The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-09-29


Third race-Takes place Tuesday, .
October 1. - .
sessssssssspsSso
New York. September IS. In the closest
and most stirring race ever sailed for tho
old Americas cup. the white flyer Column
bia today beat tho British challenger over
a wIndwari and lecward course OF thirty
nautical miles by tho narrow margin OF
thrty-nine seconds As Llpton's latest as
pirant for cup honors must allow the de
fender forty-three seconds on account of
the extra elEhty-three square feet canvas
In her sail area the official record, under
the rules, gives her tho victory by one
minute and twenty-five seconds.
As spectacle tho contest was superb .
From The time the two sky-scraplng racers
crossed the starting line until they finished
four and half hours later. the result was
IN doubt and the excitement aboard the
excursion feet increased until men became
frenzed and women almost hystcrcal, SO
evenly matched were these two scientific
racing machines that never after they had
started were tho rival shippers out OF each
others hail and more than three quarters
OF the time they were so close that Charlie
a
can boat, could have tossed biscuit to
Captain Sycamore on the shamrock For
niles as they heat their way to the outer
mark, the black shadow OF Shamrock's huge
club topsail was painted on the big main
sail OF the Columbia aud for an hour on
the run home. with the two yachts nylng
Ike scared deer before the wind. they ran
almost abeam to aheam. as though they
!, ,hV
Tho memory OF the races between tn,
Genesta and the Puritan In 1885 and LORD
Dunraven's first Valkyrie and the vlGllant
in 1893, which have been treasured by
yachtsmen up to this time. will he forgot
ten after the magnificent duel OF today. II
win live forever in the memory OF those
who witnessed II. In the years to come
yachtsmen OF two nations Will recount the
thrilling story Of the celebrated first race
between Columbia and Shamrock II, sailed
on New York harbor In the nrst year OF
the new century.
AZ n result OF today's race though faith
in the Columbia stil remains in the heart s.
y the patriots all the experts admit that
the British boat Is the ablcst sloOp ever
sent ia these waters 10 lift the 100 guinea
cup which the old schooner America brought
across the Atlantic fifty years ago, and
that the superiority OF American seaman.
ship and American naval architecture as
represented by the defender to be estab-
lished, The quality of 3 sailing ship Is
measured by her ability 10 carve her way
Into an adverse wind and In the fifteen.
mile threSh to wlndward today the golden
challenger gained thirty-one seconds while
on the run home her lead was eaten up
and the Columbia crossed the finish line
exactly thirty seven seconds before tho
Shamrock
II must be remembered, however, that
the challenger had the weather gauge in
the beat TO wlndward. no mean advantage
and the nautical experts said after the
race that during the outward journey she
had been sailed to absolute perfection
while before the wind the American yacht
not only showed n fleeter pair OF heels, but
nthe opinion OF the sharps was handled
better.
Disappointed by the huke Of Thursday
the crowd which sailed down 10 Sandy
Hook lightship today was somewhat smaller
than on the opening day, but even so the
colony OF steamers, steam yachts, tug
boats sailing vessels and excursion craft Of
every description formed an angle at the
starting line miles long.
It was an ideal day for a race.
The start was thrilling. The yachts
bounded away across the line like couple
Of runaway horses, the challenger half a
length ahead and to windward. In the
maneuvering before the start Captain Syca-
more had given the willy Yankee skipper
a genuine surprise, returning Roland for
the Oliver ne received on Thursday. Just
when Barr thought he had him under his
lee the Englishman deadened his way and
then luffed under the Columblas stern into
the weather berth.
rhis victory for the Shamrock at the
very inception Of the race the Columbia
could not overcome in the long beat to
windward. The two big yachts we're an
inspiring sight to the spectators as they
plunged seaward, pounding great fountains
OF spray from their bows and drenching