Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-01
AGONY PROLONGED,
Failing Wind Again Prevents
Reliance from Winning.
Less Than Half-MiIe from Finish.
Shamrock Far in Distance.
Testimonial for Sir Thomas to BE
Given by American People.

New York, Aug. 31.-Again. today. tho
beautiful cup defender Reliance failed
to register her third victory over Lip
tons challenger because the wind died
ana the time limit of five and a half
hours expired before she could reach
the finish line. Her margin was ap-
proXlmately the same as Thursday last.
She was less than half mile from the
hnlsh when the gun sounded. The
poor Old Shamrock was a faint blur on
the horizon, fully two and a half miles
astern. Reliances failure to score the
race was the more exasperating because
her usual triumph is now conceded by
Sir Thomas himself, to be simply a
formality. The superiority of the
Herreshof boat in any kind of weather
is acknowledged by the yachting critics
oil both sides of the Atlantic and today's
1lltke only prolongs the agony.
The waning interest in the cup races
was Strikngly illustrated by the size
OF the observa ton feet. Outside of the
revenue cutters which patrolled the
course, it consisted of half a dozen side
Whcelers with almost empty decks, a
Jew sea going tugs and q score Of
steam yachts.
The easterly wind and rain, last
right, had served to knock down the
sea somewhat, although it was rough
enough during the first two hours of
the race to make the excursion boats
tumble about n good deal and the
yachts to plunge and stagger on their
way TO the outer mark. But as the
day wore on the wind hauled to the
north and fell to Il mere zephyr, hard
ly strong enough to round the enor-
NOUS canvass of the sloops, and the
sea subsidized to a smooth surface
The race was spiritless from the be-
ginning. Its saving feature was the
start, in which Captain Wringe, by a
pretty piece of maneuvring neatly turn
cd the tables On the Yankee skipper
skipper and captured the windward
berth. But within Is minutes the de-
fender was showing her heels to the
challenger and when the float at the
outer mark was reached, she rounded
the mark 90 minutes and % seconds
ahead of her rival
In the five times the boats have met
this was by far the worst beating
Shamrock has had in windward work.
The only interest which remained after
that was as to whether Reliance would
be able to reach the finish line in time
TO score the race.
The racers waited about Sandy Hook
until 10.45, when the Navi-
gator signalled that the starting line X
WOULD be shifted and the race post
poncd until later in the day. Mter
running five miles south from the
the Navigator signalled q
sindward and leeward course, east
northeast. from which direction five
knot wind was blowing.
Until five minutes before the start, Cap
tain Barr held the windward berth. Then
both ran away from the line, the Sham
rock leading. Two minutes before the
starting gun the Shamrock headed up In
the wind, lacking, forced Reliance to DO
the same and both ran for the line, he
lance leading They reached 1t before
the starting gun and Reliance had to run
along the lee side of it to await the gun
Shamrock reached the line as the gun
and. not having to sheer off, Sc
cured the weather position. 1t was trick
which Captain Barr had worked often.
but meyer with better fitness or more sat
results.
The official starting time of both yachts
was 114526.
The first tack five minutes after Cross
ing the lne, put shamrock uHttu DuI u1l-
der the lee bow of Reliance Captain
Wrnge gave his boat a good fun and the
way she began to walk away from the
defender made it look as though she had
FOUND herself at last. But this was for a
few minutes. then she began to pinch into
the wind and it was apparent that Re-
;ance was outpointing the challenger and
altogether making better work of 1t.
From that time Reliance gained steadily.
When off Long Beach, at La. the defend
or was two miles ahead, having added
the second mile by literally outpointing
The challenger and at the same time main
tanned an equal speed.
When the mark was reached the Brit
sh boat was more than two miles astern
and coming slowly. The time at the out
er mark was:
Reliance .-............-. .-............ .3W1
Reliance. homeward bound, with wind
aft OF the beam, mainsheet well in and
ba IIooner bellying, made good time and
drew away from the challenger until the
wind softened.
Reliance was not moving more than
four miles an hour and Shamrock III was
two miles and a half astern of her when
the committee boat signaled that the
race was off.
The regatta committee of the New York
Continued on page 81