Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1901-09-26
THE COLUMBIA
THE FASTER BOAT
The First Of the Yacht Races Of
the Series for the Ameri-
can Cup.
It WAS A DRIFTING MATCH
The Race Gould Not Be Finished Within
the Time Limit and Was Declared No
Raoe"-The Columbia
Mile Ahead.

New York, Sept. 26.-With brilliant
autumn sun and a piping breeze the
first day of the international yacht
races opened with every promise OF
perfect conditions of wind and wealth
er. After blowing half-gale nearly
all night from the northeast, the
breeze subsidized trife at sunrise, but
at 3 o'clock both Sandy Hook and the
Highlands at Navesink reported it still
blowing Is knots.
On board the challenger and the de-
fender everyone was early astir. by
$40 o'clock both boats had gotten their
ibis and staysails in the stops and lald
the spinnakers ready to break. NO
changes were made in the principal
sails
At 9:O5 the Columbia slipped her
moorings and was taken in tow by the
tue Flint, A moment later the Sham
rock was taken in tow by the Law
renee. Going at full speed, the Flint
with the cup defender passed the poine
of the Hook at 9:12, heading for the
Sandy Hook lightship. At that hour
the wind decreased slightly, and was
blowing 1e knots from the northeast.
The Victor, with the guests ana Slf
Thomas Upton arrived at the HOOK
about 9:40, and the party aboard was
transferred to the Erin, which lmine-
diately started after the Shamrock. 1t
had been Sir Thomas Lipton's 1nten-
,x, In
Shamrock, but this morning concluded
that his leg, which is still lame from
a recent fall, would prevent ms taxing
an active part in the management Oh
the boat, and so he remained on the
Erin On board of the shamrock
were w. Butler Duncan, representing
the New York Yacht club, and Jame-
son and Ratsey
AT 1910 the wind still held 16 knots
Fully 10000 persons left the city lor
+he race. 1t was 10 o'clock when the
first excursion steamer passed the
Hook, and then began splendid pro-
cession of beautiful yachts and big eX-
cursion boats
The yachts crossed the starting line
at t,,e following unofficial time: COL
umbia 11:1O:2O. Shamrock 1l:l0:o5.
Official starting time ShamrocK'
11.i4:O5; Columbia, 1:14:12. The COL
umbia seemed to have the best start
hut the Shamrock forged well ahead
footing much faster than the deleho-
er. After the two boats went about on
q starboard tack, 1t was noticed that
the Columbia was pointing hlgner
than the Shamrock, and at ll'54 the
American boat seemed to appear more
like her old self, for she then pegah
to get along faster. However, at liza
tho Columbia crossed the Shamrock
how. and at 12:OS apparently had
lead of quarter of mile. The Wlno
continued falling, and the race was
slow.
At 1881 %. m., the Columbia was
about 200 yards on the weather DOW ol
the Shamrock and still in the lead.
Twelve minutes later the Shamrock
caught fresh puff of wind and point
ed up finely. The Columbia soon
caught the breeze, however, and out
footed and outpointed the Shamrock.
At LOS D. m. Sandy Hook reported
the wind as 9 miles, east, an increase
of about miles in the last hour. Both
boats came about on port tack'
standing off shore. The Shamrock ap-
peared windward, with a good posi-
ton.
1870 D. ma strong tide is setting
westward and the boats are making
slow progress to windward. with the
prevailing breeze it looked doubtful II
thew will be able to cover the course
within time limit. They are net more
than fen miles from the starting point.
At 1886 the outer mark was but four
miles distant and the Columbia silght-
ly in the lead. The wind continued
freshening. At 2 p. m. the columbia
apparently blanketed the ShamrocK
and ranged ahead, gaining a lead Oh
nearly 100 yards.
AT 2.27 the yachts were less than
three miles from the mark. The COL
,,mbia had increased her lead decided
ly. Both yachts are headed for the
mark.
At 3:12 the Shamrock turned the
stake boat and set her jib topsail Tor
her homeward journey.
At 1897 p. m. the boats had the vino
almost exactly on the broadside. All
the sails were pulling finely and they
were making good time and apparent
Iv would finsh by 4:40 ID. M, the TIME
limit.
At $3.50 p. M, the wind was dropping
and it seemed unlikely that the race
could finish within the limit. The Col
umbia had mile lead and was gain
ing steadily. At 4:A p. M, the race
had to be called off as the boats coult
not finish within the time limit. A
4:43 p. M, the signal mo race" wa'
displayed from the judges boat.
/ CICF,g VICLTJ0N