Evening star., 1901-09-26

southwest spit buoy at $40, she sent up
her mainsaiL Then the club topsail went
up and a few moments later her head
stays were broken out She did not, how
ever. drop her line to the tug The Co
lumbia passed the bar at 9:45, but did not
break out any sail
Witnessed by Thousands of People.
Fully 20OOO persons left the city this
morning for the race. The fleet consisted
of three ocean liners. the Grand Duchesse
OF the Plant line, the North Star of the
Maine Steamship Company and the Jeffer-
son. flagship of the Old Dominion line, as
we'll as the steel steamer Plymouth of the
Fall River line. the City of Lowell OF me
Norwich line, the Chester W. Chaplin ana
the Monmouth of the Sandy HOOK rout"'
the Noutauk of the Hartford line, the
sound steamer Shinnecock, the Columbia OF
the Long Branch route and the three-deck-
er General Siocum- Then there were tne
boats belonging to the Iron steamboat
Company and smaller craft without mum
ber The members OF the Atlantic Yacht
Club. accompanied by about ooo guests
went on the steamer Gay Head
Among the scores of private yachts were
J. Pierpont Morgan's Corsair, H. II. Rogers
Kanawha Frederick G. Bournes' Colonia.
Col John Jacob Astor'S NOurmahaI, fu-
gene Higgins Varuna, Howard IfoIid's
Niagara. f. c. Benedict's Oneida, Elbridge
r Gerry's Electra F. W. Nanderbilt's Con-
queror, George J. Goulds Sybarite, Robert
Goelet's Nahma, Lloyd Phoenixs intrepid
and Col. y j. DreXels Margarfta-
The Chester W. Chaplin carried the mem
bers of the New York Yacht Club and their
friends and had on board Il large party OF
distinguished persons.
II was 10 O'Clock when the first excursion
steamer passed the Hook, and then began
d splendid procession of beautiful yachts
and big excursion boats
Columbia at Starting Point.
The Columbia was the first to reach the
starting point at Sandy Hook lightship
arriving there at 1910. No effort was
made 70 set sail on the defender until she
was within half a mile of the lightship,
but i've minutes after her arrival the big
main sail was hoisted. followed fifteen mill
utes later by the club topsail. At this time
the Shamrock was about half way out to
the start still in tow and diving into the
long sweils with the water dashing in
sheets from her bow
Before either of the yachts had reached
the start the wind had fallen slightly, and
the whitecaps of the early morning disap-
peared. The wind. however, gave no sign
of shifting at 1O:30 and was holding well
from the northeast.
The Columbia swung away from her tow
at 1875. going off the first tack but
almost immediately heading round for the
lishtship. The Shamrock followed five
minutes later. and at 1915 both boats were
standing off and around the lightship
under three lower sails and club topsail.
Both yachts were ready for the race some
time before the vanguard of the excursion
feet arrived at the lishtship, but at IL
o'clock the majority had put in an appear
ance and the rest were not far behind.
FIotiIIn to See the Race.
A magnificent fotilla awaited the start
Well down the Jersey coast and three or
four miles across toward the Long Island
shore, in lines parallel to the course of
the yachts. hundreds of excursion boats.
yachts and tugs. an indiscriminate assort-
ment of craft had taken up their positions
an hour before IL o'clock
lumpy was made rougher by the
wash from the constantly moving boats
1t was shortly after 10 o'clock before the
waiting thousands were rewarded by the
appearance of the defender and the chal-
lenger- At 1915 the Columbia dropped her
tug and began sending her canvas aloft.
The mainsail and club topsail were
followed by the jib. and the American boat
started OFF OF the port tack. She ready
for the Shamrock II, and had not long to
wait Sir Thomas Lipton's flyer arrived at
the lightship al 1915. and Columbia saluted
her rival by breaking out her forestaysail
and jib topsail. At this hour the wind had
decreased noticeabiy, and was not blowing
faster than ten knots. The patrol boats
protected the racers splendidly. giving them
horseshoe area of generous proportions
IN which to maneuver. The committee in
charge was prompt in it's preparations, and
In few minutes the committees boat the
Navigator, flew the signal for a course east
by north, fifteen miles to windward and re-
turn.
during the ten minutes eiapsing between
that signal and the preparatory gun the
TWO yachts were widely separated, and it
iater developed that the American captain
had chosen his position and planned his
manoeuVerS with cOnsummate skill, for the
columbia got the windward berth. When
she got it. in spite of every effort on the
part of Capt. Sycamore the Columbia
maintained her advantage
during the nve minutes preceding the
start the jockeying of the yachts was in
triCate and interesting
So closely did the boats hug the line
thdt both went over before the starting
gun had been fired. and were compelled to
turn back Then it was that Can't Syca-
more undertook to wrest from the Ameri-
Ldh Skipper the latterS earlier ADVANTAGE
ne Shamrock came along like Hash add
tried TO cut into Columbia's weather
me latter. however, came around quick
y ana SaHged her movements so well that
the Shamrock was forced outside the light
snip. and when the two yachts came
around the line again the Shamrock's sails
were seen to be Tapping under the blanket
of the Columbia Once more the Rririsb
skipper tried and once more Columbia
met him The Shamrock tried to split
lacks, but the Columbia waited just long
enough and then came around still holding
the advantage.
The starting gun was fred at last and
the yachts shot for the line. AS it was
reached II became evident that the Amer
lean skipper had won the initial victory
He not only occupied the weather position,
but he had Columbia at the line twelve
seconds ahead Of the Shamrock This.
with the forty-three seconds which Sham
rock must allow Columbia gave the latter
an advantage of only five seconds less than
a full minute.
The official time Of the start was:
Columbia. IL 1:1O:i9.
Shamrock, IL III :O1
After crossing the line the yachts sped
away to the eastward, each on the port
tack
The honOrs of the start We're far and
away with the American boat. Can't Barr
had outgeneraled his rival and the battle
was on with the American yacht comfort
ably berthed to the windward
Then the real battle began Barr began
MS usual actics. pinching out to windward
all ne possibly could. while Sycamore held
along. giving his sails good full and foot
Ing a trifie the faster.
me Columbias $ skipper took advantage
ot every little puff of wind to Iuff out and
the road the cup defender Travelled was SO
much higher that 1t looked then like an
easy victory to the windward turning mark
Columbia Pointed Higher
At ii:25 the Columbia got a fine slant of
wind and pointed so much higher that for