Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 October 1901 — COLOMBIA SAVES CUP. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COLOMBIA SAVES CUP.

DEFEATS SHAMROCK IN THREE STRAIGHT RACES. Uncle Sam'a Boat Win 9 on Time Allowance—Shamrock Turned the Ont-. er Mark 48 Seconls Ahead, bnt Twice Loat Leads in the Windward Work. Columbia, the defender, scored her third victory Friday afternoon over Shamrock, the challenger, and won the right to hold the America’s cup. Shamrock crossed the line first, but Columbia won through time allowance. Course —Fifteen miles southsoutheast to leeward and a beat home. Wind—From the northwest, diminishing from eighteen knots for the first leg to ten and then twelve knots for the second. The finish was exciting, Shamrock leading until near the finish, when the American boat spurted in and won. The same strong northwester which Thursday blew the Columbia to victory prevailed Friday. A smashing wind scur-

ried across lower New York bay, kicking up whiteeaps in every direction. Over the first leg of the course, fifteen miles to leeward before a heavy wind, Shamrock outsailed Columbia and turned the outer mark forty-nine seconds in the lead. Oil the beat home, however, and in lighter weather, the defender cut down this advantage, and passed the challenger. For an hour she held the van with Shamrock only a little astern. When the wind became lighter and fluky the positions were reversed. Then Columbia went on the port tack, heading for the lightship, while Shamrock went about on the starboard tack and took the lead a moment later. Thursday’s Race. The Shamrock had the kind of wind her owner wanted, the kind of a course supposed to be best for her, the kind of sea wherein she foots the best, and she was outsailed and outpointed by the Columbia. That is the substance of the story of race No. 2. The even going of the yachts, the conditions of wind and weather, the wonderful skill wherewith they were handled and the uncertainty that until almost the finish hung over the outcome give this struggle a heroic aspect beyond all other races for the cup. When the start was made the Shamrock stood out to sea nearly a minute, and a half in the lead. The story of the way In which the Columbia little by little reduced this lead is one of the most exciting in modern yachting annals. On the last leg of the course, with the goal in sight, it finally succeeded in coming up with its rival and overtaking it in the fastest of all races for the cup. At the finish it was three minutes and thirtyfive seconds in the lead. Often hitherto in the history of the cun the end of the contest has seen the American yacht at the finish line and the challenger just visible down the horizon. Only once before has there been a dogged inch by inch fight from start to finish and that once was when the Defender, crippled by the Valkyrie’s foul in 1895, fought with a broken wing over thirty miles of fiercely disputed sailing. She is a wonderful boat, the Columbia, and the Shamrock’s owner may think it no shame to be defeated by the finest creation of the greatest modern boat designer, sailed by a captain like Barr, whose skill amounts to genius, and manaed by those quick-witted, swift-heeled Deer Islanders, the greatest sailors in the world. .

SIR THOMAS LIPTON.