The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-15
The Americas Cup.

On Thursday what promises TO be the
greatest yachting contest ever witnessed
will begin in the waters off Sandy Hook.
The betting continues to show a superb
confidence in the American champion.
and we believe that confidence to be well
placed. Something Of it is due to the
fact that Capt CHARLES BARR, a bold
and sklful skipper, is TO be at the wheel,
for what the man at the wheel can do has
just been shown in Canada by ARTHUR
HANAN, who sailed the Irondequoit to
victory for the International Cup after
she had lost the first two races under
other hands
Records talk, so let ns look at this
thing from its most discouraging point
Of view, On July 20 off Sandy Hook,
with southeast by south wind blowing
10 knots, and the course east by south, or
four points off dead to windward, Sham
rock Ill. beat Shamrock /. one minute
and % seconds. The winner covered the
course in hours. SO minutes and 2
seconds, the loser being AZ seconds over
three hours That is magnificent sail
ing on the part of both yachts and shows
that weather conditions were most
favorable. II the course had been dead
to windward the time would have been
little slower How much it is impossi-
BILE to tell, but il might easily have been
three minutes.
In one official trial race held of New
port on July n the American yachts
sailed fifteen miles to leeward and re-
turn with a north-northwest wind OF
from 10 to Is knots force. They had to
fight head tide on the windward leg
and going to leeward Capt. BARR at first
had his spinnaker set on the wrong side
and had to change it, thus losing con-
siderable time for the Reliance. Never
theless, she covered the course in 8 hours,
80 minutes and 43 seconds, beating CO.
lumbia 4 minutes, % seconds, and Con-
stituton minutes and 2 seconds
That is one Of tho closest races the
yachts sailed Up TO July IL the three
American vessels had finished In twelve
races, one OF which was a drift and may
he left out OF account. In the Others
Relianoe's average speed was 1O,n sec
onds mile better than Constitution q
and 1905 seconds mile better than CO.
lumbias This is figured on q total OF
1925 miles sailing, and ii means that
over 3O-mile course Reliance is min
utes and second faster than Columbia
This superiority she has shown in fair
weather and foul.
Now, Columbia in her first race with
Shamrock !. in 1899 beat her over lC
minutes, but there was some luck in it
In the second Shamrock lost her top
mast. In the third the conditions were
perfect, a smooth sea and u good wind OF
twelve knots from north by east. The
race was fifteen miles to leeward and
return and Columbia covered it in hours
80 minutes and rs seconds, beating hel
opponent by minutes and IS seconds
elapsed time.
Compare that with the record race Of
the two Shamrocks on July 20 OF this
year. Is Shamrock | so much better
than she was' Suppose the wind had been
sixteen knots in 1899 and the course four
points off dead to windward making
fewer tacks in the windward work anC
not dead run of the wind The time
would have been several minutes faster
and Shamrock l. would not appear tc
have improved 30 much.
Meanwhile look out for the yacht which
in nearly three hundred miles OF sailing
has consistently shown herself nine min
utes better than Columbia in every thirty
miles The yacht that lifts the cup from
her will have to be able to beat Shamrock
l. more than minute and y seconds
over the course, even when she is sailing
it inside Of three hours