The latter, with
bells changing in the engine rooms for
more speed. turned tail and the whole
fleet rushed madly to leeward Of the
last leg of the course.
The racers gybed over their big booms
and went ca~reening for the second
mark, the Columbia gaining slowly, but
SulOls- lit a z III Ks I'll
miles in a little over so minutes. When
they swung o the second stake
they took in their baby jib topsails and
hauled their wind for the beat home.
Both yachts heeled until their under
bodies were lifted high over the water
and their lee rails dipped a foot into
the swirling pillows.
In nv minutes after rounding the
secon mark it was apparent hat the
Columbia was footing faster n point
ing higher. She went through Sham
rocks lee like a quarted horse.
The rush of the leviathans on the
n tack was magnificent. The excur-
sion boats. black with people from
gunwals to pilot house, gathered abous
the finish in a great horseshoe.
As he white flyer came on with a big
bone in her teeth well in h lead, the
patriotic shippers with their hands or
their whistle cords could hardly re.
strain themselves.
AS she swept across the finish the dir
was soul destroying. Whistles split tn.
ear and steam sirens walled drowning