The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-09-01

IWO dAu d Ildll HINES dSIeTu. HELL
ance's failure to o the race was
the more ex~asperating because her
ultimate triumph is now conceded,
even by SirThomas himself, to be a
mere formality. The superiority of
the Herreshoff boat in any kind OF
weather is acknowledged by the yacht
ing critics of both sides Of the Allan
tic, and today's fluke only prolongs
the agony of a contest that has already
been decided.
Interest is Waning.
The waning interest in the cup races
was strikingly illustrated by the size
of the observation fleet, if the ships
which went down to the ocean race
course today could be dignified by
such a title. Outside of the revenue
cutters which %patrolled the course, it
consisted of half a dozen tugs and a
score of steam yachts.
The easterly wind and rain last
night had served to knock down the
sea somewhat, although it was rough
enough the first two hours of the
race to make the excursion boats tum.
BILE about a good deal and the yachts
plunge and stagger on their way to the
outer mark. But as the day wore on
the wind hauled to the north and fell
to a mere zephyr, hardly blowing
strong enough to round out the en-
ormous of the sloops, and
the sea subsidized to a smooth surface.
Contest Without Spirit,
The race was spiritless from the be.
ginning. 1t was laid Is miles to
windward up the Long Island shore
and return. 4
It's saving feature was the start,
in which Captain Wringe, by a pretty
piece of ananeuvering, neatly turned
the tables on the Yankee skipper and
secured the windward berth. Even
so, the yachts crossed the line abreast
like a harnessed team of horses.
But within 15 minutes the defender
was showing her heels to the challen-
ger and when the fleet at the outer
mark was reached, she rounded it 20
minutes and 23 seconds ahead OF her
rival. In the five times since the boats
have met, this vas by far the worst
tbeatings Shamrock III. has sustained
in windward work. The only interest
which remained after that was wheth-
er Reliance would be able to reach the
finish line in time to score the
After running five miles south from
the lightship, the Navigator signaled
a windward and leeward course. east
northeast, from which direction a five
knot wind was blowing. The easterly
gale had left a long, heavy sea run
ming and as the yachts jockeyed
about the starting line they lifted
their long bows high out of the waite.
top of the swell and pounded the
sea into a froth.
Barr OutgeneraIed.
For the first time in the series, Cap
tain Wringe of Shamrock III. cleverly
the r%edoubtable Captain
Barr in the preliminary jockeying. I'm
til five minutes before the start Cap
tain Barr held the windward berth.
Then both ran away from the line,
leading. Two minutes be-
fore the starting gun Shamrock head
ed up into the wind, tackled, forced
for the line, Reliance leading. They
reached it before the starting gun and
Reliance had to run along the leeward
side of it to await the gun. Sham
rock reached the line as. the gun
sounded, and not having to sheer OF,
secured the weather position.
1t was a trick which Captain Barr
had worked often, but eve with bet
ter finesse or more satisfactory. re-
suits. The official starting time OF
both yachts was 11:45:26.
The first tack five minutes after
crossing the line put the Shamrock
but under the lee bow of Reli-
ance. Wringe gave his boat a good
iull and the way she began to glide
away from Reliance made it look like
The had found herself ct last. But