The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-18
Greatest Boat Race Of
Century Begins, amer
iCan Ship First.
SANDY HOOK START
INSPIRING SIGHT
Utowana and Valhalla. Narrowly
Escape collision-Fleet When
Last Seen Made Line Six
Miles Long-German Ham
burg Hanging Close
to Bars Boat.
(By Associated Prcss.)

(By Associated Prcss.)
NEW YORK, May ia splendid fleet
OF sailing yachts swept across starting
line at Sandy Hook lightship at 1915
p. NJ, to-day, and. with the queenly
American schooner Atlantic leading the
way, headed out into the broad ocean
on race OF 1900 miles to the English
coast for a 5000 cup offered 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 southeastward
and pointing as nearly as possible to a
wind that was dead ahead A quarter OF
mile astcrn OF the Atlantic was the 30
& foot American yawl Alsa, which was
having hot brush with the German
schooner Hamburg while all three Of the
leaders were slowly dropping the Phila-
delphia schooner Iildegardc Next was
the Endynlion. holder Of the Transatlan-
tic yachting record Almost mile astern
& OF the Atlantic and moro than half a
Is mile nstcrn OF the Endymion. were the
Thistle and Fleu. De Lis. Strung out
behind were the American bark Apache.
the British topsail schooner Sunbeam, and
five miles astern OF the leader. was the
American three masted schooner Uto-
wana. Bringing up the rear was the
British clipper ship Valhala. These two
had been delayed by a bad start.
Square Riggers Handicapped.
Jeaden skies. low hanging eaden clouds
moderate east wind. We're the unfavor-
able conditions under which the great
ocean race was started and the three
Is big square rugged vessels were handicap
Il ped at the very start = for at beating TO
w1nlward III Il light air, their. spreading
courses and bnlging topsails were not to
z be compared with the hard fitting fore
and aft canvus of the trim schooners.
Despite the lowering weather conditions,
the start of the great and Heterogeneous
fleet was inspiring. After the postpone
ment OF the day before, the yachts lay
In their anchorage within the shelter OF
Sandy Hook last night. The fog OF the
day previous had lifted considerably, but
Fl still hung low and obscured the vision
beyond a Few miles. The German .schoon-
er Hamburg was the first to leave the
anchorage and pass out through Ged-
ney's Channel. The Valhalla, Ailsa and
Thistle followed and before 1880, the
fleet was steaming In tow out through
The stranded Cunard Liner Caronia, whose
passengers crowded to the rails to Wit
ness the procession
The Blue Peter, giving warning OF i'm
pending departure, was run up on the
mast of the committee tug at noon. there
was flash and spurt OF smoke from
The gun on her deck and a warning re-,
port rolled among the fleet giving no.
tlce 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.
Inspiring Sight.
It was an inspiring spectacle. Near
the line the small Ailsa, bearing every
mark OF tho racer, was engaged In q
iockcying match with the Hildegarde,
and to avoid being forced across the
line prematurely performed some startling
manoeuvers. Behind them, to the north
and east. the fleet was spread out ~
fan shape. Close astern Of the leaders
was the Atlantic, whero Captain Charles
Barr had placed her In we'll timed posi-
hon. The Endymlon. Hamburg and
Thistle swept down toward the line from,
windward position. and crowding close
upon the quarter of the later was the
majestic Valhala, whose every mast
was n leaning spire of towering canvas
gently bellying before the breeze and
sweeping her toward the line. Still
further away were the Sunbeam and
Apache, taking plenty Of sen room to
pile on sail and get under way.
Almost at tho fash Of the starting
gun the Alsa and Iildegarde went across
the line. with the yawl slightly In the
lead and in the windward position.
crowdlng close behind them came the
Atlantic. Fndymion, Hamburg, Thistle,
Utowana and Valhalla, in that order.
AS the vessels crowded together at the
windward of the starting line, each cap-
tain anxious to secure the weather posi-
tion, the schooners In the lead. crowded
the Utowana and Yalhnlla so Lady that
they were unable to cross the line with
out a collision. They approached tho
line from such a direction that the
other yachts were crossing their bows,
yet they held to their course SO long
that the Utowana, the leader OF the two.
became pocketed so that she could not
turn about. Both she md the Yalhalla
bore down upon the schooners threaten
ngly. Passing between n tug and the
committee boat, 1t looked as though they
we're going to smash into the Atlantic
and Endymion, and an order came from
& the committee to 30 about md cross the
(: line properly.
Barely in time to prevent collision
S the fleet made All opening for them, ana
they went through them and swung into
Il recalled them. but not until they had
gone more than half mile on their
course, and were able to get clear of the
fleet and return and recross the limo.
LIN tho meantime the little schooner.
Fleur de Lis. the smallest of the fleet,
& on which Miss Candnce Stimson, the
owners daughter, was a passenger. sllp-