The Weather Today: FAIR. The News and Observer. VOL. LI. NO. 20. Leads allMorthGarelina Bailies in Mewsand Circulation THE COLOMBIA HOLDS THE COP The Race Woii on Time Allowance, Sham-* rock Crossing the Ljne First by Two Seconds. SIR THOMAS CHEERS FOR THE COLOMBIA “She is the Better Boat,” He Cries. THE CLOSESf CUP RACES EVER SAILED The Excursion Boats Crowd Around Columbia With Loud Huzzas, Then Bun Alongside Shamrock and Erin to Cheer the Vanquished. (liy the Associated Press.) New York, Oct. 4. —With victory ilags flying from her towering mastheads and the ends of her spreaders in honor of her concluding triumph in the Cup Paces of 1901, the gallant sloop Colum- i bia returned to her anchorage tonight under the escort of the entire excursion fleet. She today completed her defence of the honored trophy in another stir ring race with the Shamrock 11., over a leeward and windward race of thirty miles, crossing the finish line two sec onds behind her antagonist but winning on the time allowance conceded by Lip ton’s boat, by 41 seconds. For the second time she has success fully foiled the attempt of the Irish Knight to wrest from our possession the cup that means the yachting su premacy the world. And plucky Sir Thomas Lipton, standing on the bridge of the Erin led his guests in three hearty hurrahs for the successful de fender. “She is the better boat,” he said, "and she deserves to be cheered.” CLOSEST RACES EVER SAILED. The series of races just closed will always be memorable as the closest ever sailed for the cup and Sir Thomas al though defeated will go home with the satisfaction of knowing that his golden yacht is the ablest foreign boat that ever crossed the western ocean. During both series of races not an un toward incident hgs occurred and Sir Thomas will return to England by far the most popular of all the foreigners who have challenged for the America's trophy. The racers were sent away before the wind, each carrying a penalty for cross ing the line after the handicap gun. No official record is kept of the time after that gun but the experts w r ith stop watches estimated Columbia’s handicap at fifteen seconds and Sham rock’s at 30 seconds. The contest of the yachts fleeing be fore the wind was picturesque but not exciting. Their crews were gathered aft to keep the heads of the boats up and thereafter until the outer mark was reached it was merely a question of holding on to all the canvas and letting the wind do the rest. THE SHAMROCK’S VICTORY. Notwithstanding the fact that the Columbia beat the Shamrock before the wind last Saturday the Challenger to day gained slowly, but steadily all the way out and rounded forty-nine seconds before the Defender, having actually gained one minute and four seconds. Immediately after the yachts turned their noses into the wind for the beat home the breeze moderated and turned fluky. The skippers split tacks, each searching for wind, with the result that first one would get a lift and then the other. At one time Columbia seemed a mile ahead when a sudden cant of the wind allowed the Shamrock to point nearer the mark, and a mile from home the Challenger appeared to be leading by fully half a mile. The talent began to feel nervous, but as the yachts approached the lfinish, the Yankee skipper by some miraculous legerdemain shoved his boat into the light air like a phantom ship and one hundred yards from home the two rac ers were almost on even terms. CROSSING RAIL TO RAIL. It was a pretty sight and one seldom witnessed when they crossed rail to rail, the w'hite yacht’s bowsprit just lap ping the golden boat’s mast. The usual pandemonium that attends the final Yankee victory in a cup contest follow ed. Whistles, sirens, bells bands, and cheers united in a grand chorus of jubi lation and J. P. Morgan’s steam yacht Corsair added to the terrific din by fir 's ing a national salute of twenty-one guns. After the Columbia had hauled down her sails and set her victory flag the excursion boats crowded alongside to cheer the Yankee sailors and the win ning skipper. Nor did they forget either Lipton or his gallant craft. In turn the crowded steamers ran alongside the Shamrock and Erin and the vanquished received almost a„s much honor as the victor. And thus with felicitations all around the twelfth series of races for the old - —i brought over fifty years ago ended with the best of feeling. The Official Story At the preparatory signal at 10:45 both boats w’ere far up to the windward and came down toward the light-ship and just before the warning gun, again headed up into the wind simultaneous ly and worked back to their former positions. Both were on the port tack and close hauled, with the Columbia on the weather quarter of the Challenger. The American boat was first to come about after the warning gun at 10:55. Shamrock immediately followed and planted herself directly astern of the Defender, at the same time breaking out her tremendous balloon jib, and let ting fall to starboa/d her spinnaker pole. It was Sycamore’s game to cross last if possible. This he was able to do, but while he had the pride of position in a leeward start he found himself thirty .seconds behind the handicap gun. Barr also handicapped his boat in crossing but not so much as his rival, for it is estimated that he was only fifteen seconds behind the handicap gun. Both boats being handicapped the offi cial time of start was posted on the bulletin board of the committee boat as follows: Shamrock, 11:02:00. Columbia, 11:02:00. SHAMROCK LED TO OUTER MARK. Hardly had the boats got over the line before it was .seen that the Sham rock was gaining on her rival. Slowly she crept up and at 11:17 was on even terms. Half a minute later she shoved her bowsprit ahead and from there on led the Columbia to the outer mark. The official time of turning the outer mark, was as follows: Shamrock 12:48:40. Columbia 12:49:35. Thus on the run straight down the wind the Challenger had gained according official time 49 seconds, but in reality she had done better than this, for to this 49 seconds are to added the 15 sec onds which the Columbia led her over the starting line. A DRAMATIC EVENT. At 1:12 a dramatic event occurred. In throe minutes the Columbia passed clean through the lee of the Challenger, went on the port tack and easily crossed her bows. The Shamrock at once tacked under the Defender’s lee and then developed a sit uation that could not be explained except by change of wind. While the Columbia kept on pointing very high, the Shamrock headed far of; to leeward and for several minutes did not point anywhere near as high as the Columbia, and rapidly fell off. The wind had now dropped materially and it soon became fluky as well, first one boat getting it in puffs and then the other. At times there was a great difference in their pointing, the Columbia now heading w : ell up, while the Shamrock fell off, and then again the reverse was true. At 1:30 the boats were standing along on port tack but. wide apart. The Colum bia was well to windward, the distance estimated by some of the yatching sharps at nearly a mile, but at the same time she was slightly astern. SHAMROCK GAINS ON TACKS. A series of short tacks was then be gun by both racers and in these the Shamrock showed evident gains, being aided by friendly slants of wind. Foi half an hotlr these short tacks continued and when <}t two o’clock the boats came together near enough to afford compari son it was seen that the Challenger had made up a large part if not all her loss. The wind, meanwhile, had become more and more fluky and was blowing not over seven or eight knots. A few minutes after 2 o'clock Barr put the Columbia about on the starboard tack and headed for the Jersey shore. A minute later the Shamrock followed and it. was then seen beyond possibility /of doubt that the American boa 1 * was not only, to windward, but was slightly ahead. SHAMROCK TAKES THE LEAD. Again the racers went into short tacks and again the Challenger came out with gains to her credit, so that at 2:20 she took the lead. The wind was now fast dropping. It became anybody's race and the excitement increased. A few more short tacks and the British boat added to her lead by favoring puffs. Seamanshin of the highest order was now required and in this respect it was hats off to doughty Charlie Barr. He nursed his craft along in the light airs in a wonderful manner and at every moment had a sharp eye out for any change of wind. When at 3:17 the Shamrock put about to meet the Columbia it was evident that she still had a slight lead for she forced the Defender about. Having done this the Shamrock again went about on the port tack with the evident hope of fetching the line, now about a mile away. The Columbia keot on a couple of min uates longer and then followed her rival. She was in the windward berth, but well astern and the lead of the Englishman was unmistakable. Both boats were be ing sailed for all there was in them and they went through the water at a / RALEIGH. NORTH CAROLINA. SATURDAY MORNING. OCTOBER a. 1901. speed remarkable for the wind that was then blowing. THE COLUMBIA GAINING. It was apparent that a nerve straining finish was at hand. Charlie Barr kept up his good work and took advantage of every change of air that could possi bly help him. The Columbia was percep tibly gaining. At 3:30 the Shamrock went about on the starboard and headed for the middle of the line. The Columbia tacked under her lee, Barr’s game beingAo back winds in the head sails of the Challenger. On tHry came the American boat gaining slightly. BUT TWO SECONDS APART. The Shamrock was first to luff across, but hardly was this perceptible before Barr did the same thing with the Co lumbia and they went two sec onds apart, but the two seconds were to the credit of the Shamrock in actual time, though she was a beaten boat according to the rules of the game. COL BEREHAN CAMERON. Elected Second Vice-President of the National Farmers’ Congress. (By the Associated Press.) Sioux Fells. S. D., Oct. 4.—The Fann ers’ National Congress i today elected officers as follows: President, Geo. L. Flanders, Albany, N. Y.; first vice-president. Col. Har vle Jordan, Monticello, Ga.; second vice-president, Col. B. Cameron, Staggs ville, N. C.; treasurer. Dr. J. H. Rey nolds, Adrian, Mich.; secretary, John M. Stahl, Chicago. Executive committee, Colonel B. F. Clayton, Iowa: Colonel E. YV. Wicke, Ge