The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-18
GREAT RACE BEGINS
YACHTS OFF ON LONG JOURNEY
 ACROSS ATLANTIC.
With American Schooner Leading They Begin Contest for the S5,OO0 Cup. Oficered by Emperor will
 ttnm of Germany.

New York, May 17.-A splendid heet of sailing yachts swept across start ing line at Sandy Hook lightship at 12:50 ?. m. today with the queenly American schooner Atlantic leading the way and headed out to the broad At lantic ocean, a race of 5000 miles to the English coast for a $5.000 cup of fered by Emperor William of Germany.
 When last seen as they vanished into the mist they were strung out in a line six miles long, heading south eastward and pointing as nearly as pos sible to a wind that was dead ahead. A quarter of mile astern of the At lantic was the ninety foot American yawl Ailsa which was having q hot brush with the German schooner Ham burg while all three of the leaders were slowly dropping the Philadelphia schooner Hildegarde. Next was the Endymion, holder of the trans-Atlan- tic yachting record. Almost mile astern of the Atlantic and more than half a mile astern of the Endymion were the Thistle and Fleur de Lys. Strung out behind were the American barque Apache. the British topsail schooner Sunbeam and five miles astern of the leader was the American three-masted schooner Utowana. clipper ship valhalla. These two had been delayed by bad start.
 Leaden skies. low hanging mist. leaden clouds and a moderate east wind were the unfavorable conditions under which the great ocean race was started. and the three big square rigg- ed vessels were handicapped at tho very start, for beating to windward, in a light air, their spreading courses and .bulging topsails were not to be compared with the hard fitting fore and aft canvas of the trim schooners weather prophets declared 1t not un- likely that the racers were in TOT day or two more of moderate head winds. If the forecast is fulfilled, nothing but half gale of wind from astern will save the big Valhalla from defeat.
 Despite the lowering weather condi- tions the start of the great and hc- terogenous fleet was inspiring. The day before the yachts lay in their an- chorage within the shelter of Sandy Hook The fog of the day previous had lifted considerably but still hung low and obscured the vision beyond few miles, The blue peter. giving warning of impending departure was run up on the mast of the committee tug at noon, there was a flash and spurt of smoke from the gun on her deck and a warning report rolled among the fleet giving notice that the race would start in fifteen minutes.
 Ten minutes later another gun sounded and the prov of every craft swung toward the starting line. It was an inspiring spectacle. Near the line the small Ailsa, bearing every mark of the racer. was engaged In iockeying match with tho Hildegarde and to avoid being forced across the line prematurely performed some start ling manouvers. Benind them to the north and east the fleet was spread out in fan shape.
 Almost at the flash of the starting aun the Ailsa and Hildegarde went across the line, with the yawl slightly in the lead and in the windward posi- tion. Crowding close behind them came the Atlantic. Endymion, Hamburg, Thistle. Utowana and Valnalle in that order As the vessels crowded toSetn- CT at the windward end Of the start ing line, each captain anxious 10 se- cure the weather position, the schoon- CT in the lead crowded the osowama .'ara and Valhalle so badly that tsY were unable to cross the line without col- lision. . ooI- I,sion the fleet made an opening TOT them and they went through anu anu swune into line. Warning whlstles and signal flags recalled them' put not until they hau Bohe hioto .1a a half mile on their course were 'heS able to get clear of the fleet and re- turn and recross the line.
 In the meantime the little scnoonet' one, Fleur de Lys, the smallest or the lleet on which Miss Candace Stlmson' the owners daughter, was pasSens oIinned across the line and quickly overlook the Thistle. ,.,-.
 All the leaders got away wltnin i,E
 ,innte of the starting gun at 12:do' hut the Fleur de Lys crossed at i9:a.' s Sunbeam at 12;3O, and Apache at lz:SS' .1Ttowana at 12:57. and Valhalle at I'zo, The latter was in irons Tn tacAhs ~' the line and thus badly delayeo'