Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-07-23
RES0LUTE LEADS
BY HALF MILE
Defender Crosses Starting
Line % Seconds Ahead of
Shamrock in Today's Race
BREEZE is DROPPING OFF
As SIoops Near Highlands
ResoIute Holds Lead Twice
as Large as on Wednesday
BY The Associated Press.


BY The Associated Press
SANDY HOOK, July 23-Dashing
over the starting line at 1:03:33, Of
ficial time, twenty-three seconds
ahead of the challenger, Shamrock
Nv, the Americas cup defender,
Resolute, this afternoon continued
TO increase her lead until at
o'clock she was leading her rival in
the crucial test by almost one-half
a mile. The Shamrock crossed the
starting line OF 1:01:56.
As Shamrock was twenty three
seconds later than Resolute in cross
ing the starting line, the challenger
must finish six minutes and eighteen
seconds ahead of the defender to win
and six minutes and seventeen
seconds to tie. The time allowance
for the Resolute today is six minutes
and forty seconds.
At 1:11 O'Clock the American
yacht was easily one quarter of a
mile ahead.
At. 1:24 the yachts were trying
to get in under the Jersey High
lands, where they hoped to get bit
more breeze.
At 1880 the wind. after increasing
tc eight knots went back into the
south southwest, making it dead
ahead to the first turn with Reso-
lutte half mile to windward and go
ing faster than Shamrock, which
seemed loggy.
At 1887 observers along shore es-
timated that Resolute was leading
by slightly more than one-quarter
of q mile.
At 1850, when nearly down to the
Highlands, Shamrock had picked up
with the aid of small baby jih top
sail and was doing better in the
breeze, which had dropped back TO
six knots.
Shamrock cut down some of hel
rivals lead on the tack inshore bui
at 1856 the American sloop still was
quite a piece to weather.
At 2,o'clock the yachts had reached
that point OFF the Jersey coast where
last Wednesday they began a series
of short tacks. But this time Reso-
lutte had a lead of nearly twice as
great as that of Wednesday.
The wind was varying constantly
and gradually dropping of.
w n1lG anu cf|OF0
rode a gale side by side in the shell
tiers of the horseshoe after day Of
rest spent by the challenger IN a
Staten Island dry dock, where her
sleek sides underwent another
bienishing. While being groomed
for what may prove the last race CT
the series, Shamrock was also equip
ped with a new top mast and 4 new
topsai.
Following these alterations the
New York Yacht Club announced
that pending a remeasurement OF
the green sloop the race would be
run today with a handicap of six
minutes and forty seconds in favor
of Resolute unless a remeasurement
probably after the race should after
these figures.
Resolute, although not hauled out
of the water, was not neglected by
her crew who spent the day testing
sails and making everything ready
for contest in which SECONDS
count.
Both yachts were pronounced by
their shippers fit for the battle. Al
$3.50 O'Clock Shamrock slipped her
moorings and taking tow started
for the starting line an hour earlier
than usual.
An eight-knot southwesterly
breeze was blowing at o'clock and
after an all-night rainstorm pros
poets for a race were good.
Sir Thomas Upton and his
friends feel that Shamrock's best
chances of capturing the cup lies
in today's contest in which the Irish
sloop will have twenty miles OF
reaching point of sailing in
which she has shown superiority
over Resolute.
Should the American yacht win
today, the cup boats will meet to-
morrow over a thirty mile windward
and leeward course and the chances
for Resolute- a witch at windward
work-in the final and deciding con-
test would be bright indeed.
The rival shippers today took their
boats under the cover until the rain
passed out to sea. At an early hour
wearing oil slickers were observed
on deck.
Shortly after o'clock the yachts
began hoisting sails. The wind blow
ing up the Jersey shore from south
southwest was rapidly driving to sea
the fog left by last nights storm.
Shamrock went out early today Il
test her new top sail and main shee'
traveller.
Resolute dropped her moorings al
1918. 4 tug steamed on ahead an6
later took the defender in tow.
At IL o'clock, an hour before the
time set for the start, light cloud.
appeared in the southwest indicating
wind later in the day.
A special weather forecast for
Sandy Hook predicted mostly south
eriy and gentle winds. and generally
fair weather. There was some posi-
bility OF a thunder squall.