The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-30
RELIANCE FIRST IN FAST RACE
COLUMBIA SHOWS THAT SHE
STILL IS FORMIDABLE.
LII lS.NIile Wind and Rough Sea She Ii
Minutes . Seconds. Elapsed Tine,
behind New BOat, With Constitution
Third-A Splendid Contest on Newport

|
| Third-A Splendid Contest on Newport
NEWPORT, June 29.-The Reliance was
tried to-day in a al rong easterly wind and
| a rough sea, just the conditions that all
| enthusiasts wanted to see her race in, and
while she defeated the Columbia and Con-
| stitution by a safe margin, she did not do
az well as admirers expected she would.
| The course was fifteen miles to windward
and return and she beat the Columbia by
4 minutes 0 seconds elapsed time and the
Constitution by 4 minutes So seconds. 1t
was just the sort OF day in which the Co
lumbia used to show her superiority over
the Constitution two years ago. strong
breeze and short. tumbling sea, and the
| old boat showed that she is still factor in
| the fight for the honor of defending the
Americas Cup.
The Reliance has to allow the Columbia
about three minutes time. 80 that she has
really won the race with a minute to spare.
On the turn to windward the Columbia
did her best work She stuck to the Reli-
ance from .he start, and at the mark she
was only 1 minute 81 seconds behind. On
the run home the Relance's enormous
spread Of canvas did it's work, and she drew
away from the Columbia and gained 2
minutes Is seconds.
The most surprising thing about the race
was the comparatively poor showing Of
the Constitution. That boat crossed the
line under the lee bow Of the Reliance, but
the new boat soon pulled clear Of her and
20 minutes after the start the Constitution
was the last boat in the race. The Column
bia on the beat to the outer mark beat the
Constitution minute ~ seconds, but on the
run home the Constitution gained 4S seconds.
40 that over the whole course the Columbia
beat the Constitution 10 seconds.
The race was a very fast one The
Reliance made the thirty miles in hours
minutes So seconds, averaging fraction
under 81 miles an hour. Turning to wind
ward she averaged little better than
miles an hour, and running home her aver
age was III miles an hour. The Reliance
was not as much at home in the sea as was
the Columbia, but she appeared to do quite
as well as the Constitution. The new yacht
pounded considerably, as was expected.
but she threw the water from under her
bow sideways, and it did not seem to stop
her as much as it did the Constitution.
The Reliance at times staggered along
she heeled considerably and her lee rail
was under water. 1t was the first real
test the yachts have had in breeze Of
wind. and while those interested in the
new boat are pleased with her showing
they would like it better il the margin at
the finish had been bigger
The race was the first of a series OF six
arranged by the New York Yacht Club
to be sailed here his week. Ex-Commo-
dore Lewis Cass Iedyard has offered the
prize for the winner Of the series and Rear
Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt will give
the prize to the yacht finishing second.
All three yachts were ready early in the
morning. In the harbor there was little
wind and no sea, but incoming vessels
reported a good breeze outside, and as 1t
was from the east it kicked up some sea.
The Regatta Committee was on board Col.
R. NJ Thonpson's steam yacht Riviera,
and when that yacht arrived at the light
ship shortly after II O'Clock the committee
decided that the starting line would have
to be made further to the south in order TO
lay a windward and leeward course. This
decision was signalled to the yachts, and
the Riviera went to point three miles
east of Point Judith and established the line,
signalling that the course would be east,
fifteen miles. and return.
The tug Unique started TO log the course
and the yachts began their handwriting
for position. Each had an intermediates
club topsail set over lower sails, and when
the Constitution and Columbia were on
the starboard tack. heading to the north
east, and the Reliance on the port tack.
The Reliance crossed the CONSTITUTIONS
bow ard tackled, and then the Constitution
bore of and ran back toward the line. The
Reliance and Columbia followed in the
order named They crossed the line,
heading to :he west and at 1910 all took
the port tack. and with the wind abeam
stood to tn" south.
considers bly, and several plates Of their
bronze underbodies were showing above the
water or their weather sides. They hauled
the wird and stood 20 the southeast for
about a minute At 1912 the Constitution
took the starboard tack, passed astern Of
the Reliance and across the bow Of the
Columbia, and then, bearing off, reached
back toward the committee boat, or south
ern end of the line. The Reliance followed,
a few seco nds later and the Columbia was
Capt. Rhodes had misiudged his time by
a few seconds, and, hauling on the wind
astern of the committee boat. the COnst-
tuition reached across the line toward the
northern end. The Reliance lufred on the
Constitutions weather gus rter. md the Co.
Reliance.
As the ing gun sounded they all
hauled sharp on The wind. The Constitu-
ton was the first across. being timed at
l2:l5:2O To windward Of her was tho
Reliance at l2:l5:2+. and to windward OF
the Reliance was the Columbia. timed at
lo:l5:2s As soon as the Reliance was
over, Capt. Rhodes luffed sharply and then
bore off again, so close under the lee Of the
Reliance that the new yacht was being
backwinded. The Columbia was being
backwinded by the Reliance and she took
the port tack AT 12.1f:30, and the Reliance
tackled twenty seconds later. The Copsti-
tuition held on the starboard tack, heading
toward the Rhode Island shore.
The Columbia made only a short hitch,
and at l2l7:5O she took the starboard tack
and for a moment it looked as il she would
force the Reliance to give way, but Capt.
Barr succeeded in pnching the Reliance
across the Columbia's bow. Then the
Yacht took the starboard tack and had the
Columbia under her lee. This did not
suit Mr.. Morgan, who was at the wheel of
the Columbia, and he threw the Columbia
about on the port tack. Two minutes
later. when clear Of the Reliance. the Column
bic took the starboard tack and all were
standing in toward the shore. The Con-
stitution was leading, but was to leeward,
and the Columbia was to weather Of the
wake of the Reliance.
At 1885 the Constitution and Reliance