New-York tribune., 1901-08-25
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DpOR
THE CONSTITUTION QUITS.
THE COLUMBIA FINISHES THE WINNER
WHILE HER RIVAL ANCHORS, ON AC-
COUNT OF FOG, DUNCAN SAYS.


| THAN auspices the Constitution came TO the line
yesterday in condition TO make gallant attempt TO
| down her somewhat elderly enemy, the Columbia.
| The latter's chances seemed simmer than usual
| yesterday when it was found that on the three
| cornered course set by the club the boats would
have a leading wind all the way round This wind
very light, gave the yachts two broad reaches ana
| a close fetch. There was beating in any part
| of the contested portion of the sailing. Under
| these conditions it was fully expected that the
Constitution even though slightly deficient IN
| windward work. would the tables on the CO.
Iumba by exhibiting that speed in reaching TO Ice
| ward which is often valuable in winning yacht
races. and for which the CONSTITUTION mas dcqlleu
1 so great reputation.
One difficulty that the Constitution has expert
| enced as told by one of her owners. is that
Herreshoff has been i'll for most of the time the
boat has been racing, so that when there was
doubt as to what the boat needed to make her so
faster there no chance to get advice from the
master mind. Another difficulty seems to be that
when an alteration has been made on Mr. HERES
hoff's advice it has not seemed to improve the
boats speed. The longer steel mast was put In
Just after Mr. He-reshof sailed on the Constitu-
ton at Newport. and many of the boats friends
assert that she is sailing we'll now as with
the shorter mast and her first and badly fitting
mainsail
This seemed to be proved in yesterdays racing.
as in Thursdays contest. and although Rhodes
| had the best way on his boat at the start and
| rapidly reduced the Columbias lead of twenty
three seconds the start she seemed to stop as
soon as she got over the vigor of her first rush,
and tailed behind the Columbia all the way to the
| first mark, and lost over half a minute. On the
| broad reach to the second mark she lost a small
| amount and the third reach she gained a few
seconds that the Coumbias gain for the whole
| first round was forty-seven seconds.
Here. in Thursdays race. the Constitution
| came down the Columbia in the spinnaker
Of the first leg in the second round and in the
shifting winds OF an approaching squau they SOW
| eral times exchanged the honor of being
| length ahead. Then the binding rain came at a
moment when the Columbia was to windward and
apparently going ahead For minutes the
committee saw nothing. When the delure grew
thinner the Columbia found the mark
and just about TO round IT. while the Constitution
| could not be found anywhere. L. c. Benedict,
with HIS Oneida, came up asking for the Constitu-
| ton. and many vessels searched the fer her
| 1t was almost alarming. But IT did not alarm the
| one man OF the gathering who felt he
| guessing right. He sat the table in the galley
| OF the tug and said: you need not worry. The
| wind has gone the east. and II is n six
| mile beat TO the easterly mark. You will find the
Constitution at anchor in Oyster Bay" That was
| just where she found. The man no born
prophet. but had learned At Larchmout and New
| port what the Constitution does when the course
| becomes obscured through fog or rain The Con
| sttution 4 great deal OF money. and she
may be required defend the Americas Cup no
risks taken with precious boat
|
| starting line northwest half west four and three
| fourths miles, then east by north six miles and
| back south-southwest four and one-hair miles.
| this fifteen and one-fourth mile triangle TO be
| sailed twice-a total distance Of thirty and one
! half nautical miles. This the south wind prom
| ised the vessels n broad reach on the nrst leg
with the wind point abaft the beam on the sec
ond leg and partly a beat on the third leg.
| At forty-Ave seconds before the 'l235 Barr
| led for the line. and crossed about nye seconds
affp ha sfe nal nd abp aN-a the abr4E ~
the Constitution This being n one-gun start. no
official time OF the actual crossing taken
Unoficially they crossed thus Columbia, y. 90
Constitution. l2:s5 d Barr broke out reaching
| rb topsail. and did Rhodes, but his was
| slow in getting down the sheet, The Constitution
| had however. so much better way on that she
! caught up with the Columbia IN the hrst two
| minutes She went at her Ike an angry dog. but
| ceased 10 gain just she came to the Columbia )
stern Both had lufred out considerably wind
ward OF their course. and now payed off and took
their proper northwestery direction, the Columbia
still holding her lead.
Before they came to the first mark they both
| had TO Gybe, the Columbia doing this first and
| making a quicker movement The Columbia was
here timed officially at ld25l and the Constitution
at 1925.
Barr came to the next without any jib
| topsail, while Rhodes carried large No. ?, which
was lifting her along we'll and his boat ap-
parently going much faster than the Columbia. as
judged by the fuss she made in the water. After
a while the Constitution pulled out TO windward OF
her course and going faster through the water.
Barr then set baby jib topsai, much smaller
sail than the Constitution carrying The big
boat gaining at lis and seemed about to pass
TO windward. From distance in the rear It was i'm
possible to tell which was ahead. and many thought
the Constitution was elected for the mark But
as the boats proceeded the Columbia suddenly bore
up, and then 1t seen that she still the
leading boat. She up and took the mark by
the wind at 1922, where she came In stays and
went off closehauled the port tack for the home
mark The Constitution the mark and
| headreached TO windward in long, slow turn and
followed the Columbia IS seconds behind after
being timed at 1873. Being "A seconds behind at
the first mark and So seconds behind at the second
mark she had thus lest q seconds in the second
leg.
On the third leg which was close fetch all tho
way there was nothing TO record except that the
Constitution gained seconds on official timing
The Columbia came to the turn with balloon jb
| in stops which she broke out on the turn, and her
| the big triangle in less than minute after
| rounding The Constitution performed the same
| nanoeuvres, and. just she did on Thursday.
| came down fast on the Columbia. blanketng as
| she approached. She pointed for Columbla's main
boom side and then came up even, so the masts OF
| the two on line.
At 2Il o'clock she got the leg TO pass ahead, and
| she did so TO the extent of length. when the
| main boom wanted to come over. and part OF the
| crew rushed to push it back. The spinnaker was
| lowered while the same sail on the Columbia re-
| mained in place. The boats now moved out again
| TO even terms At 2:20 O'Clock they We're Tapped
At 2:25 o'clock the rain increased. and two minutes
| later the wind shifted suddenly TO the southwest
| causing both boats to gybe again. This put the
| Constitution to windward and the Columbia 10
| leeward. An increased wind velocity up to ten
| knots an hour here experienced but no canvas
in DO,