The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-05
THE RACE IN DETAIL.
In a Heart-breaking Finish Amer
 ican Boat Won.


 at 10:45 both boats were to the wind ward of the line and holding away from it, as neither skipper wanted to cross first The windward position was the coveted one, as 1t gave the stern boat the opportunity of blanketing the other. There was some pretty jockeying for this berth.
 Ten minutes later when the warning gun sounded. both were still holding away from the line as if 1t were reef or a sand bar. Two minutes before the start ing gun was fired, the boats continued to hold away and it seemed impossible that they could cross the line before the firing of the handicap gun.
 Both shippers held stubbornly to their determination not to cross first, but at last Captain Barr sent the Columbia for ward, the Shamrock coming right behind him and breaking out her spinnaker to starboard. An instant later the Colum- bias great spinanker boomed out to star board, and as they crossed each broke out balloon jib topsails. It was now evident that the handicap gun had fired before the Columbia, a few seconds in the lead. went over the line. She was probably fifty yards ahead of the Shamrock at this time and both yachts were on the star- \ board tack. .as 4----s. The Columbia crossed the line exactly | fifteen seconds ahead, but the official starting time. the handicap gun having l been fired, was Il :02 for both boats. After they had crossed the line the British boat seemed to cut the Columbia s wind to some extent, and there ensued a little luffing, Captain Barr trying to get his wind clear. The yachts were sailing very rapidly, their huge spinnakers belly ing out in the fresh breeze and their mainsails drawing beautifully. The foreigner began to increase upon 4 kLz NJ. AAw .&ra of sailing she had pulled up considera- bly,. At this point, however, Columbia seemed to catch her wind and maintained. if she did not increase, her lead for the next two minutes.
 Racing Neck and Neck.
 Then again the Shamrock, her greater sail area beginning to tell drew up and it was a magnificent neck and neck race, and until 1:15 the bronze boat drew ahead and in few moments she had placed a god stretch of water between her flying stern and the Columbia's nose In ten minutes more. fairly skimming over the white crested waves, she had reeled off good ten lengths of lead and at that time seemed to he able to hold 1t.
 After thirty-fve minutes of sailing, both gong at a terrific pace, the yachts had sailed about half of the first leg, and try as the American skipper would, he did not seem able to lessen his flying rivals good lead.
 Tho splendid wind sent the great white clouded racers fairly spinning along to- ward the outer mark. Every square inch of their canvas from their balooners down to the very bottom of the main sails seemed to draw perfectly. They were sailing wing-a-wing. the huge spinnakers out to starboard and main sails to port, the enormous cloud of canvas hiding the QInf fIo xKyaa nf n be overtaken. She had more square feet of sail and every foot of 1t was telling in the beautiful run before the wind. It looked as If the Shamrock intended to make up the 43 seconds which she had to give her rival, so that when the outer mark had once been turned 1t would be beat home on even terms.
 When two-thirds of the first leg lad been covered. 1t seemed certain that she would De able to hold her lead under the weather conditions prevailing, and the hopes or the patriots were centered upon the Columbia's ability to ouJpoint the golden boat
 About a quarter past F. when the boats were nearing the outer mark, the wind began to hatten little, which was in stantly shown in the decreased speed of the sloop. But they were eating up the fifteen miles which lay between them and the stake boat at a splendid gait and still going like the wind
 Drawing near the outer mark. the weather was becoming more and more Shamrock like. With the fiattening wind the sea was comparatively smooth and all conditions were absolutely ideal for a beat before the wind race. At times 1t seemed as if the Columbia was about to pick up. but hopes raised by an occasional fayorinR slant of wind were soon dashed when it was seen the yacht of Ulster was still showing the American a clean pair of heels.
 At l2:45 D. m. with the outer mark almost upon her the Shamrock's sailors swarmed forward nimbly and in came the great spinnaker preparatory for the turn. An instant after. the Columbia's men had also gotten in her great sail and before 1t had been hauled to the deck the Shamrock was luffing around the stake boat. Right in her wake came the Ameri- can and right behind her she turned
 Unofficial time put the Shamrock around the mark forty-eight seconds ahead.
 After rounding the Shamrock held of towards the Jersey shore on the starboard tack while the Columbia went off shore on port tack. But Barr only held this for an instant before he swung the Columbia around on the starboard tack. and the racers began the thresh to windward which was to decide the contest. The foreigner had evidently made up her time allowance on the run before the wind and it remained to be seen if she could beat home.
 At 1:O5 Sycamore put the Shamrock on