The age-herald., 1901-08-11
THE CUP DEFENDERS
 AND THEIR WORK
This Years Cruise of the New York Yacht Club Has Been the Best Attended in a Long Ime-Constiution and
 the Columbia Are At Their Best.
BY PAUL sTELLcoUR.

Newport, R. T., August 1.-This year cruise of the New York Yacht Club has been the most numerousIy attended In the history of the club. There has been full roster of yachts. Members who have not been seen in years have put on their best nautical rig and have maoe themselves strongly in evidence on board some friend, craft or on the committee boat.
 The Constitution and Columbia are at their best, and are conspicuous in all the runs from one harbor to another. Rhodes, in command of the Constitution, and Barr in control of the stock or the Columbia, are doing their best Tor tneir respective commands. They are poth good sailor men, and what they don't know about the management or these modern racing machines is hardly worth the while of other fellows trying to find out.
 The start of the fleet last week from its rendezvous was not particularly ex- hilirating. It was scarcely more than drifting match. Notwithstandlne the Constitution, with that traditional 1ucA which accompanies all American cup oe- lenders, reached port ahead or her rNai, the Columbia, save on one occasion- v. course 1t Is not expected that when ie comes down to actual business the grea, races for the blue ribbon of the seas VIII be captured in a drift we nave, now ever, to take things as they come. Inert is no making weather to order on the Sound or on the ocean, There is no advantage for one boat over another What is sauce for the goose is sauce TOT the gander Skill and ingenuity In the sailing. and the natural speed or the boat are the qualifications 10 pc consau cred. In the early runs from port 10 mort. the Constitution has proven her ability to outfoot all competitors ana show the whole sailing fleet the way into harbor. Suppose the winds have been light-well it was as good Tor one as for the other, and the CConstitution lea the van. The claim that the new cup de fender Is the champion drifter of the Atlantic coast, made by some light hearted son of Neptuna goes for noth- ing. What if she Is? Not infrequently a. craft that gets credit for being sum mer's day boat can take punishment III a stiff blow and ask no odds from any one.
 Columbia Doing Good Work.
 The Columbia has been doing some good work but Charley Barr mas not been showing the way home all the time this trip, to the Constitution. Before the cruise is ended the old defender Will give A good account of herself. She must not vet be classed among the has beens. am not quite so sure that even now she Is not as good as her younger sister
 In the thirty-nine mile run from Luo- dington Rock, New Haven to sarah Ledge. at the entrance to New London harbor, the boats had good winds. In this run, sailed for all 1t was worth, the Constitution proved herself wonder In running and reaching. She went over the distance in four hours, thirty-two min utes and twenty-seven seconds on actual sailing time That was an exciting cpl sode, by the way, at the start, when both boats were maneuvering for position. There is strong rivalry between the two shippers of the two single-stickers Rhodes and Barr are past masters in their calling. It was thrilling scene to see these two men handling their craft as if they were cat boats. There was at one time fear that disaster might come to both ships. About thirty