The Washington times., 1903-08-21
Experts All COncede That
the American Yacht Is by
Far the Better Boat, and
That the IriShman Will
Be Lucky to Win a Heat.
New York Crowded With
Guests From All Over the
World, Here to Witness
the International Contest.
Hotels Overlooking.

NEW YORK, Aug. 21.-In a day OF
clouds, heavy showers, and faint and
ftful breezes. the attempt to sail the
first OF the series of races between
Shamrock III and Reliance for the Am
erica's Cup resulted in a fluke. The
wind simply would not travel fast
enough to carry the yachts over the
thirty mile course within the time lin
1t OF five and a half hours. and at 3: i5,
when the racers had been sailing about
for four hours and three quarters, and
were many miles from home. the race
was declared of
At that time the Reliance had turned
the outer mark something more than a
mile and half In advance OF Sir Thom-
as Lipton's challenger, and appeared TO
be stedily INCREASING her lead. sham
rock III, on the other hand, did not even
turn the mark. but seeing that the Re-
lance could not possibly finish in zine,
she abandoned the race when she met
the American boat on her course for
home, came into the wind. and sig
nailed for her tug.
Reliance the Idol
Yachtsmen were asking each other
last night how, If Shamrock III could
not make a better showing under condI-
tions that her owner, her designer, a=d
her skipper considered favorable to her.
she could expect to win when the cir
cumstances were less favorable? There
were not lacking enthusiastic partisans
of the Herreshoff boat who declared
that Shamrock III could beat either the
Constitution or the Columbia. This
is probably an extreme view, but there
is no doubt whatever that nine out of
every ten yachtsmen who saw the race
are serenely confident that victory is
assuered the Reliance
Candor compeIs the statement that the
race as race was not much 10 look at.
The superiority of the Reliance under
the existing conditions became apparent
afterth e yachts had come about for the
first time after crossing the line, for the
experts figured it out that at that time
Barr had made up all the heavy time
allowance conceded to the challenger
and bit more, and from that time the
nEr
rival, though during most OF the time
there was not wind enough 10 NIL the
mainsails, and the sloops rolled so heav-
lily in the nasty swell that their white
wings lost a good part Of what little
wind there was. Interest, too. was large
ly dispelled by the fact that long be-
fore the Reliance turned for home it was
known that nothing short OF bowling
gale would watt her past the nghtshir
In time to make a race But. worst OF
all. the wind hauled from the southwest
well toward the west in the last hour
Of the race, and when the American boat
turned the stake she found a reach
home, and not a run before the wind
awaiting her. This settled the thing be-
yond peradventure and a good part oi
the attendant feet promptly turned
their noses toward New York, without
waiting for the official announcement.
Odds Increase.
After the results of yesterdays race
the betting changed to 10 l on the
Reliance. There was practically no
Shamrock money in sight. The prevail
Ing odds had been 2 to 1 on the Re-
lance. but the Shamrock hackers wanted
21z. Arthur Hanan, who won the Can
ada Cup this year, as skipper Of the
Irondequoit. offered to bet $1,000 ever
that the Shamrock would not win
single race. At a late hour last night
he still had his money in his pocket
having found no one to cover it.
On either side OF the long sea lane
down which the Reliance and Shamrocl
III sailed yesterday. was a huge fee
of pleasure craft. All types were repre-
sented. Fully 10000 people went down
the bay On the excursion boats. Despite
the huge crowd that fought TO get cl
the boats, nearly every master had wise
ly limited the numhsr OF tickets 10 pre-
vent overcrowding. There were one o.
two who we're not so conscientious, an
when the squall struck them most 0
their passengers were crowded on on
side. watching the boats, and the paddl
wheel on the opposite side was clea
of the water. One or two vessels ha
narrow escapes from turning turtle.
Guests Afloat.
Sir Thomas Upton entertained a Iarg
party on board the Erin. Ii include
Lord and Ledy shaftesbVry. Lad
Charles Berssf6rd, Major General an
Mrs. corbin, Robert E. Todd. and 9th
ers.
On the Monmouth. chartered by IN
New York Yacht Club, were Frederi
Gallatin, Paul G. Tbebaud, J. V. 8. Cd
die. Howard WilIets. Jesse Grant, Ruth
erfurd Stuyvesant, Mr. and Mrs. stephe
PelI. Sydney Colgate. Stanford White
Ernest Iselin, Rear Admiral Sigsbee,
W. Auchineloss. Reginald w. Rive'
Louis Fitzgerald, jr.. W. r. Garrison
and many others.
Other yachts uStfi parties on board in