The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-20

At 10:15, three quarters Of an hour be-
fore the time set for the start, there were
fully fifty vessels In the vicinity of the
nghtship, and twice as many more strung
out on the broad ocean road between the
lightship and the narrows.
The preparatory signal was given at
10:45 as the boats were maneuvering for
positions under the three lower sail, a
clubtopsail and jibtopsail. The wind was
then from the southwest and the course
signalled was fifteen miles to the wind
ward and a run home.
ReIan's Sails Fit Beautifully.
Reliance's sails fitted beautifully. In
the matnsail there was hardly wrinkle
| and the topsan set down in the angle as
II it had been made Of wood or steel, in
stead of flexible material. The smainsai1
used was the new one, used for the first
| time two days ago.
The Shamrock seemed to have a little
trouble getting her mainsail in shape but
when 1t finally was stretched there wos
| not wrinkle in it as big as a mans hand.
Shamrock Leads at Start.
| Promptly at II o'clock the starting gun
was fired. Reliance was running down the
line on the port tack with Shamrock
short distance astern. At the starting
signal Reliance gybed and headed for the
| line. shamrock came about on Reliance's
weather and also headed for the line.
| Shamrock was first to cross Both boats
| were on the starboard tack with fattened
sheets, Reliance little to windward OF
shamrock's wake and few hundred
yards astern.
i Little by little, almost inpercent,hIv
Reliance seen ed to gain on her adversary.
| out before she is on equal terms she must
overcome the one minute and fifty-seyon
SECONDS time allowance. Soon after the
start the yachts ran into drenchIng rain
storm, which, when it passed. left a calm
which was broken only by a faint and wa S
Verlng wind. Considering the conditions
! the pace made by the big racers was re-
I markable' but 1t was apparent that unless
the breeze improved considerably it would
| the time limit
/ AT II o'clock the yachts were about four
mics que east of Monmouth beach.
1 Reliance Takes the clad.
scarcely had the first shower passed
| Wnen another heavy downpour overlook
them. The wind shifted slightly and in
sucn way as directly to affect Reliance.
50 that When eight miles of the course had
oeen sailed the boats were on even terms.
The wind soon changed again so that
HeHance was In the windward position.
leading by about ten yards.
repeated shifts Of the wind continued
to favor Reliance and little by little she
| eoAAioo I'll I1eT opponent. When about
eleven miles Of the course had been sailed
| Reliance led by 200 yards. Shamrock was
TO leeWard, apparently footing faster but
not pointing SO high into the wind as
Reliance. The rain had stopped but show
ers continued to threaten. The wind at
this time was blowing about 6 knots
AS the rain ceased the wind freshened
little and with increasing force Reliance
began to prove her better sailing quail
ties. While for time Shamrock seemed
to foot as fast as Reliance, the latter was
pointing much higher and soon ate her
way into commanding windward berth,
giving her distinct lead. Gradually she
increased her advantage and as the breeze
seemed to improve 1t looked at / oclock
as tho the race would be finished within
the time limit.
Reliance by Quarter Of a Mile.
At that hour both boats were on the port
tack about three miles from the mark
with the Reliance slightly more than
: quarter Of mile In the lead
With Reliance ahead, they beat down
to the outer mark in tacks Of varying
lengths. Time after time Shamrock went
about, with the idea Of shaking clear and
looking for favoring slants of wind. Re-
lance however, played the game as 1t
should be played, and broke tack with
her opponent every time, keeping con-
stantly between her and the mark Prog
| ress was slow in the light and shifty
winds. Gradually the wind fell until, at
, 1:45, the yachts were just of Asbury
Park, almost becalmed, with Reliance
| over a mile in the lead. The outer mark
; was over a mile away.
| In the long, tedious beat down the Jer-
sey shore to the outer mark Reliance con-
tinually pulled away from the challenger.
altho it confidently expected by the
supporters of the latter boat that in the
light winds she would prove a wonder and
beat the Reliance or at least hold her
The well known drifting qualities Of the
HerreshoM boat which she showed In tha
races early in the season stood her in
good stead and her gains were continue
Gus.
4 The excursion fleet obeyed orders bet
ter than ever before and gave both boats
plenty Of sea room, in fact the space
about the boats extended more than a
mile on either side. The larger excursion
boats also kept well astern so that they
did not at any time affect the wind.
By o'clock the wind had subsidized al
most completely, leaving the boats flap
ping about in the long ocean roll. They
twisted and turned in desperate effort
to get into slant of wind. Headsails
were frequently shifted. Farther up the
coast towards Sandy Hook fine north
west breeze prevailed but 1t worked of
shore very gradually. The sky, under the
influence Of the new breeze, began to clear
and the muggy dog day which prevailed
earlier in the day disappeared completely.
At 2:45 p. m. Reliance was two miles
from the mark and increasing her lead.
} The race is a drifting match.