New-York tribune., 1903-05-03
RELIANCE CHALLENGES.
CONSTITUTION REFUSES.
NesU Yacht Makes Fast Time an
Fresh Sound Breeze.

Very prettily, but none the less decisively.
was the gauntlet thrown down yesterday by
those in charge of the Cup yacht Reliance 10
her rival the Constitution challenging the lat
ter to a marine duel on Long Island Sound. 1t
was in the last half Of the first trial of the
Reliance in these waters. The breeze was fresh.
the water smooth and the conditions excellent
for a test of speed between these two giant
sloops but for some reason not apparent 10
those watching them from the shore the Con-
stitution declined the honor OF even brief
struggle for the supremacy at this stage OF the
game.
It is supposed that August Belmont, who is
the manager of the Constitution. was not on
board, and that Captain Rhoades did not care
TO try issues with the Reliance unless MI BEL
mont's consent was obtained Be that as 1t
may. the Reliance, after sailing about at the
west end of the Sound during the forenoon for
an hour and eighteen minutes came to anchor
in Glen Cove harbor within a few lengths of
the Constitution.
Instead Of continuing her trial after the crew
had had their dinner. the Reliance lay at anchor
until a few minutes after the Constitutions
crew had set that yachts mainsail; she then got
under way, and after a reach to the eastward OF
perhaps four miles she returned direct 10
where the Constitution still lay at anchor, and
sailing completely aroun@ her crossed her bow
close aboard. as If to challenge her to combat.
This was at 3:35 Five minutes later, when
the Reliance had started for the eastward again.
the Constitutions lib was broken out of its
stops and the unsuccessful candidate for the
last defence OF the Americas Cup began making
n series of short reaches in the bay near Red
Spring Point Captain Barr of the Reliance,
noting this luffed his yacht and brought her
back TO the westward. Just the yachts
ranged alongside each other, both heading Tor
the westward. the Reliance being in the lee
berth Captain Rhoades put the Constitution
about to the starboard tack Barr followed suit,
wearing his boat directly under the lee beam
| of his rival, and about length astern-
It was an ideal chance for race. Both yachts
were carrying the same sail except that the
Constitution had no gafftopsail aloft. The Re
lance carried a small working one For mo-
ment. but only for moment. it looked like Z
race AS soon as the Reliance began TO gather
headway she forged ahead Of the Constitution,
shutting her out from view Of those on shore
watching them from the lee side and when the
latter yacht again became visible she was seen
TO be bearing away. In a few moments she
had crossed the wake of the Reliance. plainly
declining to indulge in any trial of speed.
p The new yacht kept straight for two
minutes. Then. squaring away she set her
great spinnaker and came racing across the
Sound at a tweive-knot clip for her mooring, of
New-Rochelle. The spinnaker was only set for
twelve minutes, the wind being from the south
west. with a strength of about twelve miles an
/ hour.
In many respects yesterdays trial OF the Re
lance was the best one she has had since her
launching The spin occupied about four hours
of actual sailing and it seemed 10 be in every
way satisfactory, for it gave Mr. Iselin, Captain
4 Rarr and the crew further evidence o. the
! Yachts great speed and stability. There was a
/ stiff breeze from the east-southeast during the
early morning hours 1t blew straight up the
! Sound against an ebb tide kicking up quite an
ugly sea, but the speed of the Reliance did not
seem 10 be retarded by II In the windward work
] which began her spin.
+ The Reliance started from her mooring of
+ Mr., Iselfn's home, All View. Immediately after
/ he went on board at 1920 o'clock In the morn
| ing She cast to starboard and headed across
| the Sound closehauied the port tack. The
! staysail was set at once, and working Jbtop-
/ sail broken out she cleared Premium Point
| Lying down until her great overhangs We're
! well in the water, the big sloop stood up we'll 20
| the stiff breeze. and, while her fiat saucer
/ shaped bows sent the spray flying far out 10
leeward she did hardly any plunging, and
travelled very fast. Her sheets were trimmed
fiat aft and every sail was drawing well-much
better than on her trial trip in Narragansett
Bay The Reliance crossed the Sound in very
fast time Tacking off Matinicock Point she
was able to fetch Great Captains Island on the
! starboard tack On the next one. 20 port, she
/ was heading well up for Centre Island. when
/ Captain Barr. at 11:20 o'clock. kept her square
/ off before the wind, and in q few minutes the
/ spinnaker was broken out TO port
! II In sysiuaatsd that the Rslance was travels