The Sun and the New York herald., 1920-07-25
trace TO DECIDE
CUP IS PUT OFF;
WIND TOO STIFF
Will Be Sailed Tomorrow,
Announces Committee of
n. Y. Y. Club.
DELAY IS CRITICISED
Yachtsmen and Spectators
Disappointed Over
POstpOnement. 4
CRAFT SAFE IN THE GALE
ReSOlute and Shamrock viii
Be Thoroughly Inspected Be-
for the Deciding Battle.
DELAY IS CRITICISED
CRAFT SAFE IN THE GALE

Yachtsmen of two hemispheres were
grievously disappointed yesterday
when because Of too much wind and
heavy seas the regatta committee of
the New York Yacht Club, with the
assent of the rival shippers, post
poned until tomorrow the sailing Of
the crucial race which was expected
10 determine the custody OF the Amer
ica's Cup.
At the noon hour a stiff Southwestern
was blowing off the Ambrose light
ship at rate which old yachtsmen
varlously estimated at from twenty
hve to twenty-eight knots an hour.
There was a choppy sea running,
crested with whitecaps. Enthusiasts
on their way down to the starting line
were congratulating themselves that
at last the shippers who have been so
hungry for a real spanking breeze had
no hope left unrealized. Here GER
tainly was a steady wind, with enough
punch in it TO heel the Shamrock
over to her racing lines with a ven-
geance
1t was the view Of majority of
observers that the yachts were facing
the sportiest test of the series. 1t
had not occurred to such practical
sailor men as William Gardner, de-
signer Of the Vanite, and Capt. Day,
who has sailed cockleshells all over
the seven seas, both of whom were
aboard the destroyer Semmes that the
two sloops contesting the worlds
yachting supremacy would shrk try
ing conclusions In a twenty-five knot
! blow.
Shippers Agree TO PostponemeDt.
When the race was called off at noon
a sparse but highly enthusiastic obser-
vation fleet had assembled. The sea
was rolling and pitching In n manner
trying to persons of 'squeamish" ten
denotes. Both racing yachts were IN
position apparently ready for the pre-
paratory signal. The Regolute was fly
Ing through the choppy seas with only
her jib and mainsail set. The Shamrock
was moving no faster under the pull
ing power OF jib, mainsail and small
working topsail.
Not only was the blow gaining
strength all the time but its direction
seemingly was hauling around from a
more westerly quarter That fact also
is said to have influenced TO some ex-
tent the decision Of the committee to cal
off the race. A westerly wind causes
diffiot lty In laying a fifteen mile wind
ward and leewbrd course because Of the
lay OF the land.
Successive early morning squalls, az.
companied by terrific thunder and
lightning, had brought up the stiffest
breeze that has swept lower New
York harbor in several weeks. The
racing yachts had ploughed their way
out to the lightship. where they found
considerable sea running and also
freshening wind from a bad quarter In
response TO the query from the COM
mlttee boat both shippers. Captain Bur-
ton of the Shamrock and Captain Adams
of the Resolute, notified the regatta
committee they were willing to post
pone the race, which now, 1t Is hoped,
will be sailed tomorrow.
Yachts Race for AnchOrages.
Shamrock and Resolute wheeled about
and Immediately began what looked llke
an unofficial and impromptu race from
the lightship up to the Hook. Scorning
to take towlines, they hauled in their
sheets and sailed toward their berths AT
racehorse clip under their own powe-.
Despite their shortened sail, both yachts
heeled over steeply. but both seemed to
be behaving beautifully. The Resolute
was ahead when they started. and she
seemed TO have no difficulty In increas-
ing her lead over the green challenge.
Craft OF the observation feet did not
linger to see this impromptu speed trial,
Before the big sloops were back at their
moorlngs in the Horseshoe some thou
sands Of disgusted spectators who had
thronged the decks of the Saturday sight
seeing steamboats, and sundry others Who
graced the quarter decks of private yachts
were scurrying up the harbor to New
York. sorry they had not arranged to
make some different disposition of the
This action by the committee was by
no means unprecedented. In the last
series Of races that of seventeen years
ago, one of the races was called of 'le-
tween Reliance and Shamrock III. be-
cause of a northeaster. On the other
hand, more than one Of the historic cup
races has been sailed with reefed main
sails and headsalls shortened to the
limit In one OF the 1899 series the
first Of the Shamrocks, pitted against CO.
lhmbia, carried away her topmast IN a
blow and withdrew.
The deciding race by which Columbia
withheld the Cup from Shamrock late
in October. 1899. was sailed under
twenty knot breeze, little. II any, sitter
than that which was named as the
ostensible cause for yesterdays post
1t was a spirited contest
The morning of October
20 was sharp and frosty. with breeze
that proved too strong for the large
club topsails the sloops had been carry
ing. AS the yachts mannuvered for the
start spray arose in showers At their
bows and was blown the fui length OF