The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-09-06

n O0Ium Dtu-, estcbs
The choice of the Columbia az the
Cup defender against Shamrock IL II
bsyopd or understanding. especially
after the comparison Of the two American
hoats afforded by the race Of Wednesday.
Constitution crossed the starting line u
seconds after the end OF Ia interval
allowed. and so was recorded as start
ina n seconds sooner than she ID In
fact. So she began the race the lecward
boat. Before very long she had TO luh
10 clear q coasting schooner. Notwith-
standing, she beat the Columbia in
beating TO the mark l minute and Id
seconds. Running home the Consttu-
tons spinnaker having fouled in the
lib stay, dragged in the water for nearly
q minute. Something more than n mile
from the finish her balloon jib topsail
blew to ribbons. And yet, with all
these mishaps, she actually beat the
Columbia, with time allowed. seconds
As the Constitutions crew showed
the very best Of skill and promptitude
I'm the handling Of hes sails. the charge
Of bungling canno b. properly made
against them.
A 20 Constitutions changes Of form,
the mystery about them has been slowly
but surely driven away. In her FIRST
races. IN light airs she won. In the
first strong breeze she lost. and those
who saw her gaff swing out under the
winds stronger pressure saw an easy
EXPLANATION. Her mast was heightened
and the gaf better held in place, and at
her first meeting with the Columbia.
In a strong breeze, she won. On the
shorter COURSES in the Sound, where
advantage Of the start had more effect
upon the result, fortunes varied until
she got a mainsail that was heavier than
any ever set. With that h lost. But
with her old and lighter sail restored
she win again. With a lighter sail as
good as C~olumbia's. there il no valid
reason for thinking that she ia not the
faster boat: and faster she In even as
she stands.
One word as 10 the man at the wheel.
BARR has won the advantage Of the
start the majority OF times over
RHODES. But the latter has beer handi-
capped by the fact that the Constitu-
tons skipper. Mr.. DUNCAN. has labored
under a very proper sense Of RESPONSE
bility as the manager OF the defender.
and risks were not wisely a part OF the
game for him. BARR, while a clever
man. IL one Of the most reckless that
nails. Once this season he has right
fully lost the race nv a foul, and twice.
we believe, the foul was deliberately
avoided by the other boat. We think
that in choosing the Columbia the COM
mittee was wrong, and that the decision
should be reversed.
Another word IA TO the gentlemen
upon whom disappointment has fallen
in a peculiar degree. First come Mr..
DUNCAN. who has given his summer
90 the preparation Of the Constitution.
ard Messrs. BELMONT, STILLMAS, PAYNE.
BOURNE and WALTERS. by whom col
lectively about a quarter Of a million
dollars has been expended. only TO fail Of
winning the prize they coveted. namely.
tho honor Of defending the Cup. last.
but not least. the owner Of the Columbia
herself. Mr.. PIERPoNr MORGAN. whose
sportsmanship ia known 10 he Of the
quality that could see in H~ERREsHoFp's
failure to improve upon the Columbia
chagrin "a keen rs that Of any other
good American citizen.
OF course "a 10 another Cup victory
the chance has been diminished to an
unprecedented extent. According to
the judgment OF the committee, our
march in boat building has stopped.
We are where we were two years ago.
while the challenger has taken a step
forward that ia believed 20 bo long
Fate alone knows whether II IS long
enough to close the gap that the Column
bia made between herself and Sham
rock |. We don't believe IL Is. but we are
constrained to advise the American
people 90 enter the contest with greater
expectation of seeing a race more glorious
for its closeness than for It's triumph.
That Il will be close We may be sure.
That il viii be triumphant. we conf
IDENTIFY hone.