Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-14

perts had been crossed UP" or they had
underestimate Enterprise, for Van
derbilt steered winning race through
all the fitfulness of breeze and fog
Beforehand they said Shamrock was
superior before the wind, but it was not
manifest In competition and the best
the challenger can hope for now is that
a change in racing conditions may
change her luck,
Series to Continue Daily.
The second race, over a triangular
course of 30 miles, Is scheduled for
Monday and the series will be continued
daily, barring accidents or other causes
of postponement, until one yacht wins
four contests.
Out of delayed, foggy and dismal
start, featured more by the hazardous
maneuverS of sightseeing boats than
by any competitive thrills. today's race,
by the time Enterprise led the way to
the half way mark, developed into per-
hapS the greatest pleaSure-going marine
spectacle ever witnessed on either side
of the Atlantic. 1t was nearly noon
over an hour late, before the racers
and their escorting armada got under
way from the marker miles southeast
OF Brenton Reef Lightship, just outside
NarragansetG Bay.
Barely Visible Quarter Mile Away.
For fully ID of the Is miles repre-
eenting the southwark run with the
breeze. fitful to freshening most of the
way. 1t was so foggy the racing yachts
we're almost obscured quarter mile off
Dtn1ly outlined on either side of the
course, patrolled by a record feet of
Coast Guard destroyers and cutters,
we're hundreds of craft of every descrip-
ton from racing sea sleds to heavy
laden excursion steamers of ocean-going
proportions. from modest Sailboats to
such stately craft as j. P. Morgan's
magnificent black Corsair and Sir
Thomas Lipton's steam yacht Erin.
Two major collisions and at least q
half dozen close calls from serious acct
dents marked the preliminary maneu-
vering for positions. diverting attention
from the race for the time being.
The Coast Guard Destroyer wilkes,
sharing the press detail with its sister
ship The Porter, collided with the big
excursion steamer City of Lowell few
minutes after the start of the race.
causing excitement among some 800
passengers aboard the latter vessel,
which bore a big streamer labeled "Ro-
tary Club of Providence"
Damage Negligible.
The Cityso Lowell. it seemed. was
determined to cut across the course
in some defiance of patrol lines. Both
boats we're proceeding slowly when the
steamer hit the destroyer at right
angles, on the starboard side. When
they backed off, the Wilkes showed
slight dents in two side plates, with a
big smudge of paint to mark the point
of impact, while the City OF Lowelps
bow was slightly knocked in. The
damage was insufficient to keep either
boat from steaming on out to sea.
Soon, however, the immense feet
Strengthened out and settled down
amicably, with only occasional warn
Guard ships, for the run through the
nists that we're fast enshrouding the
rival racers.
Enterprise, with mainsail spinnaker
end balloon jib catching all the f1tful
gusts of breeze they could pick up
seemed to draw slowly but steadily away
from the green-bodied challenger. The
wind was no more than i've or six knots
at the outset. It freshened and shifted
as the yachts got out more into the
open sea of Block Island Sound and
the monotony of the run was broken
by a brisk readjustment Of sails, ini-
tiated by Enterprise.
Glide Like Sea GulIs.
Like huge sea gulls, with their wings
full-spread, both boats were gliding
through the mists when Enterprise, first
perhaps to perceive the changing con-
ditions of the wind and weather,
switched her spinnaker from starboard
to port--the maneuver that Seamen
know as jibbing. In the process Of sail
readjustment, Enterprises balloon jib
for q few moments seemed tangled in
the stays. Quickly it Strengthened out,
however, and the defender shot forward
again.
Shamrock followed suit and both
Strengthened out after being in appar-
ent doubt at first as to the exact loca-
ton of the tug near the outer mark,
due to the fog.
There was fast work on the sails for
the next few miles as both yachts trim
med for the turn. Spinnakers were
hauled in, staysails, jibS and jib top
sails were set and close-hauled.
The sun broke through and blue skies
were overhead for the first time, I'M
folding, as If by magic. the full brilliance
of the far-hung marine spectacle.
Truly, it was dazzling sea of ships on
q shimmering ocean, with the full sail
spread of the racing yachts in bold re-
lief against sparkling background for
the first time. For miles the fleet of
yachts, luxurious cruisers, steamers and
swarms of small craft, BANKED by the
warlike patrol OF destroyers, stretched
into the horizon blue
Nearing the outer mark Shamrock
seemed again to close part of the gap
Is she had done earlier, but the trim
white hull OF Enterprise slid around the