The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-28
H0peI.ss] Bsaten and Two Mics Behind She Follows the
 FIeetng Reliance Home
SIR THOMAS AT LAST
 BEGINS ID LOSE HOPE
Skipper of the Challenger Again Makes WoefuI Blunder and His Boat Never Has a Chance
 Race Called Off.

New York. August 27.-With Reliance less than third of mile from the f1nisn and Shamrock III. hull down on the ho- rizon, fully two miles astern of the de- fender, the fourth race of the present se- ries for the America's cup was declared off because of the expiration of the time limit of five hours and thirty minutes. as happened on Thursday last. Although of- ficially 1t was no race, the defeat admin istered to the challenger was so ignom- inous that whatever lingering hope re- mained In the breasts of the friends of Sir Thomas Lipton's boat vanished into thin air Reliances victory was In every way more decisive than that of last Saturday. Out-saied, out-pointed and out-footed. 1t was a procession from start to finish with Shamrock III bringing up the rear.
 Reliance beat Shamrock III hopelessly in the fifteen miles of windward work. rounding the outer mark twelve minutes and thirty seconds ahead of 1t, gain in actual time of eleven minutes and twen- ty-nlne seconds, and down the wind Re- lance steadily increased the lead. The
  against Shamrock III but in the exciting struggle of Reliance In the last half hour to reach the finish line before the regatta committee fired the gun which announced the expiration of the time limit Had the wind freshened twenty rlinutes earlier than 1t did the cup ser1es would have | ended today with three straight victories 1 for the defender and Flies light weatht , | boat would have sai1edsback to Albion :. 1 shores one of the most disastrousl r worsted challengers in the history of the America's cup contests.
 Skipper Again outseneraIed. Fully as dlscouraging as the sailing qualities displayed by the challenger was the atrocious manner in which Shamrock III. was handled. The Yankee skipper not only out-maneuvered his rival in the spectacular battle for position at the start as he has done every time they have met but worse still, for the down. hearted supporters of Shamrock ILL Cap tain Wringe repeated his blunder of Tues day. He crossed the line in the wake Of the Reliance with a handicap of sixty-one seconds of the precious time allowance for which Fife has sacrificed so much in sail spread. Both boats, it Is true went over after the smoke of the handicap gun, but where both are handicapped, it is only the sternmost craft which actually suffers It was not a pleasant day on the water and the observation fleet, which put out to sea to witness the race, was hardly more than half as large as on the preceding days. 1t was notable. however for a strange flag on the ocean, the combination French and Spanish cul- ors of the St Louis exposition hoa.ed from the peak of the steam yacht keva. There was a chill in the atmosphere low wet clouds shut out the sky and .ts mist ths on the sea made everything look ghostlike and ndistinct.
 Defeated in First Hour. The dark water of the ocean was as smooth as a floor and light breeze of about four knots blew out of the south- west. The course was laid iftsen miles dead into the wind and return.
 At the end of the first hour. Shamrock III was beaten. and the interest waned. After rounding the float for the run home and setting big balooners the wind, which had strengthened to six or seven knots at the best, died down and towering clouds of canvass drifted lazily down an ocean lane, a mile wide. between the two divisions of the excursion fleet. Even in the light air, it was astonishing how the defender slipped through the placid seas. With the gentle breeze distending the surface of its pure white sails and
  head up, Reliance moved along as se- renely as though in a dreamless sleep. Yet the gap between Reliance and the cnal- lenger steadily widened until two miles separated them.
 Half an hour from home. when the spec tators had abandoned any idea that the finish line could be reached in time the wind freshened and Reliance came bowl ing down at merry clip. But the wind had come too late. and when still a few hundred yards from home. the gun on the tug Navigator boomed across the wa ter, the excursion boats held on until Re- lance crossed the line to give it a rous- ing welcome, and then scampered for New York
 Sir Thomas Disheartened.
 Sir Thomas. who heretofore has always followed his champion to Sandy Hook sent his steam yacht. the Erin. ahead at full speed, as If to drown out the memory of the inglorious defeat he suffered today.
 The next race. which will be like the one attempted today, fifteen miles to leeward or winward and return, will be sailed Sat urday,
 Sir Thomas, speaking of todays affair." said:
 'I am willing to repeat what l said this morning-I still hope, slight though it is. Let us hope for a good breeze Saturday. I called my friends around me this after noon, and was about to express my regret at my failure, when I happened to look at my watch. Then I reserved the de- cision. and I may never have to make that speech"
 MT. Iselin and Captain Barr declined to talk. except that Mir. Iselin regretted that the wind was not sufficient to bring the boats in on time.