New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-21

IL n "A n
cutter Onondaga. carrying the Secretary of the
Treasury. each vessel flying the flag of its dis
tinguished guest. now Joined the great fleet of
yachts and excursion steamers.
The patrol feet led by the revenue cutter
Gresham, commanded by Captain T. D. Walker,
began to clear a space around the starting point
as soon as the course signals were set so that
by the time the preparatory signal was made
the yachts had plenty of room to man9uvre.
THE START A TAME ONE.
At 1925 O'Clock the code letter So was hoisted
on board the committee tug Navigator, meaning
that the course would be fifteen miles to wind
ward and return. Five minutes later the Navt-
gator anchored about two hundred yards south
west of the Sandy Hook Lightshp and estab-
Iished the starting line The course signals
"a p were hoisted at once, meaning
south-southwest. This the direction OF
what little wind there was, and at 1910 O'CLOCK
the tug John Scully. in charge of Lieutenant
Commander w. J. Sears, L. S. N, started to
log off the course, the guide boat Coastwise' in
charge of Lieutenant Commander H. c. Pound
stone I. S N, following half mile astern-
The Reliance. on the starboard tack and head
ing to the eastward, was passing the COMMITTEES
boat Navigator. when the preparatory signal
was made The Shamrock. the same tack.
passed on the Navtgator's starboard side Both
then luffed until close to the wind. the Sham
rock holding her position we'll
At the warning signal the Reliance, having
tackled to port. and crossed the bow OF the
Shamrock, was reaching down the line I'M
der good Roadway.
The start, owing partly to the light air pre-
vaiIing and partly account of the distance
between the yachts, not exciting one.
With the wind on their port quarters the Re
from the southwest, the Reliance heading so as
to pass to the west of the lightship Captain
Wrnge pointed the Shamrock for the middle of
the line.
At the starting gun the Reliance was within
a length of the lightship. She had passed
the outside of it twenty seconds later. and at
101 Barr gybed and let her come for the line
on the starboard tack. Wringe had made
bold bid to cross the line first, and he accom-
plished it neatly. Finding that he could not
overhaul the Reliance in time to cross close to
her. he brought the Shamrock across the line
from the southwest. AS soon as she had cleared
it he luffed her sharply, tackled just to leeward
of the line and shot her across, close hauled on
the starboard tack thirty three seconds ahead OF
the Reliance
The official time Of the start was:
-. .il
When the two-minute handicap gun was fired
both yachts were well clear Of the line. with
sheets trimmed for their first leg to windward
They were on the starboard tack. with the bow
spirit of the Reliance pointing to windward Of
the others wake by about half point There
was long, easy swell rolling in from the east
ward into which both yachts plunged occa-
sicnally, and it was noted that the Shamrock
did less splashing than the Reliance.
Five minutes after the start the Shamrock
still held her position on the lee bow of the Re-
lance. The latter had not gained on her
foot. All hands were lying down close to the
lee rail on both yachts. Not a head except the
helmsmans visible above the rail. The
sails on both yachts set TO perfection The
Shamrock's jibtopsail was a size larger than
that on the Reliance, and it seemed to draw
better.
While lying, or rather squatting, on deck the
crew Of the Shamrock at an order from Cap
tain Wringe trimmed the main sheet few
feet, making her point little better
It certainly looked for many minutes as if the
Herreshoff boat had met her match for pinch as
he might Bar seemed unable to make the Re.
lance point any better than her rival and the
Shamrock was not only holding but outfooting
her for e time
SHAMROCK LEADS AFTER soJTAII.
Twenty minutes after the start the breeze
freshened bit. Every man except the sheet
tenders was sent to close up under the weather
rail and made TO lie down fat on deck, in such
a light breeze the all important thing being to
keep the yacht trimmed just right.
Away off TO the westward a big black souau
had been making up over the land for an hour
and now it was coming out to sea. To make
his boat point higher Captain Wringe took the
lib topsail in at 1925 setting a smaller one at
11:30. The wind was hauling to the westward
as the squall approached. It struck them at
1855, There was not much wind in it. but for
an hour how it did rain! For forty minutes
it poured in torrents. shutting all the fleet of
yachts and excursion steamers from view, While
the yachts, still on the starboard tack carried
the same sail through it all.
At II o'clock the Reliance was to Vindward
OF Shamrock III by about four lengths. The
latter tackled to port at 2:19, and as she ap-
preached the Reliance all eyes were turned to
them TO if she could cross the bow Of the
Bristol boat. Just as she seemed about to do
it the Reliance came about TO the same tack
Barr placing her on the weather bow of the
Shamrock.
Then began the first interesting bit of racing
of the day. Slowly. but surely, the Shamrock
overhauled her rival. In one minute she had
gained overlap and in five minutes she had
passed clear through the lee Of the Reliance
The latter, however, held the better windward
berth, for Barr, with his usual skill at pinch
ing used every puff to place his boat further
to windward. AT 1890 the Shamrock was
nearly eighth of a mile ahead of the ReIi-
ance, but half the distance to leeward of her
Captain Wringe took the initiative again at