The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-31

HIGHLANDS OF NAvEsINK, n. +.
Aug s1-Sir Thomas Upton Is mat
what will probably be his last BIZ
the Americas Cup today.
Two defeats have already been chaIk-
ed up against the cup-hunting English
man and the race today will IL all
PROBABILITY decide the series. leaving the
historic old mug In the prize room Of
the New York Yacht Club for some time
,, 10 come Sir Thomas Upton has sasa
that until England has produced a
Herreshoff IT would be useless for him To
challenge again. so that thN contest
today will see the last OF sloo7 bfddiux
for cup honors. carrying a rectangls
nag With green shamrock on a yellow
background at the tip OF the topmast
Inc contest today is the resailed race
OF last Thursday, and the yachts viii
De sent over the course fifteen miles to
windward and return II is a rattIiny
day for a heavy-weather test of Gun
racers. strong twenty north
easter was slipping over the sea in the
| early stages OF the race. and the few
schooners which brarely poked their
noses around Sandy Hook Point tore
down the Jersey shore in a lively fash
ion-
Heavy Sea-
heavy sea. f1ecked here and there
with white caps, is running. and n,
lightships of shore were pitched about
like eggshells. Old salts said it was the
fag end of the northeast storm whicn
a .fo
last four days. and not a few of them
said this morning that If the yachts
went out something would surely hap
pen before the day is over.
Far of shore. anchored south of the
Sandy Hook Lightship. was the French
bark Mereehal de Gontant. which. on
account of the storm. had been COM
PEELED to lay by the lightship for sew
eraI days
There was no early activity on board
the Cup yachts this morning, as neithe-
skipper cared to bring his sails on deck
only TO have them wet by an occasional
shower of rain, and it was not until a
late hour that preparations to make
sail were begun. Sir Thomas Upton
was delighted with the prospects of =
morning that his only hope now lay in
a blow. for in light weather the sham
rock was certainly no match for the
Reliance.
Both Crews Hustle.
When the news was finally announced
on board the cup racers that there
would be a race today. the crews went
to work with snap and vim &c make
sail. Staysails and jibs were sent up in
stope and mainsails were hoisted
Shortly after O'Clock Shamrock and
Reliance dropped their moortng buoys
and. taking tow from their tugs. stood
away for the starting line The wind
still held from the northeast and blew
about fifteen knots in strength over the
cup course. Captains Wringe and Barr
decided 10 wait until the lightship was
reached before determining what size
topsail they would carry in the contest.
While the cup yachts were in tow for
the starting lire they were passed by
the United States cruiser Baltimore and
the battleship Texas. inward bound. IS
the big fighting machines ranged along
side. the iaekies OF Uncle Sans vessels
waved their caps and eheered their fell
low -seamen on the yachts.
Few Excursion Craft
The regatta committee On board the
tug Navigator stood down toward Sanity
Hook, and then stood across unexpectei-
ly into Sandy Hook Bay. The inclem-
ent weather and the possibility that
there might be no race. depleted the
number OF excursion craft. which went
! out today 10 see the race. Only those