New-York tribune., 1903-05-06
BEATEN BY COLUMBIA.
RELIANCE OUTSAILED.
old Yacht PrOUes the Victor an Brief
Race IN the Sound.

Columbia fairly outsafled the Reliance the latest
aepirant for the honor of defending the Amerl-
cas- Cup in a brief scrub race on Long Island
Sound yesterday afternoon, and now yachtsmen
are wondering If the Columbia is really IN
vincible and if Herreshoff has reached his speed
limit in the yacht that has twice defeated
British challenger.
There were some anxious moments When THESE
two giant sloops met for the first time. and 1t
must have been a proud moment for Edwin u
Morgan and Captain Lem Miller when they
saw their boat not only holding her own WIN
the new yacht, but actually outsalilns her
Even Captain Barr must have felt a thrlh OF
pride when he saw the boat he had so often
steered to victory defeating the one on
whose deck he stood.
By a tacit agreement between c. Oliver lsellh
the manager of the new syndicate boat and
Edwin D Morgan of the Columbia, the yachts
we're TO meet for the first tir1e yesterday to
gauge their speed, in whatever weather might
nrevail so that any needed changes might De
made in the sails or in the trim OF the yach'S'
This trial lasted Just twenty-five minutes, in
a. breeze that varied in strength from nve 10
eigb+ miles an hour Each yacht carried prac-
tically the same sail, and the test was all "lho-
ward work in absolutely smooth water.
For an hour CAPTAIN Barr of the Reliance, had
boar drilling his crew in the handling of light
sai,s in the middle of the Sound. while captain
Miller of the Columbia, had been DONG the
same. but with less wind and further 10 lhe
eastward off Mattinicock Point
A. h.95 n m the yachts were both heading
for Red Spring Point, on the Long lslahu siioie
cast of Glen Cove. Both were on the star Oodii
tack sailing at about five knots IN llght pieeNe
80, tho southwest. The Columbia, carrying
email 5ibtopsail had the leeward position Inc
Reliance carried a large reaching JlntopsaN-
ind a
,,, tho Reliance across the Sound from the
.as+1vard with free sheet and on course
that would bring her, he hoped, abean Oh anu 'o
weather of the Columbia by dozen lehs'h''
His calculations were all right, with thls eA-
r+ion that the breeze he brought with MN
bt+ the Columbia about the time they ranged
alongside each other. and she at once began 10
lie over and travel faster than the Helan'e
In y few moments the Columbia's crew began
slowly to trim in the main sheet 10 the lIesliei
ina, breeze that came out of Hampstead Bay
y,ritt bar small iibtopsail she able to point
l,a++ar than the Reliance, whose reaching san
couId not be kept full on the wind. When ths
new breeze struck the Reliance the Colui'ipl''
had gained several lengths on the new oo"''
and it was hopeless to try to point with llei,
so Barr put his helm up, and gave the fleiidliO0
q hard null. She showed a great squirt OF speed
for a few minutes and seemed to be oVerhauilils
crossed
going at a ten knot clip. Both were nearing the
shore very fast now, so at f:fo'oo NdP'Al''
Miller lufed the Columbia and let her slowly
baadreacb to the mort tack and took in her jib-
topsail Barr put the Reliance about TO the same
tack thirty seconds later, at the same tlihe
taking in her iibtopsail. When both yachts iliieu
away the Reliance was berthed dozen leiis'n'
on the lee quarter OF the Columbia
Then came the supreme test of the day IL
only lasted twelve minutes, to be sure. ou' II
meant much to those on board the ydchl''
They were now absolutely even terms aS -
sail-rnainsaiI cIubtopsail. forestaysail and po.
The Columbia. being to w1ndWard' Hdu' VI
course. the best position but Barr gave 'he
new boat a good rap" full, hoping in the
fresh breeze then blowing to make her go
through the Columbia's lee
Taking the schooship St. Mary's' lying at
anchor half a mile TO windWafd as an mas
mary stakeboat, the nautical sharps Oh ''''-N
the tug c. P Raymond, lying at rest 10 lee-
ward of both yachts. timed them as 'S
nassAd her The Columbia's mast passed the
mark at 3:52 and that of the ReHahce a
3.52.35 showing that the Columbia was at that
time 81 seconds in the lead The Relahce heu
taar roucb further astern when they lacked ana
was now nIainlv overhauling the Columbia She
continued 10 gain until she was abeam OF the
old boat apparently pointing higher tnal 'iId'
Yacht hut the Columbia held her She was
close enough to give the Reliance her
wind" and that undoubtedly had hluch 70 Wv
with the slackening of speed
IF II had been real race and the ies H' -
.,,,,oa tto RaIiance might have succeeded IN
going through her lee or, by sphttng taoAS'
MIGHT have worked out To windWaro oi hel'
Certain il is, however that in TINS ofleI spaoe
- .i,,,a the columbia did outsail her rival
AT $50 Captain Miller put the coiuil,ni3
,to,,t and headed her for her moorihgs III oiei'
77c1 ,,-r3, poI.ANpm PoLANDnr