The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
RACING FOR ASFOR CUPS.
Constitution and Columbia Appear
TO BE on Even Terms

| Closing Competition of the New
! York Yacht Club Cruise-SIoOps
| and SchoOners ContestiHE for tie
! Prizes-Independeu n Spectator.
| BATEMAN'S POINT. Il. /. July %
( The races for the Astor Cup. the final
event Of this years cruise of the New
York Yacht Club squadron, are being sail
ed today of BreDtou-s Reef Iightship.
For sfusje-masted vessels and yawIs a
S1,Goo cup has been o~ered and $3.50 cup
for schooners- This is just the reverse Of
former years. when the more valuable
cup was offered for the schooners- But
interest in schooner racing has gradually
declined. while that in the contests be
tween the sloops has grown. And SO the
sIoops raced for the biggest prize today
In the sIoop class were included the two
ninety-foot Cup defenders, the three big
yawls and the sixty-one-foor cutters Sep
arate prizes were offered today by the
owners Of these two classes. There seem
ed no chance Of their defeating the Cup
defenders. 50 The owners of the yawIs got
together and offered a cup for the sixty
one footeTs, while the owners of the FIVE
sixty-one-footers did the same for the
yawls-
Both the S9-footeFs were in fine fettIe
for the struggle today The Constitution
had suffered no serious injury from her
contact with Race Rock and there was
no reason in the minds Of yachtsmen why
she should not have put forth her best
efforts today. The fact that the new
yacht had been laying 1T anchor near a
sunken wreck all this tine gave yachts
men a start this morning. 1t was only
five feet below the surface at low water
and it is a miracle that the Constitution
has not smashed into it in the many times
she has sailed up to her uoorings.
The judges yacht. Colonel Astor's
NourmahaI, came steamfng down the
harbor for the HghtshiD at 1915. Just
before the yachts started the In5epend-
ence came down with jlb topsails and
seemed prepared for a brush with the
other two g0-footers. although not in the
race.
At l0:5o the judges h,isted the signal
for the yachts to sail over the 3S-mile
Block Island course, so-caIled- This
course provides for thirteen and one
half-miIe run to a mark boat anchored
east Of Block Island buoy, leaving it on
the port to round a stake boat two miles
southwest by west from West Island,
leaving it TO port and finish at the light
ship, the second leg being eighteen miles,
and the third six and one-haIf miles.
AS the wind 5ust before the start was
a little north of west. this course at II
O'Clock. provided the wind held, would
give the yachts a fair wind throughout
and no wiudvsrd work. The yachts
therefore prepared for the start with large
reaching sails set UP IN st0ps and spin
makers ready TO break out soon after
crossing the line.
The preparatory signal was fired at Il
o clock and the starting signal for sIoops
at HES
The Constitution and the Columbia were
at the eastward of the committee boat
when the gun was fred, but waited over
TWO minutes after the signal for the
er-- 'H-''+-# ~ tS-7lifB tIlf li-tt- ne NDL-
was the first to swing of before
the line, while the Columbia kept further
TO the westward and windward before
starting. Meanwhile the Navahoe had
followed and crossed the line right be
tween the two flyers.
The Constitution after crossing broke
out her spiHnaker to starboard at Il 90.
and the Columbia followed half a minute
later The apparent starting time Of the
two big boats as seen from the shore was:
Constitution, I1.o7.45; Columbia. u:0s.IG
The starting gun for schooGers was fired
at U:I0, the Corona being first TO cross
the line
At 1880 a. N. the yachts had sailed
about five miles The Constitution ap-
geared to be leading the sIOops- but the
Columbia was quite near her over to the
eastward the Independence. which is fol
lowing the race as spectator, appears to !
be keeping up.
At 1l-i5 a m the yachts had diSap-
DcaTed in the haze in the direction Of
Block Island The sea was overcast but /
-he wind held We'll little st of north. !
and it looked as though the race would !;
be Finished in quick time. The ConstItu-
ton appeared "a be leading tHt fleet out (
Jf the haze with the Columbia close BY (
At 100 p H. what appeared to be two /
II the yachts could just be distinguished l
n the haze They seemed 20 De- racing
ilonE toward West Island and going very (
asst. From here II looks as though the ,
lead boat had a lead of about half /
nile 1t IS clearing Of shore If this /
Toves TO b. the two uiuaty-footsrs II /
seems as though thes- turned tn Book /
sland mark about l2-l5-
At 80 p m two OF the njuety-fnoters
.oUId be clearly seen. apparently about |
laLf way in their run 20 the second mark
They were going very fast. and the lead
n@ boat was not more than "a hundred /
ards ahead 1t IS impossible 10 distin-
-gish between them
~ I-IG p. IN the two uiuety-fgoters were
making for the second mark almost neck
md neck. The club tug had caught up
With the two flyers and it was thought
would be able to set the mark all right |
tt 1:43 the yachts were on about even
eTus.
THE AILSA GOES ASHORE.