Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-21
The First Eluke.

Starting under the best possible auspices,
with an enormous crowd of spectators car
ried on well-disciplined fleet of excursion
boats, clear course and fairly smooth
sea- the international cup yachts yester-
day failed to make a race through no fault
of their own. They struggled for nearly
five hours and then. when it was apparent
that by no possibility could they finish
within the time limit Of five and a half
hours. they abandoned the race without
waiting for a formal signal. During the
period of actual sailing they afforded only
family interesting spectacle to the vast
majority of the twenty thousand people
who followed them over the course. But
expert eyes were watching them narrowly
for the slightest signs of individual char
acteristics and any show of superiority.
This close scrutiny developed little of value
as Indicative of what the yachts may do
when the wind is strong enough to carry
them over the course within the limit.
1t was observed above all that in light
puffy airs Reliance Is the speedier boat.
Yesterday she was without doubt the
luckier. During the latter part of the
run she caught the breezes more favorabiy
than did her opponent and was enabled by
this means to make her greatest gain. 1t
higher that is sail closer into the wind
But 1t seemed at the same time as though
Shamrock can foot faster. that is. sail more
quickly with the wind filling her sails. Be
tween these two advantages there may be
little to choose in general terms in a race
to windward. although of course Shamrock
might yesterday have won back her losses
on a straight-away run home In
hrppZa danpndS "
of the wind Yesterday the only real
racing between the boats came during
the first two hours. when the rival
shippers had wind enough to exhibit both
their own seamanship and the qualities of
their craft. Captain Barr and Reliance
did Enthusiastically better work than did
Captain Wringe and Shamrock. The higher
pointing of Reliance gave her lead at the
end of the first long tack. whereas Sham
rock had crossed the starting line two
lengths ahead. 1t was estimated that the
defender had made up the better part of
her handicap when she went about the
first time
But Sir Thomas Upton does not seem to
be in the least discoural ed by yesterdays
showing of the boats. After the race was
called off he declared that he was even
more confident than before that Shamrock
will win. He called attention to the fact
that In most Of the flukes which have here
tofore been sailed the boat which led at the
lapse of the time limit later lost the cup.
In other words. drifting match. according
to Sir Thomas. must be construed in pre-
else reversion to it's actual results. This
would be disquieting to the American en-
thusiasts were 1t not for the unmistakable
showing of Reliance during the period of
real racing yesterday. in airs which have
heretofore been regarded as especially fav-
orable to Shamrock. The consensus of
expert opinion in New York last night
seemed to be that in smart breeze of ten
or more knots Reliance will have no diff
ficulty in defending the cup while in light
airs she has already proved her ability to
hold the challenger down.
The next try for race will be made to-
morrow. Yesterdays fiuke has only whet-
ted the interest of the people on both sides
of the water although the betting odds
have been stffened in favor of Reliance
since the futile maneuvers of the rivals.