Waterbury Democrat., 1901-10-01

was fired they scarcely had steerage- way, the flags on the committee boat scarcely being lifted out from the mast. In order to facilitate her ma neuyering the Shamrock broke out Ter baby jibtopsail also did the Columbia. The yachts spent more than seven minutes after the preparatory signal was fired in following each other 1n CIT cles about the committee boat Soon after the warning signal was fired the Columbia stood off and then headed back for the Shamrock, which at that time was standing on the starboaru tack and heading for the line. There was the usual jockeying for the wind-
 ward berth.
 Hard luck was with the British
 challenger, forAs stood in too near the line and Vent over before the starting gun was fired. Columbia an the other hand, was in beautiful posi- | ton and poked her bow across the 1 line a few seconds after the gun WAS l fired. The Shamrock had to wear 10 | recross the linef this mistake badly l handicapping her at the outset. Inc wind was not more than four knots, and both yachts headed for the Long lIsland shore on the starboard tack. l The Columbia was far to the wind- | rQ. | on equal terms as far as footing was | concerned.
 I After fifteen minutes of sailing the
 Shamrock swung around on the port l tack and was soon Followed by the Co., l lumbia. which was still holding a com
 manding position.
 At 1:45, with the Columbia to the windward. a light wind shifted around
 to the southeast Tyne Columbia still maintained her lead with both boats 1 on the port tack, when at 12:11 the l boats were almost becalmed. At 12:30 | they had sailed only three and onezhalf 1 miles of the course and the wind had I almost died out. Near 1 o'clock both went on the starboard tack and the l wind began to freshen up. At 1:20 both boats caught the wind from tlIe southeast. The Shamrock was the l first to take advantage of it and she | began to gain on the Columbia. With | in the next few minutes she passed the Columbia and began to pull away l from her. At this time the Columbia
 took a hand in the catching of the | wind and so on and placed herself on 1 an even footing with the BritiSher. At | a quarter before 2. the boats were two l miles from the first mark, when she I Shamrock again took the lead and soon l had put four lengths between her. and the defender The Columbia now had her turn and within the next few min utes she had reduced the distance and at 1:57 she again passed the Shamrock.
 At 2:08 the Columbia was still in the lead but the wind was so fukey that first one boat would catch it and then another and in that way the Columbia
 and Shamrock were passing and re passing each other. At 2:16 the Sham
 rock caught a puff of wind and took the lead and at 2:20 she led the Go lumbia by several lengths. The Sham rock was the first to reach the outer l mark, ten miles from the start, and she turned the mark at 2:41 40, with the Columbia well astern. At 2:45 the boats had sailed three hours and forty five minutes and they had then one i hour and forty-five minutes in whIcI
 to sail twenty miles. which seemed i'm
 possible At 2:45:3O Columbia turned
 the first mark and at PAS she was
 three minutes behind the Shamrock.
 At 3:05 the Shamrock was stil
 leading. the wind was light and tn,
 yachts were making slow time.
 At 3:45 the race was declared off al
 the yachts had no chance of finishing
 having completed only about half tn course.