The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-09-04

New York, August 31.-Again today
the beautiful cup defender Reliance
failed to register her third victory
over LiptOn's challenger because the
wind died TO nothing and the time
limit of five and q half hours expired
before she could reach the finish line.
Her margin was approximately the
same as on Thursday last. She was
less than half a mile from the finish
when the gun sounded.
The Shamrock III. was a FAINT blur
on the horizon, fully two and d half
miles astern. Reliance's failure to
score the race was the more eXasper-
ating because her ultimate triumph IS
now conceded. even by Sir Thomas
himself, to be simply fOrmality. The
superiority of the HerreshOf boat in
any kin of feather IS acknowledged
by the yachting critics of both sides
of the Atlantic and today's 1uke only
prolongs the agony of the contest that
has already been decided.
The waning interest in the cup races
was strikingly illustrated by the size
VI liz ObSCL HiNlOlL hCCN- IL lLC mp
which went down to the ocean race
course today could be dignified by
such a title.
Outside of the revenue cutters which
patrolled the courses. it consisted Of
half a dozen side wheelers with almost
empty decks, a few sea going tugs and
a score of steam yachts.
The easterly wind and rain last night
had served to knock down the sea
somewhat, although 1t was rough
enough during the first two hours of
the race to make the excursion boats
tumble about a 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 a mere breeze. hardly
strong enough to round out the enor
NOUS of the sloops, and the
sea subsidized to a smooth surface.
The race was SpiritlesS from the
beginning. 1t was laid fifteen miles to
windward up the Long Island shore
and return. Its saving feature was the
start. in which Captain Wr1nge, by a
pretty piece of m~anOeurering, neatly
turned the tables on the yankee skip
per and captured the berth.
Even so, the yachts crossed he line
abreast like a harnessed team OF
horses. But within fifteen minutes
the defender was showing her heels tC
the challenger and when the float at
the outer mark was reached Sh
rounded it twenty minutes and twenty
three seconrs ahead of her rival. Ir
the five times the boats have met
this was by far the worst beating
Shamrock III has had in windward
work. The only interest which re-
manned after that was as to whether
Reliance would be able to reach 'the
finish line in time to score the race.
For the first time in the series, Cap
tain Wringe of Shamrock III. cleverlS
o~utgeneraled the Captain
Barr in the preliminary jockeying
Until five minutes before the start
Captain Barr held the windward
berth. Then both ran away from the
line, the Shamrock leading.
Two minute before the starting CUR
the Shamrock headed up into the wind
tackled, forced Reliance to do the same
and both ran for the line, Reliance
leading. They reached it before the
starting gun and Reliance had to rur
along the lee side of it to await the
gun. Shamrock reached the line as
the gun sounded, and not having &c
sheer off, secured the weather position
1t was a trick hicn Captain Barr
had worked often but never with bet
ter fineness OF more satisfactory re-
suits. The official starting time OF
both yachts was 11:45:26.
The first tack, five minutes after
crossing the line, put Shamrock III.
ahead but under the lee bow of Reli-
lance. Captain Wringe gave his boat
a good full 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 only a few
minutes. When he began TO pinch
her into the wind. it was apparent
that Reliance was outpOinting the
challenger. and altogether making
better work of it.
They held one tack e~aSt-sOutheast
for nearly an hour. During that time
tho lnfop6Sr yJnrEai ny To U-iN6u-1r1 a
% quarter of u mile. When Reli-
ance tackled Shamrock refused to fol-
low so Barr put his craft on the port
tack again This placed Reliance a
mile north of Shamrock. Fifteen min
utes later the wind suddenly shifted
to the northeast and placed the Amer
lean boa that distance dead to wind
ward. not half of which she had ac-
tuaIIy earned. From that time Reli-
ance gained steadily.
When off Long Beach at 1:45. the de-
fender was two miles ahead having
added the second mile by literally out
pointing the challenger and at the
same time maintaining equal speed.
The challenger's cause was absolutely
helpless when the defender rounded
the mark. The British BOAT was more
than two miles behind and coming
slowly.
The time at the outer mark was:
Reliance S:00:37. Shamrock 3:21: 90.
Reliance led by 20 minutes. IS
seconds. barring time allowance.
With the wind aft Of the BEAM. main
sheet we'll in and b~allooner bellying.
awav from the challenger until the
wind sOftened. when the speed of both
s~lackened. Shamrock III. caught a
~freshening wind first and cut down
ReIiance's lead half a mile before the
leader caught it. Then Reliance stead
Siu oainaI I,n+i1 Che had made rn0I