New-York tribune., 1920-07-18
Herreshoff Sloop Shows
the Way Throughout;
Race Is Little More
Than Loafing Contest
Boston Skipper
Proves Mastery
Shamrock All bat Be-
calmed When Officials
Call the Struggle Off
By w. O. Mcclellan

Officially, the second act of the
sea drama, staged for the most part
IN the open Atlantic yesterday with
the defender Resclute and the chal-
lenger Shamrock ", is recorded as
no race. The tickle wind failed
Resolute after she was leading
Shamrock by more than five miles.
1t left her utterly after she had
rounded the second mark and was
starting home on the third leg of
the triangular race, leaving Sham
rock creeping along on an oily sea
five miles behind until she seemed a
dim silhouette.
Charles Francis Adams, skipper
of the defender, outsailed the skipper
Of Shamrock. The trim Resolute
danced away from the stolid looking
challenger after the first eight miles
of the sail to the open sea. At ths
first stake buoy Shamrock seemed to
be fumbling about like stultified
crab, while Resolute seemed to lift
her skirts like dainty young thing
and dash away from her befuddled
companion.
Once they estimated that Shamrock
was seven miles behind It locked as
though Resolute would win by bigger
margin than ever cup defender held
before. The wind died at the second
stake, and what seemed certain to be
an utter rout became no race at all.
"Lipton Luck"
"Lipton luck" declared some one. "It
won him the first race when he was
being beaten and it saved him from
the worst defeat that a yacht ever
met"
If it was luck to have been shown
that racing machine upon which you
have staked your hearts desire could
never sweep to its goal, then Sir
Thomas was lucky. Those who saw
what the biggest and weirdest fotilla
that ever gathered for fight for the
Americas Cup saw outside yesterday
are convinced that only series of az
cidents would bring a victory for Sir
Thomas. Seamen and landsmen, they
will agree that Resolute is the better
boat and was better handled.
Resolute was seven miles from the
finishing line when the official six
hours were up. Shamrock was within
two nl'os of reaching the second stake
boat, which placed her five miles be-
hind the defender, when time WIS
called.
The oily sea nesr the yellow Am
brose lightship was c,uteered With the
most numerous and bizarre array Of
craft that ever assembled TO view q
cup race, long before the official start
ing time. The huge navy blimp, the
NC 10, drifted above with marks like
prints Of huge mule kicks on ner sky
blue sides, while a.rplanes and hydro
aeroplanes buzzed fretfully around her.
1t was evident to the groenest lands
man that the start would not be on
schedule.
The mixture of ill-assorted vessels
drifted closer and closer together until
plebeian little fishing launches were
rudely jostling aristocratic little power
boats with shining white sides and
glistening metal parts. The sea was
as sluggish as an oil pond, and the air
was as still as the desert.
Breeze Finally Comes
Experts, wetting their fingers, felt for
a breeze and looked out to sea rest
iessly. 1t came slowly, very gradually
indeed, but it came 1t was not much
of sailing breeze, but it was breeze
that might increase and give one or
both Of the yachts a chance to finish
within the stipulated six hours time.
While the spectator boats were
snoozing on the oily green waters the
two yacnts We're shifting about as
though searching for wind power.
hardly a whisper of breeze, while
Resolute seemed only TO drift.
About 1870 the warning signals were
hoisted and the racers began to maneu-
yer up to the start. The snub nose of
the Shamrock then seemed to point
uncertainty, while the dainty Resolute
became thing of life. The American
racer acted like a thoroughbred that
knows the way of the track, while
Shamrock seemed like a green young
colt only half broken to the work.
Again Charles Francis Adams, the
skipper of Resolute, outmaneuvered
William P. Burton, OF Shamrock. right
from the start. Resol0te swept across
the line first with Shamrock again
thumping behind TO the leewsrd. and SO
they stood out to open sea on the first
leg, series of frequent and compli-
Gated tacks
Resolute seemed to gain steadily,
while the snub nose of Shamrock
with the homeiiest bowsprit that ever
was carried by sailing vessel, pointed
sullenly behind. 'S'''''N
You might have compared that oiiv
sea to a polished ballroom fooy
Resolute giided over it with the grace
Of ballet-dancer trained to the work
Shamrock started like a greer
yokel trying to learn the. steps. fr
that light breeze and that CLASSY sea