Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-07-02

| bia to-day by the small margin vi 20
seconds in the first real race in which
The new Herreshoh yacht has partici-
pated. Although the contest from start
to finish was close and at times excit-
ing in the opinion Of a majority OF
| Fachtmen in Newport tonight, the Con-
J stitltion lost through misfortune How
ever. the rezult OF to-days contest is far
from conclusive and there is still mucn
TO be decided as 10 relative merits OF
!, the two racers.
/ The mishap to the new boat came
about an hour after the start. Whlie
| the boats were on the second lank tack
to windward the clew Of the jib OF the
new boat was carried away and sor
! some ten minutes she was without the
use of the sail This accident sent the
] Constitution back practically a mile,
but in spite OF II she was able to get
within two minutes of the Columbia at
! the turn and cut this lead down more
! than half on the run home. Some of
! this gain, however, was undoubtedly
due to the fact that she brought up in
the better wind. The Columbia did not
escape without accident too, for i'm
mediately after crossing the finish line.
| in gybng over the big main sail, her
main boom buckled and she had TO be
towed to the city. It will be necessary
to sling new spar before the Columbia
can race again, but II is expected it Will
be in place for a race on Wednesday.
The event to-day was the first Of a Ser
les OF special races arranged by the
New York Yacht club for the purpose
of bringing the two yachts together.
The course was cleared for the racers
when the time approached for the firing
of the signal gun and the breeze came
up from the southwest just when it was
wanted Fifteen miles dead to wind
ward and back again was the course
signalled by the flags hoisted on the
flagship Colonia. The starting signal
sent Columbia off at 11:40:34 well TO
windward and three seconds in advance.
The Constitution with a rare burst OF
speed came on with a rush ana ran
through the Columbia's lee pointing for
much higher position than was ex-
pected of her
This did not last long however. Both
yachts, with big club topsails set and
small jib topsails hunting for whatever
;nlt he lii ha
best of the breeze. The Constitution, by
large majority, footed faster than the
Columbia. But while the new boat
was going along swift as the wind, she
had not the grip on the water that the
old craft had. Along on the starboard
tack the two yachts sailed, both dog
ging at an eight-knot gait. The Con-
stitution would not stand up SO we'll as
her rival by at least three degrees.
When the time came for the Constitu-
ton to tack it was a mooted question
whether she could or could not cross
the Columbias bow. In the Judgment
of sharps, however, there was too large
a gap to leeward to allow of this. But
lust at the moment when the Consti-
tutions helm was put down the Column
boa also came about and both went ON
the port tack for few minutes.
Suddenly the huff of the Constitutions
big jib began to shake. The pennant or
the sheet itself had evidently been car
ried away Down came the jib hal
yards by the run, while dozen men
climbed out on the lbowsprit to gather
in the slack at the foot OF the sail so as
to smother the flowing duck. For over
ten minutes the Constitution on that
close hauled stretch was without the
beenit of her jib. Columbia all that
time was pointing higher and footing
faster When the sail was in place
again the Constitution rapidly forged
ahead, making up much of her leeway.
1t was, however, too big gap TO fill
| The outward mark was now in sight
| and Columbia got hold of its true bear
| ings and made judicious hitch to star
| board The Constitution few seconds
] later also tackled, but what she ala was
a stretch too far The time at the outer
mark was Columbia 1:24:55, Constitu
ton l 80: So. Thus on the beat to wind
ward the Columbia defeated her oppo-
nent nearly two minutes. In setting
spinnakers the Columbia was a trlfe
smarter than the Constitution.
In the run before the wind the Consti-
tuition gained. With sheets eased off
she Is faster than Columbia. The time
at the finish was Columbia 1872: 3S,
| Constitution . 49, 20.
Thus over the course of fifteen miles
to windward and back the elapsed time
of Columbia was 2:52:4, while that of
the Constitution was 1925
To Play the Fourth.