The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-09-01
BRITISH BOAT BADLY HANDLED
In the First Half Of the Race Reliance
Administered to the Shamrock Ill
an Isnominious 'Defeat-Next Race
e. 6a Salad Tomorrow


the lee wind of the defender. despite
CAPTAIN Wringe's best efforts to clcsr
his boat. and when il was over and
the boats slipped across the line Barr
had a splendid victory 10 his credit
With Reliance less than a third O..
q mile from the finish ana Shamrock
HIS hull down on the horizon, fully
TWO miles astern OF the gallant de-
fender. the fourth race oi the present
series for the Americas cup was de-
clared OF because of the expiration OF
the time limit OF five and onehalf
hours. as happened in the first race.
Although. officially, il was no race. the
defeat administered TO the challenger
was so SYNONYMOUS that whatever lin
geriug hope remained in the breasts
of the friends OF Sir Thomas boat
vanished into thin air. Reliance's' vic
tory was i'm every way more decisive
than that OF last Saturday. Outsailcd.
outn0inted and Outfooted, it was pro
cession from start TO finish.
The HerreschOd wonder beat the
Shamrock hopelessly in the 10 miles
OF windward work. rounding the outer
marh - minutes and 30 seconds ahead
OF her. gain in actual time OF ! min
utes ana 2g seconds. and down the
wind she steadily increased her lead.
The real race Of the day was not
agaipst shamrock. but 1t was seen in
the exciting struggle of Reliance in
the last half hour TO reach the finish
line before the regatta committee fired
the gun which should announce the
expiration OF the time limit Had the
wind freshened 20 minutes earlier than
it did the sup series would have ended
with three straight wins for the de
fender and Flies famous lightweath-
or boat would have sailed back to Al
bian shores one OF the most disas-
trOusly Worstod challengers in the his
tory of the America cup contests.
Fully as dlsoouraging as the sailing
qualities displayed by the challenger
was the atrocious manner in which she
was handled The Yankee skipper not
only ont manoeuyred his rival in the
spectacular battle for position at the
start. as ne has done every time they
have met. but worse still for the down
hearted supporters of Shamrock. Cap
tain Wringe repeated his blunder Of
Tuesday. He crossed the line in the
wake of Reliance with a handicap OF
81 of the precious seconds for which
Fife had sacrificed so much in sail
spread for time allowance. Both boats,
Il is true. went over after the smoke
Of the handicap gun. but where both
are handicapped it is only the stern
most craft which actually suffers.
Il was not q pleasant day on the
water. and the observation feet which
had put out 70 sea TO witness the
race was hardly more than half as
large as on the preceding days. There
was a chill in the atmosphere. Low,
wet clouds shut out the sky. and the
mist wreaths on the sea made every
thing look ghOst-like and indistinct
The dark water OF the ocean was as
smooth as q floor. and light breeze
Of about four knots blew ont of the
southwest The course was laid Is
miles dead into the wind and return.
At the end of the first hour Shamrock
was beaten and the interest waned.
After rounding the float for the run
home and setting big balloOners the
wind, which had strengthened TO six
or seven knots on the beat, died down
and the towering clouds Of canvas
drifted lazily down an ocean lane "a
mile wide between the two divisions
OF the excursion feet
Even in the lghs -.ir II was aston
fishing how the defender slipped
through the placid seas. With the
gentle breeze distending the surface
OF her pure white sails and her stern
crowded with tars to hold her head
up. she moved along as serenely and
peacefully as if in a dreamless sleep
Yet the gap between her and the chal-
lenger steadily widened until two miles
separated them. Half an hour from
home when the spectators had aban
doned any idea that the finish line
could be reached in time, the wind sud
denly freshened and Reliance came
bowling down at a merry clip. But
the wind had come too late, and when
still few hundred yards from home
the gun on the tug Navigator doomed
across the water. The excursion boats
held on until she crossed the line t.
give her a rOusing welcome, and then
scampered for New York Sir Thorn
as. who heretofore has always follow
cd bis champion into the hook, sent
his steam yacht. the Erin, ahead at
full speed. as II TO drown out the mem
DRY of the inglorious licking he had
received.
Both boats came up quickly to the
Hook after the failure 10 finish and
took up their anchorages. Sir Thorn
as. speaking of the affair. said: 81 am
willing to repeat what | said this
morning. ! still have hope, slight.
though II is Let us hope for spank
Ing good breeze tomorrow. l called
my friends around me this afternoon
and was about TO express my regret
at my failure when happened to look
at my watch. Then | reserved my de-
cision, and may never have to make
that speech"
Mr.. Iselin and Captain Barr declined
to talk, except that Mr.. iselin regret
ted that the wind was not sufficient TO
bring the boats in on time.
The next race will be sailed tomor'
row. and will be Is miles 70 ieeward
or windward and return.
CLYDE Xachtsnnen Want Races.