The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-07-12
GIVES Them
A SURPRISE.
INDEPENDENCE IS NOT A DEAD
ONE.
SAILS AN EXCITING RACE.
Question Of Supremacy Still Far
from Settled at Present
lime.

Newport, July 11-Columbia won
today's race in fine shape, with Con-
stitution second and independence
remarkably good third.
The Boston boat sailed an exciting
race with the two Herreshoff and led
Constitution at the outer mark only
to be beaten by her little over two
minutes on the run to the finish be-
fore the wind. The breeze today was
much stronger than on the previous
days and independence sailed Is miles
to the windward without her jib top
sail and seemed to hold higher, at
the same time footing just as fast.
The result of today's race leaves
the question of supremacy of the
three 80 footers uncertain, Independ-
ence being not so slow after all, while
Constitution has yet to prove her
unquestioned superiority over the
other two yachts in anything, except
very light airs. The hopes of the
Boston contingent have therefore
gone upward with bound and to-
night experts are trying to figure
what Independence will do when it
blows still little harder.
The race itself was very exciting.
especially when little less than an
hour after the start, Independence,
| by keeping near the Narrangsett peir,
| forced Constitution about and for a
few minutes was the leading boat in
the race. From that point to the
| turning buoy the fight between the
two new yachts was one of the clos
est contests seen here for many years.
With the mark about eight miles dead
to windward, the two flyers battled
for the lead. Three times did the
Herreshoff yacht attempt to cross the
bow of the Crowinshield boat, only to
be beaten back and forced about.
Captain Half kept the Constitution
right under his lee and was able to
maintain this commanding position
through the speed and pointing abil-
lity of the Boston boat, even with less
sail, the Herreshoff boat carrying, as
usual, her baby jlb topsail
On and on sailed the rivals, the
hull of independence being. always on
/ the sunny side of the Bristol yacht.
While they battled however, Cap
tain Barr of Columbia saw his chance
and took advantage of this contest
j between the other two yachts to slip
on to windward and he thus reached
1 the mark nearly four minutes ahead.
/ Astern Of him were independence and
Constitution leach striving for the
buoy, the Boston boat giving blow for
blow and luff for luff in every case
and finally swinging round with Con-
stitution's bowsprit right over her
taft rail. Two brief seconds after
Constitution also turned.
Last Saturday Constitution beat In
III 1uOPOAAOASO AO01 ~ OAO 4OuA W tAO
outer mark. Monday the Herreshoff
boats pulled away from independence,
but the gain was comparatively small
and not at all discouraging to the fol-
lowers of the Boston yacht. Shroud-
ed in a dense canopy Of fog, Columbia
swept across the finish line. Three
minutes and AZ seconds after came
Constitution and right astern by less
than half a mile, sailed independence.
defeated, but not humiliated.
Il The three crews cheered each
other, the Independence tars being
/ particularly demonstrative.
There was almost the joy of victory
on Independence tonight. The re-
markable improvement in the speed
qualities of the boat has given all
hands new hope. Captain Haff, who
has never lost confidence, said that
il independence is properly tuned up
she can beat either Of the other two
boats In any kind Of breeze. He
further said that she has not been
thoroughly tried out in equal condi
tions. The present series has afford
ed an opportunity to find out what
was the matter, but the captain said
that since the faults have become
known there has been no time t.
remedy them. All sails, especially
the head sails, are bagging badly an,
the head sail maker has had no tim,