Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-01
ANOTHER CLOSE RACE
Big Cup Yachts Have Contest in
Light Wind.
FIRST ONE, THEN THE OTHER LEADS
Shamrock Turned the First Stake
Ahead of Columbia.
TRIANGULAR COURSE TODAY

NEW YORK, October IA ffteen-knot
breeze from the nor'-nor'east was ruffiing
the ocean when the crews of the Columbia
and the British challenger turned out with
the sun this morning. There was a snap of
early autumn in the air, and overhead an
unspotted blue sky gave promise of an ideal
day for the second race between the big
flyers The crews of the yachts were early
astir Breakfast was over by O'Clock and
half an hour later the men were on board
their respective vessels. Sail covers were
taken OFF the mainsails at once and ibis and
staysails were sent up in stops.
Both yachts were ready for a start by
$50 o'clock The mooring chains had been
pnshackled and they were holding only by
slip line.
All night the wind blew strongly from the
northwest, but it began to subside at sum
rise and the weather sharps shook their
heads obviously and predicted that the
beautiful ffteen-knot wind would not hold
long enough to get the race fairly started
The wind shifted around to the north
northeast, but the sea, owing to the off,
shore wind of the past day or two, seemed
to have subsided and there was very little
surf on the Jersey coast
Out to sea number of coasters and pilot
poats mad little difficulty in standing along
under sail and appeared to roll very little
Start on the windward Leg.
The members of the committee stated last
night that il was their earnest desire 70
send the yachts to the windward leg of ten
miles from the start, so that in case the
WIND should shift the yachts would at least
nave a beat In some portion of the race
But ten miles from Sandy Hook lightship
would nave brought the yachts upon the
Long Island shore, and in order to give
them beat of ten miles in that direction ~
looked this morning if the committee
10 "a 70 el,fE .
bright.
AT o'clock the observer at Sandy Hook
reported the wind as fourteen. miles from
the northeast and the sea smooth
The Columbia was the first to start for
the Hghtshlp. She was in tow, and was
followed few minutes later by the Sham
rock.
At o'clock the lower bay nresentad n
prettier and more animated sight than IL
mad on either of the previous race days
There was large feet of pleasure craft
hoVering about and a noticeable increase
in the number of sailing yachts. Lewis
NiXon's houseboat, the Loudon was an
chored near Sir Thomas Lipton's big yacht
the Erin, while near by was the old
schoonr yacht America which fffty years
ago brought to these shores the silver
trophy for which the Columbia and Sham-
rock are struggling.
Wind Begins to Fall
AS the yachts drew down toward the
starting line the wind was decreasing per-
ceptibly. When they were about three
miles from the lightship the vanguard of
the patrol boats and committee boat hove
In sight, and away up the narrows a grow
ing cloud Of black smoke heraided the
coming of the great excursion fleet The
close race Of Saturday and the beautiful
weather which prevailed in the early morn
ing today drew an attendance considerably
In excess of either of the preceding days
BY 10 O'Clock the racers were at the light
ship and the skirmish line of the excursion
fleet was sweeping around the Hook
Sir Thomas Lipton's steam yacht the
Erin, was well to the front of the feet
with a distinguished party on board. The
big dent in her port quarter made by the
revenue cutter Gresham in collision on
Saturday had been Strengthened out end a
coat of green paint covered all outer marks
of the accident.
Meantime both the Columbia and the
Shamrock were making sail and swarms
of nimble-footed sailors were busy on their
decks
A few minutes after 10 o'clock the Sham
rock had set her club topsail, staysail and
jib in addition to her mafnsaiI and a min
ute or two after the Columbia followed
suit. The sails filed fairly well as they
came about to the wind. but the breeze ap-
'peared to be rather ftfui. Then both the
racers dropped their towlines and stood of,
while the JUDGES boat took a position some-
what to the north of the lightship.
After conference on board the commit
tee boat signals were set for course as
follows:
The first leg due east, beat; the second.
south-southwest, one-half west, a broad
reach on the port tack. and the third north
northwest, one-half west: a close fetch to
the finish on the starboard tack.
Meanwhile the wind had fallen so light
that the two big yachts stood up like
churches, the breeze not being strong
enough to give them any heel
Wind Was Dying Out.
BY the time the preparatory gun was fired
the yachts scarcely had steerage way, the
flags on the committee boat barely being
lifted out from the mast In order to facili-
tate her maneuvering the Shamrock broke
out her baby jibtopsail, as also did the CO.
lumbia. The yachts spent more than seven