The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-05

a
national salute OF twenty-One guns.
CHEERED THEM BOTH.
After Columbia had hauled down her sails
and set her victory flag the excursion boats
crowded alongside to cheer the Yankee
sailors and the winning skipper Nor did
they forget either Upton or his gallant
craft. In turn the crowded steamers ran
alongside the Shamrock and Erin. and the
vanquished received almost as much honor
as the victor And thus. with fluctuations
all around, the twelfth series of races for
the old cup which the schooner America
brought over fifty years ago ended with
the best of feeling.
While taking his defeat gamely. Sir
Thomas Upton made no attempt 10 conceal
the honest disappointment when he talked
about the races tonight on the Erin.
Il very disappointed he said. az
can't hide that. / thought within fifteen
minutes of the finish that we had won /
was sure as my life we had won. When
looked around the situation had changed
and we had lost. L should like to have got
one race Just by way of consolation. 1t is
a very hard thing 70 be beaten by a breath
by a few beats OF the pulse. Ii has been
a severe strain on ne, l have worked so
hard for many months now, and / am glad
il is over To have won would have been
joy greater than to-day's disappointment.
Columbia's win to-day was fair and square
and honorable There is nothing TO pro-
fest Il l wanted TO protest In fact 1 have
a feeling in my heart that if there had
been any error in judgment at all ii would
have been in my favor.
IF there had been any possibility of
choice in the matter, believe the New
York Yacht Club would have given me the
race Sometimes man may have the bet
ter boat but, even having it, must have
wee bit of luck to win. / am very grieved
indeed very grieved and" he added II
should have liked to have won one race
When asked about his plans for the future
Sir Thomas said AT bot is too tSs early to tax
cannot decide yet what L shall do, and as
10 challenging again. it is too soon to think
about it"
preparatory gun when the committee boat
Navigator hoisted the signal indicating that
the course would be fifteen miles to lee
ward and return. The wind at that time
came from north-northwest and was blow
ing twelve miles an hour. Both racers
came out from the Horseshoe in tow OF
tugs and seemed slow in getting their sails
THE START.
At the preparatory signal at 10:45 both
boats were far up to the windward and
came down toward the lightship. and just
before the warning gun headed up into the
wind simultaneously and worked back TO
their former positions. Both boats were
on the port tack and close hauled, with
Columbia on the weather quarter of the
challenger The American boat was first
to come about after the warning signal st
1855. Shamrock Immediately followed and
planted herself astern OF the defender, at
the same time breaking out her balloon jJb
and letting fall to starboard her spinnaker
| boom. 1t was Sycamore's game TO cross
| last if possible. This he was able to do,
| but while he had the pride of position in
a leeward start, he found himself 80 seconds
| behind the handicap gun. Barr in the
meantime had delayed breaking out his
| light sails and held Columbia's sheets in
| fiat. Thus he. too, handicapped his boat in
| crossing, but not so much his rival for
| it is estimated that he was only Is seconds
| behind the handicap gun.
Both boats being handicapped, the of
| ficial time of start posted on the bull
| letin board OF the committee boat as fol-
| lows:
Shamrock. 1l:O2:O0; Columbia. 11:O2:OO.
Hardly had the boats got over the line
| before it was seen that the Shamrock was
| gaining on her rival. Slowly she crept up
| and at 1l;H was on even terms. Half a
| minute later she showed her bowsprit
ahead and from there on led the Columbia
| TO the outer mark. The run down the wind
| was uneventful after Shamrock took the
| turn, when Columbia, catching first a fresh
| puff OF wind, ran up on the challenger's
weather quarter. Tbe- official time at the
turn was:
Shamrock. 12:4S46; Columbia. 12:49:S5.
| Thus, on the run straight down the wind
| the challenger had gained. according to Of
| hclal time, 49 seconds, but in reality she
had done better than this, for to this forty
| nine seconds are. to be added the hfteen
| seconds which Columbia led her over the
| starting line.
THE BEAT HOME.
After rounding the mark Shamrock stood
| off for some minutes the starboard tack.
| The Columbia after turning went over on
| the port tack. The boats split tacks most
| of the way in. at time Columbia be-
| ing ahead and again Shamrock regaining
| her lead. The air was light and they
| sailed wide, each seeking a favorable
breeze. Soon after 2:S0 both boats went on
| long port tack and at 3:17 Shamrock put
about to meet Columbia. 1t was evident
| that she still had slight lead for she
forced the defender about Having done
| this, Shamrock again went about on the
| port tack, with the evident hope of fetch
| ing the line, now about mile away Co
! lumbia kept on couple of minutes longer
| and then followed her rival. She was in
| the windward berth, but well astern and
! the lead of the Englishman was unmis-
| taxable. Both boats were being sailed for
all there was in them and they went
| through the water at a speed remarkable
| for the wind that was then blowing.
| Columbia was perceptibly gaining, but
| every soul in the fleet was wondering IL
| she could pull up enough to cross the line
ahead. The wind headed both boats a bit,
| and ii became apparent that neither could
| fetch by the lightship.
| At $3.50 Shamrock went about on the STAR
| board and headed for the middle of the line.
| Columbia tackled under her lee. Barrs game
! being to back-wind the head sails of the
| challenger. On they came, the American
| boat gaining slowly. The crowd began to
cheer for ii was then a certainty that the
| gallant defender was we'll within her time
| allowance if she could not cross first
| Shamrock was first to luff across, but
| hardly was this perceptible before Barr did
| the same thing with Columbia and they
| went over only two seconds apart, but the
| two seconds were TO the credit of the Sham
| rock in actual time, though she was a
| game The official time of the finish was: