The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-09
is THE NEWEST HERRESHOFF
CHEATION, THE CUP DEFENDER
CONSTITUTION
OLD BOAT IS oUTCLAssED
Columbia Beaten Nearly Half an
Hour Over a Thirty-MiIe
Course OFF Newport
HarhOr.
INDEPENDENCE IS NOWHERE

NEWPORT r. l., July S.-If the vic
tory of Constitution over Columbia and
Independence in the first Of the three
cornered races on Saturday was signifi-
cant and definite, her winning TO-DAY may
well be characterized as overwhelming,
and the defeat of the Independence as
positive and almost hopeless. The ap-
proach of evening again found the COM
mlttee boat anchored far out in Narro-
gansett bay along with the cat boat
which marked the other end of the finish
line, tediously waiting for the Boston
boat to cross, while her rivals were well
up the harbor on the way to their moor
ings The new Herreshoff boat had beat
en- the Columbia by nearly half an hour
over the thirty-mile course, while the
record against independence was over
an hour. Constitution came near travelling
around the triangle while the C"ownin-
shield creation was covering two legs Of
1t. Today's race established the new
Bristol sloop as a record-bredke- in light
airs. She has accomplished what yachts
men considered impossible in thus beat
ing the Columbia, while her performance
has put the Independence entirely out of
the running in conditions like those Of
today. What her showing may be in
heavy water is still matter OF conjec-
ture, as 1t is with Independence but the
experts are now almost ready to accept
any achievement of the Constitution
without question. OF the many races in
connection with the Americas cup that
of today was the most remarkable.
NEW BOAT A MARVEL
Constitution has proved herself the best
light weather craft of this generation.
Highland, Volunteer. Defender and. CO.
lumbia had in the past achieved won
derful things in retaining the cup. but
Constitution caps the climax.
The wind was light from southeast
when the start was made. There was
considerable swell in the harbor
The start was made about three miles
off Brenton lightship. The first leg Of
the triangular course of thirty nautical
miles was a dead beat to windward The
start Of the Constitution was notable.
She did not seem to want to take the
windward position, but being in a hurry
to cross, started from pretty nearly the \
leeward end of the line and luffed up TO
cross just as the gun sounded. This
would have been the cause for a berth
further down to the leeward, but a mill
ute afterward, as the Columbia was
about to cross the Constitution, the latter
showed her naughty disregard Of the
other two and proceeded to leeward, and
then luffing, crossed the bows of her op-
she had obtained, tackled and sought a
berth to windward, a gain Which she
maintained to the end.
TOOK A LONG LEAD.
1t was not an encouraging outlook gem
orally, but the Constitution overcame
every obstacle in the way of hukes and
doldrums and, sailed with tact and skill,
won out at the first mark by 10 minutes
81 seconds over Columbia. That great
yacht never before had such a humiliat-
ing experience. At the next leg, a reach
of ten miles with only gentle zephyr
blowing on the starboard beam, with
every sail set to catch whatever breeze
might come her way, she sailed faster
than the wind and by rare skill and abil-
ity worked her way through what
seemed to be an ineXtricable group of
humanity, through the lazy ground swels
and temporary calm to another brilliant
achievement She rounded the leeWard
mark minutes AZ seconds ahead Of
Columbia. And then, scurrying faster
than the wind, which never during the
race today exceeded the force of a. six
knot air, she made the crowning record
of her history by sailing over the ten
knots in 49 minutes and 46 seconds.
Then came the cheering and Salutes of
acclaim from whistles and sirens in hon
or of the greatest boat that ever sailed
fast light weather sail. The manner in
which the topmast is housed is quite an
other narrative. She is superb, but a
stronger breath may conquer her In
writing of the brilliant work on Colum-
bia mention should be made Of the
valiant efforts the old ship made to
escape from the hoodoo of greater merit
on the part of the Constitution. The
brave and determined efforts of F. D.
Morgan, the plucky amateur; Barr, the
able skipper, and crew whose like can
never be surpassed who kept up the
great fight to the finish and in the smart
handling of the sails never lost a point
were all recognized by appreciative spec
tators. That sne lost was owing to the
same reason that Defender lost in her
contest. She was outclassed as a vessel.
INDEPENDENCE WON'T DO.
The independence was not Handicapped
by her personnel, but simply by her ina
bility to sail fast under the conditions
that prevailed. She made a fairly good
start, experienced no particularly bad
luck. In fact in the reach to the second
mark she had the greatest bit OF luck
of her life, as she made faster time over
the leg, to the tune of 2 minutes and 25
seconds, than Columbia.
That is the only satisfactory episode
connected with the race of the indie
pendence. In two trials in light weather.
she has not proved to be anywhere near
her rivals. What may happen in strong
er breezes cannot be predicted. The sta
tistical story of the contest is told as fol-
lows: